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.See Load Carrying (page 196).
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.
You are strongly urged to buy areliable tire pressure gauge, asautomatic service station gaugesmay be inaccurate. Fordrecommends the use of a digitalor dial-type tire pressure gaugerather than a stick-type tirepressure gauge.
Use the recommended coldinflation pressure for optimum tireperformance and wear.Under-inflation or over-inflationmay cause uneven treadwearpatterns.
WARNING
Under-inflation is the mostcommon cause of tire failuresand may result in severe tirecracking, tread separation orblowout, with unexpected loss ofvehicle control and increased riskof injury. Under-inflation increasessidewall flexing and rollingresistance, resulting in heatbuildup and internal damage tothe tire. It also may result inunnecessary tire stress, irregularwear, loss of vehicle control andaccidents. A tire can lose up tohalf of its air pressure and notappear to be flat!
Always inflate your tires to theFord recommended inflationpressure even if it is less than themaximum inflation pressureinformation found on the tire. TheFord recommended tire inflation
pressure is found on the SafetyCompliance Certification Label or
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Tire Label (affixed to either thedoor hinge pillar, door-latch post,or the door edge that meets thedoor-latch post, next to thedriver's seating position), or TireLabel located on the B-pillar orthe edge of the driver's door.Failure to follow the tire pressurerecommendations can causeuneven treadwear patterns andadversely affect the way yourvehicle handles.
Note:Do not reduce tire pressureto change the ride characteristicsof the vehicle. If you do notmaintain the inflation pressure atthe levels specified by Ford, yourvehicle may experience a conditionknown as shimmy. Shimmy is asevere vibration and oscillation inthe steering wheel after the vehicletravels over a bump or dip in theroad that does not dampen out byitself. Shimmy may result fromsignificant under-inflation of thetires, improper tires (load range,size, or type), or vehiclemodifications such as lift-kits. Inthe event that your vehicleexperiences shimmy, you shouldslowly reduce speed by either liftingoff the accelerator pedal or lightlyapplying the brakes. The shimmywill cease as the vehicle speeddecreases.
Maximum Inflation Pressure isthe tire manufacturer's maximumpermissible pressure and thepressure at which the maximum
load can be carried by the tire. Thispressure is normally higher than
the manufacturer’s recommendedcold inflation pressure which canbe found on 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 Tire Label located onthe B-pillar or the edge of thedriver's door. The cold inflationpressure should never be set lowerthan the recommended pressureon the Safety ComplianceCertification Label or Tire Label.
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.
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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 andmeasure 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 spare wheeland tire assembly information fora description. Store and maintainat 60 psi (4.15 bar). For full-sizeand dissimilar spare tires, see theDissimilar spare wheel and tireassembly information for adescription. Store and maintain atthe higher of the front and rearinflation pressure as shown on theSafety Compliance CertificationLabel or Tire 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.
Inspecting Your Tires andWheel Valve Stems
Periodically inspect the tire treadsfor uneven or excessive wear andremove objects such as stones,nails or glass that may be wedgedin the tread grooves. Check the tireand valve stems for holes, cracks,or cuts that may permit airleakage and repair or replace thetire and replace the valve stem.Inspect the tire sidewalls forcracking, cuts, bruises and othersigns of damage or excessivewear. If internal damage to the tireis suspected, have the tiredemounted and inspected in case
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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, heatcaused 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
Both United States and CanadaFederal regulations require tiremanufacturers to placestandardized information on thesidewall of all tires. Thisinformation identifies anddescribes 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 Replacement
Requirements
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 sizemay be found on either the SafetyCompliance Certification Label orthe Tire Label. If this informationis not found on these labels thenyou should contact yourauthorized dealer as soon aspossible. Use of any tire or wheel
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WARNINGS
not 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.
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.
WARNINGS
3. Stand at a minimum of 12 ft(3.6 m) away from the wheel andtire 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 ft (3.6 m) awayfrom the wheel and tire assembly.
Important: Remember to replacethe wheel valve stems when theroad tires are replaced on yourvehicle.
The two front tires or two rear tiresshould generally be replaced as apair.
The tire pressure sensors mountedin the wheels are not designed tobe used in aftermarket wheels.
The use of wheels or tires notrecommended by Ford MotorCompany may affect theoperation of your tire pressuremonitoring system.
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If the tire pressure monitoringsystem indicator is flashing, thesystem is malfunctioning. Yourreplacement tire might beincompatible with your tirepressure monitoring system, orsome component of the systemmay be damaged.
Safety Practices
WARNINGS
If your vehicle is stuck insnow, mud, or sand, do notrapidly spin the tires; spinning thetires can tear the tire and causean explosion. A tire can explode inas little as three to five seconds.
Do not spin the wheels atover 35 mph (56 km/h). Thetires may fail and injure a
passenger or bystander.
Driving habits have a great dealto do with your tire mileage andsafety.
*Observe posted speed limits
*Avoid fast starts, stops and turns
*Avoid potholes and objects onthe road
*Do not run over curbs or hit thetire against a curb when parking
Highway Hazards
No matter how carefully you drivethere’s always the possibility thatyou may eventually have a flat tireon the highway. Drive slowly to theclosest safe area out of traffic.This may further damage the flattire, but your safety is moreimportant.
If you feel a sudden vibration orride disturbance while driving, oryou suspect your tire or vehiclehas been damaged, immediatelyreduce your speed. Drive withcaution until you can safely pulloff the road. Stop and inspect thetires for damage. If a tire isunder-inflated or damaged,deflate it, remove wheel andreplace it with your spare tire andwheel. If you cannot detect acause, have the vehicle towed tothe nearest repair facility or tiredealer to have the vehicleinspected.
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.
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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 mayrequire alignment of all fourwheels.
The tires should also be balancedperiodically. An unbalanced tireand wheel assembly may result inirregular tire wear.
Tire Rotation
WARNING
If the tire label showsdifferent tire pressures for thefront and rear tires and the vehicle
is equipped with a tire pressuremonitoring system, then thesettings for the system sensorsneed to be updated. Alwaysperform the system resetprocedure after tire rotation. If thesystem is not reset, it may notprovide a low tire pressurewarning when necessary. See thetire pressure monitoring systemreset procedure in this chapter.
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.
Rear-wheel drive vehicles andfour-wheel drive vehicles (fronttires at left of diagram)
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Sometimes irregular tire wear canbe corrected by rotating the 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.
Note:The suspension insulation andbumpers will help prevent vehicle damage.Do not remove these components from yourvehicle when using snow tires and chains.
The tires on your vehicle have all-weathertreads to provide traction in rain and snow.However, in some climates, you may needto use snow tires and cables. If you needto use cables, it is recommended that steelwheels (of the same size andspecifications) be used, as cables may chipaluminum wheels.
Follow these guidelines when using snowtires and chains:
•If possible, avoid fully loading yourvehicle.
•Use only cable type chains or chainsoffered by Ford/Lincoln as anaccessory or equivalent. Otherconventional link type chains maycontact and cause damage to thevehicle's wheel house and/or body.
•Do not install chains on the front tiresas this may interfere with suspensioncomponents.
•Only certain snow cables or chainshave been approved by Ford/Lincolnas safe for use on your vehicle with thefollowing tires: 265/70R17 and275/65R18.
•You should install snow cables orchains that have been rated as SAEClass S.
•Install chains securely, verifying thatthe chains do not touch any wiring,brake lines, or fuel lines.
•Do not exceed 31 mph (50 km/h) orless if recommended by the chainmanufacturer while using snow chains.
•Drive cautiously. If you hear the chainsrub or bang against your vehicle, stopand retighten the chains. If this doesnot work, remove the chains to preventdamage to your vehicle.
•Remove the tire chains when they areno longer needed. Do not use tirechains on dry roads.
•Purchase chains or cables from amanufacturer that clearly labels bodyto tire dimension restrictions. The snowchains or cables must be mounted inpairs on the rear tires only.
If you have any questions regarding snowchains or cables, please contact yourFord/Lincoln authorized dealer.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM
WARNING
The tire pressure monitoring systemis not a substitute for manuallychecking the tire pressure. The tirepressure should be checked periodically(at least monthly) using a tire pressuregauge. Failure to properly maintain yourtire pressure could increase the risk of tirefailure, loss of control, vehicle rollover andpersonal injury.
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