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.
C.
80: Indicates the aspect ratio which
gives the tire's ratio of height to width.
Numbers of 70 or lower indicate a short
sidewall.
D.
D: Indicates a diagonal type tire.
R:
Indicates a radial type tire.
E.
16: Indicates the wheel or rim
diameter in inches. If you change your
wheel size, you will have to purchase
new tires to match the new wheel
diameter. Location of the Tire Label
You will find a Tire Label containing tire
inflation pressure by tire size and other
important information located on the
B-Pillar or the edge of the driver’
s door.
Inflating Your Tires
Safe operation of your vehicle requires
that your tires are properly inflated.
Remember that a tire can lose up to half
of its air pressure without appearing flat.
Every day before you drive, check your
tires. If one looks lower than the others,
use a tire gauge to check pressure of all
tires and adjust if required.
At least once a month and before long
trips, inspect each tire and check the tire
pressure with a tire gauge (including
spare, if equipped). Inflate all tires to the
inflation pressure recommended by Ford
Motor Company. You are strongly urged to buy a reliable
tire pressure gauge, as automatic
service station gauges may be
inaccurate. Ford recommends the use
of a digital or dial-type tire pressure
gauge rather than a stick-type tire
pressure gauge.
Use the recommended cold inflation
pressure for optimum tire performance
and wear. Under-inflation or
over-inflation may cause uneven
treadwear patterns
WARNING
Under-inflation is the most common
cause of tire failures and may result
in severe tire cracking, tread separation
or blowout, with unexpected loss of
vehicle control and increased risk of
injury. Under-inflation increases sidewall
flexing and rolling resistance, resulting
in heat buildup and internal damage to
the tire. It also may result in unnecessary
tire stress, irregular wear, loss of vehicle
control and accidents. A tire can lose up
to half of its air pressure and not appear
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Note:
If you overfill the tire, release air
by pressing on the metal stem in the
center of the valve. Then recheck the
pressure with your tire gauge.
4. Replace the valve cap.
5. Repeat this procedure for each tire,
including the spare.
Note: Some spare tires operate at a
higher inflation pressure than the other
tires. For T type mini-spare tires, see the
Dissimilar spare wheel and tire
assembly information for a description.
Store and maintain at 60 psi (4.15 bar).
For full-size and dissimilar spare tires,
see the Dissimilar spare wheel and tire
assembly information for a description.
Store and maintain at the higher of the
front and rear inflation pressure as
shown on the Tire Label.
6. Visually inspect the tires to make
sure there are no nails or other
objects embedded that could poke
a hole in the tire and cause an air
leak. 7. Check the sidewalls to make sure
there are no gouges, cuts or bulges.
Inspecting Your Tires and Wheel Valve
Stems
Periodically inspect the tire treads for
uneven or excessive wear and remove
objects such as stones, nails or glass
that may be wedged in the tread
grooves. Check the tire and valve stems
for holes, cracks, or cuts that may permit
air leakage and repair or replace the tire
and replace the valve stem. Inspect the
tire sidewalls for cracking, cuts, bruises
and other signs of damage or excessive
wear. If internal damage to the tire is
suspected, have the tire demounted and
inspected in case it needs to be repaired
or replaced. For your safety, tires that
are damaged or show signs of excessive
wear should not be used because they
are more likely to blow out or fail. 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
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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.
Age WARNINGS
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 or even if they have not been used.
However, heat caused by hot climates
or frequent high-load conditions can
accelerate the aging process and may
require you to replace tires 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.
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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
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 WARNINGS
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. 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: 1. Make sure that you have the
correct tire and wheel size. WARNINGS
2. Lubricate the tire bead and
wheel bead seat area again.
3. Stand at a minimum of
12 ft
(3.66 m) 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 ft
(3.66 m) away from the wheel and tire
assembly. Important:
Remember to replace the
wheel valve stems when the road tires
are replaced on your vehicle
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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.
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 SUMMER TIRES (If Equipped)
Summer tires provide superior performance
on wet and dry roads. Summer tires do not
have the Mud and Snow (M+S or M/S) tire
traction rating on the tire side wall. Since
summer tires do not have the same traction
performance as All-season or Snow tires, we
do not recommend using summer tires when
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temperatures drop to approximately 45°F
(7°C) or below (depending on tire wear and
environmental conditions) or in snow and ice
conditions. Like any tire, summer tire
performance is affected by tire wear and
environmental conditions. If you must drive
in those conditions, we recommend using
Mud and Snow (M+S, M/S), All-season or
Snow tires.
Always store your summer tires indoors at
temperatures above 20ºF (-7ºC). The rubber
compounds used in these tires lose flexibility
and may develop surface cracks in the tread
area at temperatures below 20ºF (-7ºC). If
the tires have been subjected to 20ºF (-7ºC)
or less, warm them in a heated space to at
least 40ºF (5ºC) for at least 24 hours before
installing them on a vehicle, or moving the
vehicle with the tires installed, or checking
tire inflation. Do not place tires near heaters
or heating devices used to warm the room
where the tires are stored. Do not apply heat
or blow heated air directly on the tires.
Always inspect the tires after storage periods
and before use. USING SNOW CHAINS WARNING
Snow tires must be the same size, load
index, and speed rating as those
originally provided by Ford. 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.
It is also strongly advised to follow the Ford
recommended tire 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 which is
located on the B-Pillar or the edge of the
driver door. Failure to follow the tire pressure
recommendations can cause uneven
treadwear patterns and adversely affect the
way your vehicle handles. The tires on your vehicle may have
all-weather treads to provide traction in rain
and snow. However, in some climates you
may need to use snow chains.
Your vehicle may not be compatible with
snow chain or cable usage with the
factory-fitted wheels and tires. Only certain
chains or snow cables have been approved
by Ford as safe for use on your vehicle with
the following tire size: 235/50R18. You
should only install chains or cables sized at
10 mm or less in dimension as measured on
the sidewall of your tire. Not all S-class snow
chains meet these restrictions. Chains of this
size restriction will include a tensioning
device. The chains should be mounted in
pairs on the front tires only. If you need to
use chains, it is recommended that steel
wheels (of the same size and specification)
be used, as chains may chip aluminum
wheels.
Follow these guidelines when using traction
devices:
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•
If possible, avoid fully loading your
vehicle
• Purchase chains or cables from a
manufacturer that clearly labels body to
tire dimension restrictions.
• When driving with snow chains or cables,
do not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h) or the
maximum speed recommended by the
chain manufacturer; whichever is less.
• Drive cautiously. If you hear the chains
or cables rub or bang against the vehicle,
stop and retighten them. If this does not
work, remove the chains or cables and
prevent vehicle damage.
• Remove the chains or cables when they
are no longer needed. Do not use the
chains or cables on dry roads.
• If a temporary spare tire is mounted on
your vehicle, do not use snow chains on
the axle with the temporary spare tire.
If you have any questions regarding snow
tires or snow chains, please contact your
authorized dealer. TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM WARNING
The tire pressure monitoring system is
not a substitute for manually checking
tire pressures. You should periodically check
tire pressures using a pressure gauge.
Failure to correctly maintain tire pressures
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.
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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:
1. T-type mini-spare: This spare tire begins
with the letter T for tire size and may have
Temporary Use Only molded in the sidewall.
2.
Full-size dissimilar spare with label on
wheel: This spare tire has a label on the
wheel that states: THIS WHEEL AND TIRE
ASSEMBLY FOR TEMPORARY USE ONLY.
When driving with one of the dissimilar spare
tires listed above, do not: •
Exceed
50 mph (80 km/h).
• Load the vehicle beyond maximum
vehicle load rating listed on the Safety
Compliance Label.
• Tow a trailer.
• Use snow chains on the end of the
vehicle with the dissimilar spare tire.
• Use more than one dissimilar spare tire
at a time.
• Use commercial car washing equipment.
• Try to repair the dissimilar spare tire.
Use of one of the dissimilar spare tires listed
above at any one wheel location can lead to
impairment of the following:
• Handling, stability and braking
performance.
• Comfort and noise.
• Ground clearance and parking at curbs.
• Winter weather driving capability.
• Wet weather driving capability.
• All-wheel driving capability (if applicable).
3.
Full-size dissimilar spare without label
on wheel When driving with the full-size dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly, do not:
•
Exceed
70 mph (113 km/h).
• Use more than one dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly at a time.
• Use commercial car washing equipment.
• Use snow chains on the end of the
vehicle with the dissimilar spare wheel
and tire assembly.
The usage of a full-size dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly can lead to
impairment of the following:
• Handling, stability and braking
performance.
• Comfort and noise.
• Ground clearance and parking at curbs.
• Winter weather driving capability.
• Wet weather driving capability.
• All-wheel driving capability.
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