TIRE CARE
Information About Uniform
Tire Quality Grading
Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires.
The Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example: Treadwear 200
Traction AA Temperature A.
These Tire Quality Grades are
determined by standards that the
United States Department of
Transportation has set.
Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires.
They do not apply to deep tread,
winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use
spare tires, light truck or LT type
tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches or
limited production tires as defined
in Title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 575.104 (c)(2). U.S. Department of
Transportation Tire quality
grades:
The U.S. Department of
Transportation requires us to give
you the following information
about tire grades exactly as the
government has written it.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150
would wear one and one-half (1
½) times as well on the
government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their
use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service
practices, and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C WARNING:
The traction
grade assigned to this tire is
based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not
include acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning or peak traction
characteristics.
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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) and
for Metric
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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*Traction: 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: 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.
M. Maximum Inflation
Pressure:
Indicates the tire
manufacturers' maximum
permissible pressure or the
pressure at which the maximum
load can be carried by the tire. This
pressure is normally higher than
the vehicle manufacturer's
recommended cold inflation
pressure which can be 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's door. The cold inflation
pressure should never be set lower
than the recommended pressure
on the vehicle label. The tire suppliers may have
additional markings, notes or
warnings such as standard load
or radial tubeless.
Additional Information
Contained on the Tire Sidewall
for LT Type Tires
Note:
Tire Quality Grades do not
apply to this type of tire. LT type tires have some additional
information beyond those of P
type tires. These differences are
described below.
A.
LT:
Indicates a tire, designated
by the Tire and Rim Association,
that is intended for service on light
trucks.
B. Load Range and Load
Inflation Limits:
Indicates the
tire's load-carrying capabilities
and its inflation limits.
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BC
BDE142544
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.
See
Load Carrying (page 264).
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 us. You are strongly urged to buy a
reliable tire pressure gauge, as
automatic service station gauges
may be inaccurate. We
recommend 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 to be flat!
Always inflate your tires to the our
recommended inflation pressure
even if it is less than the maximum
inflation pressure information
found on the tire. Our
recommended tire inflation
pressure is found on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label or
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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
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
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. WARNING:
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.
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WARNING: 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 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.
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.
WARNING:
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 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.
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WARNING: 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. WARNING: 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:
• Make sure that you have the
correct tire and wheel size.
• Lubricate the tire bead and
wheel bead seat area again.
• Stand at a minimum of
12 ft
(3.66 m) away from the wheel
and tire assembly.
• Use both eye and ear
protection. WARNING: 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. WARNING:
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.
The two front tires or two rear tires
should generally be replaced as a
pair, except if the vehicle is
equipped with four wheel drive.
Vehicles equipped with four wheel
drive should have all four tires
replaced simultaneously.
Unevenly worn tires, mismatched
makes, models or brands can be
different in size, resulting in
potential damage to the four
wheel drive system.
The tire pressure sensors mounted
in the wheels are not designed to
be used in aftermarket wheels.
The use of wheels or tires not
recommended by us may affect
the operation of your tire pressure
monitoring system.
If the tire pressure monitoring
system indicator is flashing, the
system is malfunctioning. Your
replacement tire might be
incompatible with your tire
pressure monitoring system, or
some component of the system
may be damaged.
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Safety Practices
WARNING: 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. WARNING: Do not spin the
wheels at over
34 mph
(55 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 ’s 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 wheel and
replace it with your spare tire and
wheel. 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.
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 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.
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