2018 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL tires

TOWING A TRAILER
WARNING: Do not exceed theGVWR or the GAWR specified on thecertification label.
WARNING: Towing trailers beyondthe maximum recommended grosstrailer weight exceeds the limit of yourvehicle and could result in enginedamage, transmission damage,structural damage, loss of vehiclecontrol, vehicle rollover and personalinjury.
Note:There may be electrical itemssuch as fuses or relays that can affecttrailer towing operation. See Fuses(page 294).
The load capacity of your vehicle isdesignated by weight not volume. Youmay not necessarily be able to use allavailable space when loading yourvehicle or trailer.
Towing a trailer places extra load on theengine, transmission, axle, brakes, tires,and suspension. Inspect thesecomponents before, during and aftertowing.
Load Placement
To help minimize how trailer movementaffects the vehicle when driving:
•Load the heaviest items closest tothe trailer floor.
•Load the heaviest items in the centerof the left and right side trailer tires.
•Load the heaviest items above thetrailer axles or just slightly forwardtoward the trailer tongue. Do notallow the final trailer tongue weightto go above or below 10-15% of theloaded trailer weight.
•Select a ball mount with the correctrise or drop. When both the loadedvehicle and trailer are connected, thetrailer frame should be level, orslightly angled down toward thevehicle, when viewed from the side.
When driving with a trailer or payload, aslight takeoff vibration or shudder maybe present due to the increased payloadweight. Additional information regardingproper trailer loading and setting yourvehicle up for towing is located in theLoad Carrying chapter. See Load Limit(page 266).
You can also find information in the RV& Trailer Towing Guide available at yourauthorized dealer, or online.
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Towing

Trailer lamps are required on most towedvehicles. Make sure all running lights, brakelights, turn signals and hazard lights areworking.
Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and backing up toget the feel of your vehicle-trailercombination before starting on a trip. Whenturning, make wider turns so the trailerwheels clear curbs and other obstacles.
When Towing a Trailer
•Do not drive faster than 70 mph(113 km/h) during the first 500 mi(800 km).
•Do not make full-throttle starts.
•Check your hitch, electrical connectionsand trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughly afteryou have traveled 50 mi (80 km).
•When stopped in congested or heavytraffic during hot weather, place thetransmission in park (P) to aid engine andtransmission cooling and to help A/Cperformance.
•Turn off the speed control with heavyloads or in hilly terrain. The speed controlmay turn off automatically when you aretowing on long, steep grades.
•Shift to a lower gear when driving downa long or steep hill. Do not apply thebrakes continuously, as they mayoverheat and become less effective.
•If your transmission is equipped with aGrade Assist or Tow/Haul feature, usethis feature when towing. This providesengine braking and helps eliminateexcessive transmission shifting foroptimum fuel economy and transmissioncooling.
•Allow more distance for stopping with atrailer attached. Anticipate stops andbrake gradually.
•Avoid parking on a grade. However, ifyou must park on a grade:
1. Turn the steering wheel to point yourvehicle tires away from traffic flow.
2. Set your vehicle parking brake.
3. Place the transmission in park (P).
4. Place wheel chocks in front and back ofthe trailer wheels. Chocks are notincluded with your vehicle.
Launching or Retrieving a Boat orPersonal Watercraft (PWC)
Note:Disconnect the wiring to the trailerbefore backing the trailer into the water.
Note:Reconnect the wiring to the trailerafter removing the trailer from the water.
When backing down a ramp during boatlaunching or retrieval:
•Do not allow the static water level to riseabove the bottom edge of the rearbumper.
•Do not allow waves to break higher than6 in (15 cm) above the bottom edge ofthe rear bumper.
Exceeding these limits may allow water toenter vehicle components:
•Causing internal damage to thecomponents.
•Affecting driveability, emissions, andreliability.
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Towing

BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires forapproximately 300 mi (480 km). During thistime, your vehicle may exhibit some unusualdriving characteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first 1,000 mi(1,600 km). Vary your speed frequently andchange up through the gears early. Do notlabor the engine.
Do not tow during the first 1,000 mi(1,600 km).
ECONOMICAL DRIVING
Fuel economy is affected by several thingssuch as how you drive, the conditions youdrive under and how you maintain yourvehicle.
There are some things to keep in mind thatmay improve your fuel economy:
•Accelerate and slow down in a smooth,moderate fashion.
•Drive at steady speeds.
•Anticipate stops; slowing down mayeliminate the need to stop.
•Combine errands and minimizestop-and-go driving (When runningerrands, go to the furthest destinationfirst and then work your way back home).
•Close the windows for high-speeddriving.
•Drive at reasonable speeds.
•Keep the tires properly inflated and useonly the recommended size.
•Use the recommended engine oil.
•Perform all regularly scheduledmaintenance.
There are also some things you may want toavoid doing because they reduce your fueleconomy:
•Avoid sudden or hard accelerations.
•Avoid revving the engine before turningoff the car.
•Avoid long idle periods.
•Do not warm up your vehicle on coldmornings.
•Reduce the use of air conditioning andheat.
•Avoid using speed control in hilly terrain.
•Do not rest your foot on the brake pedalwhile driving.
•Avoid carrying unnecessary weight.
•Avoid adding particular accessories toyour vehicle (e.g. bug deflectors,rollbars/light bars, running boards, skiracks).
•Avoid driving with the wheels out ofalignment.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER
WARNING: Do not drive throughflowing or deep water as you may losecontrol of your vehicle.
Note:Driving through standing water cancause vehicle damage.
Note:Engine damage can occur if waterenters the air filter.
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Driving Hints

Cooling system
•Protect against freezing temperatures.
•When removing your vehicle fromstorage, check coolant fluid level.Confirm that there are no cooling systemleaks and that fluid is at therecommended level.
Battery
•Check and recharge as necessary. Keepconnections clean.
•If storing your vehicle for more than 30days without recharging the battery, werecommend that you disconnect thebattery cables to maintain battery chargefor quick starting.
Note:It is necessary to reset memoryfeatures if battery cables are disconnected.
Brakes
•Make sure the brakes and parking brakerelease fully.
Tires
•Maintain recommended air pressure.
Miscellaneous
•Make sure all linkages, cables, levers andpins under your vehicle are covered withgrease to prevent rust.
•Move vehicles at least 25 ft (7.5 m) every15 days to lubricate working parts andprevent corrosion.
Removing Vehicle From Storage
When your vehicle is ready to come out ofstorage, do the following:
•Wash your vehicle to remove any dirt orgrease film build-up on window surfaces.
•Check windshield wipers for anydeterioration.
•Check under the hood for any foreignmaterial that may have collected duringstorage such as mice or squirrel nests.
•Check the exhaust for any foreignmaterial that may have collected duringstorage.
•Check tire pressures and set tire inflationper the Tire Label.
•Check brake pedal operation. Drive yourvehicle 15 ft (4.5 m) back and forth toremove rust build-up.
•Check fluid levels (including coolant, oiland gas) to make sure there are no leaks,and fluids are at recommended levels.
•If you remove the battery, clean thebattery cable ends and check fordamage.
Contact an authorized dealer if you have anyconcerns or issues.
BODY STYLING KITS
The distance between the underside of yourvehicle and the ground is less than that ofother models. Drive with extreme care toavoid damage to your vehicle.
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Vehicle Care

GENERAL INFORMATION
The recommended tire inflation pressuresare on the tire information label on the driverside B-pillar.
Check and set the tire pressure at theambient temperature in which you areintending to drive your vehicle and when thetires are cold. See Technical Specifications(page 370).
Note:Check your tire pressures regularly tooptimize fuel economy.
Only use approved wheel and tire sizes.Using other sizes could damage your vehicleand could make the National Type Approvalinvalid.
Installation of any tires that are not theoriginal equipment tire size can cause thespeedometer to display incorrect vehiclespeed.
TIRE CARE
Important Information About Low-Profile Tires
If your vehicle is equipped with245/40R20 tires, they are low-profiletires. These tires and wheels aredesigned to give your vehicle a sportappearance. With low-profile tires, youmay notice an increase in road noiseand faster tire wear, depending on roadconditions and driving styles. Due totheir design, low-profile tires and wheelsare more prone to road damage frompotholes, rough or unpaved roads, carwash rails and curb contact thanstandard tires and wheels.
Note:Your vehicle's warranty does notcover these types of damages. Extracaution should be taken when operatingon rough roads to avoid impacts thatcould cause wheel and tire damage.
Information About Uniform Tire QualityGrading
Tire Quality Grades apply to newpneumatic passenger car tires. TheQuality grades can be found whereapplicable on the tire sidewall betweentread shoulder and maximum sectionwidth. For example: Treadwear 200Traction AA Temperature A.
These Tire Quality Grades aredetermined by standards that the UnitedStates Department of Transportation hasset.
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Tire Quality Grades apply to newpneumatic passenger car tires. They donot apply to deep tread, winter-typesnow tires, space-saver or temporaryuse spare tires, light truck or LT typetires, tires with nominal rim diameters of10 to 12 inches or limited production tiresas defined in Title 49 Code of FederalRegulations Part 575.104 ©)(2).
U.S. Department of Transportation Tirequality grades: The U.S. Department ofTransportation requires Ford MotorCompany to give you the followinginformation about tire grades exactly asthe government has written it.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tirewhen tested under controlled conditionson a specified government test course.For example, a tire graded 150 wouldwear 1 ½ times as well on thegovernment course as a tire graded 100.The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions oftheir use, however, and may departsignificantly from the norm due tovariations in driving habits, servicepractices, and differences in roadcharacteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
WARNING: The traction gradeassigned to this tire is based onstraight-ahead braking traction tests, anddoes not include acceleration, cornering,hydroplaning or peak tractioncharacteristics.
The traction grades, from highest tolowest are AA, A, B, and C. The gradesrepresent the tire’s ability to stop on wetpavement as measured under controlledconditions on specified government testsurfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tiremarked C may have poor tractionperformance.
Temperature A B C
WARNING: The temperature gradefor this tire is established for a tire thatis properly inflated and not overloaded.Excessive speed, underinflation, orexcessive loading, either separately orin combination, can cause heat buildupand possible tire failure.
The temperature grades are A (thehighest), B and C, representing the tire’sresistance to the generation of heat andits ability to dissipate heat when testedunder controlled conditions on aspecified indoor laboratory test wheel.Sustained high temperature can causethe material of the tire to degenerateand reduce tire life, and excessivetemperature can lead to sudden tirefailure. The grade C corresponds to alevel of performance which all
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Wheels and Tires

passenger car tires must meet under theFederal Motor Vehicle Safety StandardNo. 139. Grades B and A representhigher levels of performance on thelaboratory test wheel than the minimumrequired by law.
Glossary of Tire Terminology
•Tire label: A label showing theoriginal equipment tire sizes,recommended inflation pressure andthe maximum weight the vehicle cancarry.
•Tire Identification Number: Anumber on the sidewall of each tireproviding information about the tirebrand and manufacturing plant, tiresize and date of manufacture. Alsoreferred to as DOT code.
•Inflation pressure: A measure of theamount of air in a tire.
•Standard load: A class of P-metric orMetric tires designed to carry amaximum load at set pressure. Forexample: For P-metric tires 35 psi(2.4 bar) and for Metric tires 36 psi(2.5 bar). Increasing the inflationpressure beyond this pressure willnot increase the tire’s load carryingcapability.
•Extra load: A class of P-metric orMetric tires designed to carry aheavier maximum load at 42 psi(2.9 bar). Increasing the inflationpressure beyond this pressure willnot increase the tire’s load carryingcapability.
•kPa: Kilopascal, a metric unit of airpressure.
•PSI: Pounds per square inch, astandard unit of air pressure.
•Cold tire pressure: The tire pressurewhen the vehicle has been stationaryand out of direct sunlight for an houror more and prior to the vehiclebeing driven for 1 mile (1.6 km).
•Recommended inflation pressure:The cold inflation pressure found onthe Safety Compliance CertificationLabel (affixed to either the doorhinge pillar, door-latch post, or thedoor edge that meets the door-latchpost, next to the driver's seatingposition), or Tire Label located on theB-Pillar or the edge of the driver’sdoor.
•B-pillar: The structural member atthe side of the vehicle behind thefront door
•Bead area of the tire: Area of the tirenext to the rim.
•Sidewall of the tire: Area betweenthe bead area and the tread.
•Tread area of the tire: Area of theperimeter of the tire that contacts theroad when mounted on the vehicle.
•Rim: The metal support (wheel) for atire or a tire and tube assembly uponwhich the tire beads are seated.
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Wheels and Tires

Information Contained on the TireSidewall
Both United States and Canada Federalregulations require tire manufacturersto place standardized information on thesidewall of all tires. This informationidentifies and describes the fundamentalcharacteristics of the tire and alsoprovides a U.S. DOT Tire IdentificationNumber for safety standard certificationand in case of a recall.
Information on P Type Tires
P215/65R15 95H is an example of a tiresize, load index and speed rating. Thedefinitions of these items are listedbelow. (Note that the tire size, load indexand speed rating for your vehicle maybe different from this example.)
A. P: Indicates a tire, designated by theTire and Rim Association, that may beused for service on cars, sport utilityvehicles, minivans and light trucks. Note:If your tire size does not begin with aletter this may mean it is designated byeither the European Tire and RimTechnical Organization or the Japan TireManufacturing Association.
B. 215: Indicates the nominal width ofthe tire in millimeters from sidewall edgeto sidewall edge. In general, the largerthe number, the wider the tire.
C. 65: Indicates the aspect ratio whichgives the tire's ratio of height to width.
D. R: Indicates a radial type tire.
E. 15: Indicates the wheel or rim
diameter in inches. If you change yourwheel size, you will have to purchasenew tires to match the new wheeldiameter.
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