2014 FORD FUSION (AMERICAS) tire size

G.H: Indicates the tire's speedrating. The speed rating denotesthe speed at which a tire isdesigned to be driven for extendedperiods of time under a standardcondition of load and inflationpressure. The tires on your vehiclemay operate at differentconditions for load and inflationpressure. These speed ratings mayneed to be adjusted for thedifference in conditions. Theratings range from 81 mph (130km/h) to 186 mph (299 km/h).These ratings are listed in thefollowing chart.
Note:You may not find thisinformation on all tires because itis not required by federal law.
mph ( km/h)Letterrating
81 mph (130 km/h)M
87 mph (140 km/h)N
99 mph (159 km/h)Q
106 mph (171 km/h)R
112 mph (180 km/h)S
118 mph (190 km/h)T
124 mph (200 km/h)U
130 mph (210 km/h)H
149 mph (240 km/h)V
mph ( km/h)Letterrating
168 mph (270 km/h)W
186 mph (299 km/h)Y
Note:For tires with a maximum
speed capability over 149 mph
(240 km/h), tire manufacturers
sometimes use the letters ZR. For
those with a maximum speed
capability over 186 mph (299
km/h), tire manufacturers always
use the letters ZR.
H.U.S. DOT Tire IdentificationNumber (TIN): This begins withthe letters DOT and indicates thatthe tire meets all federalstandards. The next two numbersor letters are the plant codedesignating where it wasmanufactured, the next two arethe tire size code and the last fournumbers represent the week andyear the tire was built. Forexample, the numbers 317 meanthe 31st week of 1997. After 2000the numbers go to four digits. Forexample, 2501 means the 25thweek of 2001. The numbers inbetween are identification codesused for traceability. Thisinformation is used to contactcustomers if a tire defect requiresa recall.
I.M+S or M/S: Mud and Snow, or
AT: All Terrain, or
AS: All Season.
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The tire suppliers may haveadditional markings, notes orwarnings such as standard load,radial tubeless, etc.
Additional InformationContained on the Tire Sidewallfor LT Type Tires
Note:Tire Quality Grades do notapply to this type of tire.
LT type tires have some additionalinformation beyond those of Ptype tires; these differences aredescribed below.
A.LT: Indicates a tire, designatedby the Tire and Rim Association,that is intended for service on lighttrucks.
B.Load Range and LoadInflation Limits: Indicates thetire's load-carrying capabilitiesand its inflation limits.
C.Maximum Load Dual lb (kg)at psi (kPa) cold: Indicates themaximum load and tire pressurewhen the tire is used as a dual;defined as four tires on the rearaxle (a total of six or more tires onthe vehicle).
D.Maximum Load Single lb(kg) at psi (kPa) cold: Indicatesthe maximum load and tirepressure when the tire is used asa single; defined as two tires(total) on the rear axle.
Information on T Type Tires
T145/80D16 is an example of atire size.
Note:The temporary tire size foryour vehicle may be different fromthis example. Tire Quality Grades
do not apply to this type of tire.
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T type tires have some additionalinformation beyond those of Ptype tires; these differences aredescribed below:
A.T: Indicates a type of tire,designated by the Tire and RimAssociation, that is intended fortemporary service on cars, sportutility vehicles, minivans and lighttrucks.
B.145: Indicates the nominalwidth of the tire in millimetersfrom sidewall edge to sidewalledge. In general, the larger thenumber, the wider the tire.
C.80: Indicates the aspect ratiowhich gives the tire's ratio ofheight to width. Numbers of 70 orlower indicate a short sidewall.
D.D: Indicates a diagonal type tire.
R: Indicates a radial type tire.
E.16: Indicates the wheel or rimdiameter in inches. If you changeyour wheel size, you will have topurchase new tires to match thenew wheel diameter.
Location of the Tire Label
You will find a Tire Labelcontaining tire inflation pressureby tire size and other importantinformation located on the B-Pillaror the edge of the driver’s door.
Inflating Your Tires
Safe operation of your vehiclerequires that your tires areproperly inflated. Remember thata tire can lose up to half of its airpressure without appearing flat.
Every day before you drive, checkyour tires. If one looks lower thanthe others, use a tire gauge tocheck pressure of all tires andadjust if required.
At least once a month and beforelong trips, inspect each tire andcheck the tire pressure with a tiregauge (including spare, ifequipped). Inflate all tires to theinflation pressure recommendedby Ford Motor Company.
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When weather temperaturechanges occur, tire inflationpressures also change. A 10°F(6°C) temperature drop cancause a corresponding drop of 1psi (7 kPa) in inflation pressure.Check your tire pressuresfrequently and adjust them to theproper pressure which can befound on the Safety ComplianceCertification Label or Tire Label.
To check the pressure in yourtire(s):
1. Make sure the tires are cool,meaning they are not hot fromdriving even a mile.
Note:If you are checking tirepressure when the tire is hot, (forexample, driven more than 1 mile[1.6 kilometers]), never bleed orreduce air pressure. The tires arehot from driving and it is normal forpressures to increase aboverecommended cold pressures. Ahot tire at or below recommendedcold inflation pressure could besignificantly under-inflated.
Note:If you have to drive adistance to get air for your tire(s),check and record the tire pressurefirst and add the appropriate airpressure when you get to thepump. It is normal for tires to heatup and the air pressure inside to goup as you drive.
2. Remove the cap from the valveon one tire, then firmly press thetire gauge onto the valve and
measure the pressure.
3. Add enough air to reach therecommended air pressure.
Note:If you overfill the tire, releaseair by pressing on the metal stemin the center of the valve. Thenrecheck the pressure with your tiregauge.
4. Replace the valve cap.
5. Repeat this procedure for eachtire, including the spare.
Note:Some spare tires operate ata higher inflation pressure than theother tires. For T type mini-sparetires, (see the Dissimilar sparewheel and tire assemblyinformation for a description. Storeand maintain at 60 psi (4.15 bar).For full-size and dissimilar sparetires, see the Dissimilar spare wheeland tire assembly information fora description. Store and maintainat the higher of the front and rearinflation pressure as shown on theTire Label.
6. Visually inspect the tires tomake sure there are no nails orother objects embedded thatcould poke a hole in the tire andcause an air leak.
7. Check the sidewalls to makesure there are no gouges, cuts orbulges.
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or suspected have the tireinspected by a tire professional.Tires can be damaged duringoff-road use, so inspection afteroff-road use is alsorecommended.
Age
WARNING
Tires degrade over timedepending on many factorssuch as weather, storageconditions, and conditions of use(load, speed, inflation pressure)the tires experience throughouttheir lives.
In general, tires should bereplaced after six years regardlessof tread wear. However, heat
caused by hot climates orfrequent high loading conditionscan accelerate the aging processand may require tires to bereplaced more frequently.
You should replace your spare tirewhen you replace the road tires orafter six years due to aging even ifit has not been used.
U.S. DOT Tire IdentificationNumber (TIN)
Both U.S. and Canada Federalregulations require tiremanufacturers to placestandardized information on thesidewall of all tires. Thisinformation identifies and
describes the fundamentalcharacteristics of the tire and alsoprovides a U.S. DOT TireIdentification Number for safetystandard certification and in caseof a recall.
This begins with the letters DOTand indicates that the tire meetsall federal standards. The nexttwo numbers or letters are theplant code designating where itwas manufactured, the next twoare the tire size code and the lastfour numbers represent the weekand year the tire was built. Forexample, the numbers 317 meanthe 31st week of 1997. After 2000the numbers go to four digits. Forexample, 2501 means the 25thweek of 2001. The numbers inbetween are identification codesused for traceability. Thisinformation is used to contactcustomers if a tire defect requiresa recall.
Tire ReplacementRequirements
Your vehicle is equipped with tiresdesigned to provide a safe rideand handling capability.
WARNINGS
Only use replacement tiresand wheels that are the samesize, load index, speed rating andtype (such as P-metric versusLT-metric or all-season versusall-terrain) as those originallyprovided by Ford. Therecommended tire and wheel size
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WARNINGS
may be found on either the SafetyCompliance Certification Label(affixed to either the door hingepillar, door-latch post, or the dooredge that meets the door-latchpost, next to the driver's seatingposition), or the Tire Label whichis located on the B-Pillar or edgeof the driver’s door. If thisinformation is not found on theselabels then you should contactyour authorized dealer as soon aspossible. Use of any tire or wheelnot recommended by Ford canaffect the safety and performanceof your vehicle, which could resultin an increased risk of loss ofvehicle control, vehicle rollover,personal injury and death.Additionally the use ofnon-recommended tires andwheels could cause steering,suspension, axle, transfer case orpower transfer unit failure. If youhave questions regarding tirereplacement, contact yourauthorized dealer as soon aspossible.
To reduce the risk of seriousinjury, when mountingreplacement tires and wheels, youshould not exceed the maximumpressure indicated on the sidewallof the tire to set the beads withoutadditional precautions listedbelow. If the beads do not seat atthe maximum pressure indicated,re-lubricate and try again
WARNINGS
When inflating the tire formounting pressures up to 20 psi(1.38 bar) greater than themaximum pressure on the tiresidewall, the followingprecautions must be taken toprotect the person mounting thetire:
1. Make sure that you have thecorrect tire and wheel size.
2. Lubricate the tire bead andwheel bead seat area again.
3. Stand at a minimum of 12 feet(3.66 meters) away from thewheel and tire assembly.
4. Use both eye and earprotection.
For a mounting pressure morethan 20 psi (1.38 bar) greater thanthe maximum pressure, a Forddealer or other tire serviceprofessional should do themounting.
Always inflate steel carcass tireswith a remote air fill with theperson inflating standing at aminimum of 12 feet (3.66 meters)away from the wheel and tireassembly
Important: Remember to replacethe wheel valve stems when the
road tires are replaced on yourvehicle
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Tire and Wheel Alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb orpothole can cause the front endof your vehicle to becomemisaligned or cause damage toyour tires. If your vehicle seems topull to one side when you’redriving, the wheels may be out ofalignment. Have an authorizeddealer check the wheel alignmentperiodically.
Wheel misalignment in the frontor the rear can cause uneven andrapid treadwear of your tires andshould be corrected by anauthorized dealer. Front-wheeldrive vehicles and those with anindependent rear suspension (ifequipped) may require alignmentof all four wheels.
The tires should also be balancedperiodically. An unbalanced tireand wheel assembly may result inirregular tire wear.
Tire Rotation
Note:If your tires show unevenwear, ask an authorized dealer tocheck for and correct any wheelmisalignment, tire imbalance ormechanical problem involvedbefore tire rotation.
Note:Your vehicle may beequipped with a dissimilar sparewheel and tire assembly. Adissimilar spare wheel and tireassembly is defined as a sparewheel and tire assembly that isdifferent in brand, size orappearance from the road tires andwheels. If you have a dissimilarspare wheel and tire assembly it isintended for temporary use onlyand should not be used in a tirerotation.
Note:After having your tiresrotated, inflation pressure must bechecked and adjusted to thevehicle requirements.
Rotating your tires at therecommended interval (asindicated in the ScheduledMaintenance chapter) will helpyour tires wear more evenly,providing better tire performanceand longer tire life.
Front-wheel drive and all-wheeldrive vehicles (front tires on theleft side of the diagram)
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All vehicles with directional tires(front tires on the left side of thediagram)
Sometimes irregular tire wear canbe corrected by rotating the tires.
Summer Tires
Your Ford vehicle may beequipped with summer tires to
provide superior performance onwet and dry roads. Summer tiresdo not have the Mud and Snow(M+S or M/S) tire traction ratingon the tire side wall. Sincesummer tires do not have thesame traction performance asAll-season or Snow tires, Forddoes not recommend usingsummer tires when temperaturesdrop to approximately 40°F (5°C)or below (depending on tire wearand environmental conditions) orin snow and ice conditions. Likeany tire, summer tire performanceis affected by tire wear andenvironmental conditions. If youmust drive in those conditions,Ford recommends using Mud andSnow (M+S, M/S), All-season orSnow tires.
USING SNOW CHAINS
WARNING
Snow tires must be the same size,load index, speed rating as thoseoriginally provided by Ford. Use ofany tire or wheel not recommended byFord can affect the safety andperformance of your vehicle, which couldresult in an increased risk of loss of vehiclecontrol, vehicle rollover, personal injury anddeath. Additionally, the use ofnon-recommended tires and wheels couldcause steering, suspension, axle, transfercase or power transfer unit failure.
The tires on your vehicle may haveall-weather treads to provide traction inrain and snow. However, in some climates,you may need to use snow tires and cables.If you need to use cables, it isrecommended that steel wheels (of thesame size and specifications) be used, ascables may chip aluminum wheels.
Follow these guidelines when using snowtires and traction devices
•If possible, avoid fully loading yourvehicle
•Purchase chains or cables from amanufacturer that clearly labels bodyto tire dimension restrictions.
•Use no larger than 15 mm cables orchains ONLY on front axle with215/60R16 tires. Do not use chains orcables on any other size tires.
•The snow chains or cables must bemounted in pairs on the front axle.
•When driving with tire cables do notexceed 30 mph (48 km/h) or themaximum speed recommended by thechain manufacturer, whichever is less.
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