Improper or inadequate vehicle
maintenance can cause tires to
wear abnormally. Inspect all your
tires, including the spare, frequently,
and replace them if one or more of
the following conditions exist:
Tire Wear When the tread is worn down to one
sixteenth of an inch (2 millimeters),
tires must be replaced to help
prevent your vehicle from skidding
and hydroplaning. Built-in treadwear
indicators, or wear bars, which look
like narrow strips of smooth rubber
across the tread will appear on the
tire when the tread is worn down to
one sixteenth of an inch (2
millimeters).
When the tire tread wears down to
the same height as these wear bars,
the tire is worn out and must be
replaced.
Damage
Periodically inspect the tire treads
and sidewalls for damage (such as
bulges in the tread or sidewalls,
cracks in the tread groove and
separation in the tread or sidewall).
If damage is observed or suspected
have the tire inspected by a tire
professional. Tires can be damaged
during off-road use, so inspection
after off-road use is also
recommended.
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Age
WARNING
Tires degrade over time
depending on many factors
such as weather, storage conditions,
and conditions of use (load, speed,
inflation pressure) the tires
experience throughout their lives.
In general, tires should be replaced
after six years regardless of tread
wear. However, heat caused by hot
climates or frequent high loading
conditions can accelerate the aging
process and may require tires to be
replaced more frequently.
You should replace your spare tire
when you replace the road tires or
after six years due to aging even if it
has not been used. U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number
Both U.S. 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.
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 is
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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. WARNINGS
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
Highway Hazards
No matter how carefully you drive
there is always the possibility that
you may eventually have a flat tire
on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic. This
may further damage the flat tire, but
your safety is more important. If you feel a sudden vibration or ride
disturbance while driving, or you
suspect your tire or vehicle has been
damaged, immediately reduce your
speed. Drive with caution until you
can safely pull off the road. Stop
and inspect the tires for damage. If
a tire is under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove the wheel and
replace it with your spare tire and
wheel (if provided). If you cannot
detect a cause, have the vehicle
towed to the nearest repair facility
or tire dealer to have the vehicle
inspected.
Tire and Wheel Alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or
pothole can cause the front end of
your vehicle to become misaligned
or cause damage to your tires. If
your vehicle seems to pull to one
side when you’re driving, the wheels
may be out of alignment. Have an
authorized dealer check the wheel
alignment periodically.
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Wheel misalignment in the front or
the rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should
be corrected by an authorized
dealer. Front-wheel drive vehicles
and those with an independent rear
suspension (if equipped) may
require alignment of all four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced
periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in
irregular tire wear.
Tire Rotation
Note:
If your tires show uneven wear
ask an authorized dealer to check for
and correct any wheel misalignment,
tire imbalance or mechanical
problem involved before tire rotation. Note:
Your vehicle may be equipped
with a dissimilar spare wheel and tire
assembly. 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. If you have a dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly it is intended
for temporary use only and should
not be used in a tire rotation.
Note: After having your tires rotated,
inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle
requirements.
Rotating your tires at the
recommended interval (as indicated
in the Scheduled Maintenance
chapter) will help your tires wear
more evenly, providing better tire
performance and longer tire life.
Front-wheel drive and all-wheel
drive vehicles (front tires on the left
side of the diagram) Sometimes irregular tire wear can
be corrected by rotating the tires.
USING SNOW CHAINS
WARNINGS
If you choose to install snow tires on
your vehicle, they must be the same
size, construction, and load range as
the original tires listed on the tire placard, and
they must be installed on all four wheels.
Mixing tires of different size or construction
on your vehicle can adversely affect your
vehicle's handling and braking, and may lead
to loss of vehicle control.
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WARNINGS
Do not use snow chains or cables on
this vehicle as they may cause damage
to your vehicle which may lead to loss
of vehicle control. Snow chains have not been approved for use
on your vehicle.
The original equipment tires on your vehicle
may have an all-weather tread design to
provide traction, handling, and braking
performance in year-round driving. You may
install snow tires for improved traction when
driving in areas with sustained periods of
snow or icy driving conditions.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM
WARNING
The tire pressure monitoring system is
not a substitute for manually checking
tire pressure. The tire pressure should
be checked periodically (at least monthly)
using a tire gauge, see Inflating your tires in
this chapter. Failure to properly maintain your
tire pressure could increase the risk of tire
failure, loss of control, vehicle rollover and
personal injury. Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle
has tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label, you should determine
the proper tire inflation pressure for those
tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) that illuminates
a low tire pressure telltale when one or more
of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving
on a significantly under-inflated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle ’s handling and stopping ability. Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the
driver
’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale
will flash for approximately one minute and
then remain continuously illuminated. This
sequence will continue upon subsequent
vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction
exists.
When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be able to
detect or signal low tire pressure as intended.
TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety
of reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from
functioning properly. Always check the TPMS
malfunction telltale after replacing one or
more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure
that the replacement or alternate tires and
wheels allow the TPMS to continue to
function properly.
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The tire pressure monitoring system complies
with part 15 of the FCC rules and with
RSS-210 of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions: (1)
This device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) This device must accept
any interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation.
Changing Tires With a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System Note:
Each road tire is equipped with a tire
pressure sensor located inside the wheel and
tire assembly cavity. The pressure sensor is
attached to the valve stem. The pressure
sensor is covered by the tire and is not visible
unless the tire is removed. Take care when
changing the tire to avoid damaging the sensor
You should always have your tires serviced
by an authorized dealer.
Check the tire pressure periodically (at least
monthly) using an accurate tire gauge. See
Inflating Your Tires in this chapter.
Understanding Your Tire Pressure
Monitoring System
The tire pressure monitoring system
measures pressure in your four road tires and
sends the tire pressure readings to your
vehicle. The low tire pressure warning light
will turn on if the tire pressure is significantly
low. Once the light is illuminated, your tires
are under-inflated and need to be inflated to
the manufacturer ’s recommended tire
pressure. Even if the light turns on and a short
time later turns off, your tire pressure still
needs to be checked. When Your Temporary Spare Tire is
Installed
When one of your road tires needs to be
replaced with the temporary spare, the
system will continue to identify an issue to
remind you that the damaged road wheel
and tire assembly needs to be repaired and
put back on your vehicle.
To restore the full function of the tire pressure
monitoring system, have the damaged road
wheel and tire assembly repaired and
remounted on your vehicle.
When You Believe Your System is Not
Operating Properly
The main function of the tire pressure
monitoring system is to warn you when your
tires need air. It can also warn you in the
event the system is no longer capable of
functioning as intended. See the following
chart for information concerning your tire
pressure monitoring system:
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Customer action required
Possible cause
Low tire pressure warning light
Make sure tires are at the proper pressure. See Inflating your tires
in this chapter. After inflating your tires to the manufacturer’s
recommended pressure as shown on the Tire Label (located on
the edge of driver ’s door or the B-Pillar), the vehicle must be driven
for at least two minutes over 20 mph (32 km/h) before the light
turns off.
Tire(s) under-inflated
Solid warning light
Repair the damaged road wheel and tire assembly and reinstall
it on the vehicle to restore system function. For a description on
how the system functions, see When your temporary spare tire
is installed in this section.
Spare tire in use
If the tires are properly inflated and the spare tire is not in use but
the light remains on, contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible.
TPMS malfunction
Repair the damaged road wheel and tire assembly and reinstall
it on the vehicle to restore system function. For a description on
how the system functions, see When your temporary spare tire
is installed
in this section.
Spare tire in use
Flashing warning light
If the tires are properly inflated and the spare tire is not in use but
the light remains on, contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible.
TPMS malfunction
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When Inflating Your Tires
When putting air into your tires (such as at a
gas station or in your garage), the tire
pressure monitoring system may not respond
immediately to the air added to your tires.
It may take up to two minutes of driving over
20 mph (32 km/h) for the light to turn off
after you have filled your tires to the
recommended inflation pressure
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. If the tire pressure monitor sensor
becomes damaged, it will no longer
function. See Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (page 286). 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
286). 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.
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