
The traction grades, from highest
to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The
grades represent the tire
’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled
conditions on specified
government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Temperature A B C WARNING
The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a
tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure. The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B and C,
representing the tire
’s resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 139. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory
test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
Glossary of Tire Terminology
*Tire label: A label showing the
original equipment tire sizes,
recommended inflation pressure
and the maximum weight the
vehicle can carry.
*
Tire Identification Number
(TIN): A number on the sidewall
of each tire providing information
about the tire brand and
manufacturing plant, tire size and
date of manufacture. Also referred
to as DOT code.
*
Inflation pressure: A measure
of the amount of air in a tire.
*
Standard load: A class of
P-metric or Metric tires designed
to carry a maximum load at set
pressure. For example: For
P-metric tires
35 psi (2.4 bar) or
36 psi (2.5 bar) depending on tires
size and for Metric tires
36 psi
(2.5 bar). Increasing the inflation
pressure beyond this pressure will
not increase the tire ’s load
carrying capability.
*
Extra load: A class of P-metric
or Metric tires designed to carry a
heavier maximum load at
42 psi
(2.9 bar). Increasing the inflation
pressure beyond this pressure will
not increase the tire ’s load
carrying capability.
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*kPa: Kilopascal, a metric unit of
air pressure.
*
PSI: Pounds per square inch, a
standard unit of air pressure.
*
Cold tire pressure: The tire
pressure when the vehicle has
been stationary and out of direct
sunlight for an hour or more and
prior to the vehicle being driven for
1 mi (1.6 km)
.
*
Recommended inflation
pressure: The cold inflation
pressure found on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label
(affixed to either the door hinge
pillar, door-latch post, or the door
edge that meets the door-latch
post, next to the driver's seating
position), or Tire Label located on
the B-Pillar or the edge of the
driver door.
* B-pillar: The structural member
at the side of the vehicle behind
the front door.
*
Bead area of the tire: Area of
the tire next to the rim.
*
Sidewall of the tire: Area
between the bead area and the
tread.
*
Tread area of the tire: Area of
the perimeter of the tire that
contacts the road when mounted
on the vehicle.
*Rim: The metal support (wheel)
for a tire or a tire and tube
assembly upon which the tire
beads are seated. Information Contained on the
Tire Sidewall
Both United States and Canada
Federal regulations require tire
manufacturers to place
standardized information on the
sidewall of all tires. This
information identifies and
describes the fundamental
characteristics of the tire and also
provides a U.S. DOT Tire
Identification Number for safety
standard certification and in case
of a recall.
Information on P Type Tires
P215/65R15 95H is an example of
a tire size, load index and speed
rating. The definitions of these
items are listed below. (Note that
the tire size, load index and speed
rating for your vehicle may be
different from this example.)
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I
J
KL
M
A
B
CDEFG
E142543

C.
Maximum Load Dual lb (kg)
at psi (kPa) cold: Indicates the
maximum load and tire pressure
when the tire is used as a dual,
defined as four tires on the rear
axle (a total of six or more tires on
the vehicle).
D. Maximum Load Single lb
(kg) at psi (kPa) cold:
Indicates
the maximum load and tire
pressure when the tire is used as
a single, defined as two tires
(total) on the rear axle.
Information on T Type Tires
T145/80D16 is an example of a
tire size.
Note: The temporary tire size for
your vehicle may be different from
this example. Tire Quality Grades
do not apply to this type of tire. T type tires have some additional
information beyond those of P
type tires; these differences are
described below:
A.
T:
Indicates a type of tire,
designated by the Tire and Rim
Association, that is intended for
temporary service on cars, sport
utility vehicles, minivans and light
trucks.
B. 145:
Indicates the nominal
width of the tire in millimeters
from sidewall edge to sidewall
edge. In general, the larger the
number, the wider the tire.
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BCDE
E142545

This begins with the letters DOT
and indicates that the tire meets
all federal standards. The next
two numbers or letters are the
plant code designating where it
was manufactured, the next two
are the tire size code and the last
four numbers represent the week
and year the tire was built. For
example, the numbers 317 mean
the 31st week of 1997. After 2000,
the numbers go to four digits. For
example, 2501 means the 25th
week of 2001. The numbers in
between are identification codes
used for traceability. This
information is used to contact
customers if a tire defect requires
a recall.
Tire Replacement
Requirements
Your vehicle is equipped with tires
designed to provide a safe ride
and handling capability.
WARNINGS
Only use replacement tires
and wheels that are the same
size, load index, speed rating and
type (such as P-metric versus
LT-metric or all-season versus
all-terrain) as those originally
provided by Ford. The
recommended tire and wheel size
may be found on either the Safety
Compliance Certification Label
(affixed to either the door hinge
pillar, door-latch post, or the door
edge that meets the door-latch
post, next to the driver's seating
position), or the Tire Label which WARNINGS
is located on the B-Pillar or edge
of the driver ’s door. If this
information is not found on these
labels then you should contact
your authorized dealer as soon as
possible. Use of any tire or wheel
not recommended by Ford can
affect the safety and performance
of your vehicle, which could result
in an increased risk of loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover,
personal injury and death.
Additionally the use of
non-recommended tires and
wheels could cause steering,
suspension, axle, transfer case or
power transfer unit failure. If you
have questions regarding tire
replacement, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as
possible. To reduce the risk of serious
injury, when mounting
replacement tires and wheels, you
should not exceed the maximum
pressure indicated on the sidewall
of the tire to set the beads without
additional precautions listed
below. If the beads do not seat at
the maximum pressure indicated,
re-lubricate and try again.
When inflating the tire for
mounting pressures up to 20 psi
(1.38 bar) greater than the
maximum pressure on the tire
sidewall, the following
precautions must be taken to
protect the person mounting the
tire:
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WARNINGS
1. Make sure that you have the
correct tire and wheel size.
2. Lubricate the tire bead and
wheel bead seat area again.
3. Stand at a minimum of 12 feet
(3.66 meters) away from the
wheel and tire assembly.
4. Use both eye and ear
protection.
For a mounting pressure more
than 20 psi (1.38 bar) greater than
the maximum pressure, a Ford
dealer or other tire service
professional should do the
mounting.
Always inflate steel carcass tires
with a remote air fill with the
person inflating standing at a
minimum of 12 feet (3.66 meters)
away from the wheel and tire
assembly. Important: Remember to replace
the wheel valve stems when the
road tires are replaced on your
vehicle.
It is recommended that the two
front tires or two rear tires
generally be replaced as a pair.
The tire pressure sensors mounted
in the wheels (originally installed
on your vehicle) are not designed
to be used in aftermarket wheels. The use of wheels or tires not
recommended by Ford Motor
Company may affect the
operation of your tire pressure
monitoring system.
If the tire pressure monitoring
system indicator is flashing, your
system is malfunctioning. Your
replacement tire might be
incompatible with your tire
pressure monitoring system, or
some component of the system
may be damaged.
Safety Practices
WARNINGS
If your vehicle is stuck in
snow, mud, or sand, do not
rapidly spin the tires. Spinning the
tires can tear the tire and cause
an explosion. A tire can explode in
as little as three to five seconds. Do not spin the wheels at
over 35 mph (56 km/h). The
tires may fail and injure a
passenger or bystander. Driving habits have a great deal
to do with your tire mileage and
safety.
*Observe posted speed limits
*Avoid fast starts, stops and turns
*Avoid potholes and objects on
the road
*Do not run over curbs or hit the
tire against a curb when parking
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How Temperature Affects Your Tire
Pressure
The tire pressure monitoring system
monitors tire pressure in each pneumatic
tire. While driving in a normal manner, a
typical passenger tire inflation pressure
may increase about 2 to 4 psi (14 to 28
kPa) from a cold start situation. If the
vehicle is stationary overnight with the
outside temperature significantly lower
than the daytime temperature, the tire
pressure may decrease about 3 psi (21
kPa) for a drop of 30°F (17°C) in ambient
temperature. This lower pressure value
may be detected by the tire pressure
monitoring system as being significantly
lower than the recommended inflation
pressure and activate the system warning
light for low tire pressure. If the low tire
pressure warning light is on, visually check
each tire to verify that no tire is flat. If one
or more tires are flat, repair as necessary.
Check the air pressure in the road tires. If
any tire is under-inflated, carefully drive
the vehicle to the nearest location where
air can be added to the tires. Inflate all the
tires to the recommended inflation
pressure.
CHANGING A ROAD WHEEL
WARNINGS
The use of tire sealant may damage
your tire pressure monitoring system
and should only be used in roadside
emergencies. If you must use a sealant, the
Ford Tire Mobility Kit sealant should be
used. The tire pressure monitoring system
sensor and valve stem on the wheel must
be replaced by an authorized dealer after
use of the sealant. See Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (page 258). If the tire
pressure monitor sensor becomes
damaged, it will no longer function. Note:
The tire pressure monitoring system
indicator light will illuminate when the spare
tire is in use. To restore the full function of
the monitoring system, all road wheels
equipped with tire pressure monitoring
sensors must be mounted on the vehicle.
If you get a flat tire while driving, do not
apply the brake heavily. Instead, gradually
decrease your speed. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and slowly move to a safe
place on the side of the road.
Have a flat serviced by an authorized
dealer in order to prevent damage to the
tire pressure monitoring system sensors.
See
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(page 258). Replace the spare tire with a
road tire as soon as possible. During
repairing or replacing of the flat tire, have
the authorized dealer inspect the tire
pressure monitoring system sensor for
damage.
Dissimilar Spare Wheel and Tire
Assembly Information WARNING
Failure to follow these guidelines
could result in an increased risk of
loss of vehicle control, injury or death.
If you have a dissimilar spare wheel and
tire, then it is intended for temporary use
only. This means that if you need to use it,
you should replace it as soon as possible
with a road wheel and tire assembly that
is the same size and type as the road tires
and wheels that were originally provided
by Ford. If the dissimilar spare tire or wheel
is damaged, it should be replaced rather
than repaired.
A dissimilar spare wheel and tire assembly
is defined as a spare wheel and tire
assembly that is different in brand, size or
appearance from the road tires and wheels
and can be one of three types:
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