Tire Inflation Information
WARNING: An inflated tireand rim can be very dangerousif improperly used, serviced ormaintained. To reduce the riskof serious injury, never attemptto re-inflate a tire which hasbeen run flat or seriouslyunder-inflated without firstremoving the tire from the wheelassembly for inspection. Do notattempt to add air to tires orreplace tires or wheels withoutfirst taking precautions toprotect persons and property.
All tires with Steel Carcass Plies(if equipped):
This type of tire utilizes steel cordsin the sidewalls. As such, theycannot be treated like normal lighttruck tires. Tire service, includingadjusting tire pressure, must beperformed by personnel trained,supervised and equippedaccording to Federal OccupationalSafety and Health Administrationregulations. For example, duringany procedure involving tireinflation, the technician orindividual must utilize a remoteinflation device, and ensure thatall persons are clear of thetrajectory area.
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Stay out of the trajectory (1) asindicated in the illustration.
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 excessive
wear. If internal damage to the tireis suspected, have the tiredemounted and inspected in caseit needs to be repaired or replaced.For your safety, tires that aredamaged or show signs ofexcessive wear should not be usedbecause they are more likely toblow out or fail.
Improper or inadequate vehiclemaintenance can cause tires towear abnormally. Inspect all yourtires, including the spare,frequently, and replace them ifone or more of the followingconditions exist:
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Tire Wear
When the tread is worn down toone sixteenth of an inch (2millimeters), tires must bereplaced to help prevent yourvehicle from skidding andhydroplaning. Built-in treadwearindicators, or wear bars, whichlook like narrow strips of smoothrubber across the tread willappear on the tire when the treadis worn down to one sixteenth ofan inch (2 millimeters).
When the tire tread wears downto the same height as these wearbars, the tire is worn out and mustbe replaced.
Damage
Periodically inspect the tire treadsand sidewalls for damage (suchas bulges in the tread or sidewalls,cracks in the tread groove andseparation in the tread orsidewall). If damage is observed
or suspected have the tireinspected by a tire professional.Tires can be damaged duringoff-road use, so inspection afteroff-road use is alsorecommended.
Age
WARNING: Tires degradeover time depending on manyfactors such as weather, storageconditions, and conditions of use(load, speed, inflation pressure)the tires experience throughouttheir lives.
WARNING: In general, tiresshould be replaced after sixyears regardless of tread wearor even if they have not beenused. However, heat caused byhot climates or frequenthigh-load conditions canaccelerate the aging process andmay require you to replace tiresmore frequently.
WARNING: You shouldreplace your spare tire when youreplace the road tires or after sixyears due to aging even if it hasnot been used.
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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 ReplacementRequirements
Your vehicle is equipped with tiresdesigned to provide a safe rideand handling capability.
WARNING: Only usereplacement tires and wheelsthat are the same size, loadindex, speed rating and type(such as P-metric versusLT-metric or all-season versusall-terrain) as those originallyprovided by Ford. Therecommended tire and wheelsize may be found on either theSafety Compliance CertificationLabel (affixed to either the doorhinge pillar, door-latch post, orthe door edge that meets thedoor-latch post, next to thedriver's seating position), or theTire Label which is located onthe B-Pillar or edge of thedriver's door. If this informationis not found on these labels, thenyou should contact yourauthorized dealer as soon aspossible. Use of any tire or wheelnot recommended by Ford canaffect the safety andperformance of your vehicle,which could result in anincreased risk of loss of vehiclecontrol, vehicle rollover, personalinjury and death.
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WARNING: To reduce therisk of serious injury, whenmounting replacement tires andwheels, you should not exceedthe maximum pressure indicatedon the sidewall of the tire to setthe beads without additionalprecautions listed below. If thebeads do not seat at themaximum pressure indicated,re-lubricate and try again.
WARNING: When inflatingthe tire for mounting pressuresup to 20 psi (1.38 bar) greaterthan the maximum pressure onthe tire sidewall, the followingprecautions must be taken toprotect the person mounting thetire:
WARNING: 1. Make surethat you have the correct tireand wheel size.
WARNING: 2. Lubricate thetire bead and wheel bead seatarea again.
WARNING: 3. Stand at aminimum of 12 ft (3.66 m) awayfrom the wheel and tireassembly.
WARNING: 4. Use both eyeand ear protection.
WARNING: For a mountingpressure more than 20 psi(1.38 bar) greater than themaximum pressure, a Forddealer or other tire serviceprofessional should do themounting.
WARNING: Always inflatesteel carcass tires with a remoteair fill with the person inflatingstanding at a minimum of 12 ft(3.66 m) away from the wheeland tire assembly.
Important: Remember to replacethe wheel valve stems when theroad tires are replaced on yourvehicle
It is recommended that the twofront tires or two rear tiresgenerally be replaced as a pair.
Replacing a Tire That isGreenhouse Gas Certified
The tires installed on this vehicleat the factory as originalequipment are certified forGreenhouse Gas and FuelEfficiency regulations.Replacement tires must be ofequal or lower rolling resistance
level (TRRL or Crr). Consult withyour tire supplier(s) forappropriate replacement tires.
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Safety Practices
WARNING: If your vehicleis stuck in snow, mud or sand, donot rapidly spin the tires;spinning the tires can tear thetire and cause an explosion. Atire can explode in as little asthree to five seconds.
WARNING: Do not spin thewheels at over 34 mph(55 km/h). The tires may fail andinjure 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 the
closest 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 become
misaligned 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.
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.
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Tire Rotation
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.
Dual rear wheel drive vehicle - sixtire rotation
If your vehicle is equipped withdual rear wheels it isrecommended that the front andrear tires (in pairs) be rotated onlyside to side. We do notrecommend splitting up the dualrear wheels. Rotate them side toside as a set. After tire rotation,inflation pressures must beadjusted for the tires newpositions in accordance withvehicle requirements.
Sometimes irregular tire wear canbe corrected by rotating the tires.
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USING SNOW CHAINS
WARNING: Snow tires must bethe same size, load index, and speedrating as those originally provided byFord. Use of any tire or wheel notrecommended by Ford can affect thesafety and performance of your vehicle,which could result in an increased risk ofloss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,personal injury, and death. Additionally,the use of non-recommended tires andwheels could cause steering, suspension,axle, transfer case, or power transfer unitfailure. It is also strongly advised tofollow the Ford recommended tireinflation pressure found on the SafetyCompliance Certification Label (affixedto either the door hinge pillar, door-latchpost, or the door edge that meets thedoor-latch post, next to the driver’sseating position), or Tire Label which islocated on the B-Pillar or the edge of thedriver door. Failure to follow the tirepressure recommendations can causeuneven treadwear patterns andadversely affect the way your vehiclehandles.
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.
Note:The suspension insulation andbumpers help prevent vehicle damage. Donot remove these components from yourvehicle when using snow tires and chains.
Follow these guidelines when using snowtires and chains:
•If possible, avoid fully loading yourvehicle.
•Use only SAE Class S chains.
•Install chains securely, verifying thatthe chains do not touch any wiring,brake lines or fuel lines.
•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.
If you have any questions regarding snowchains or cables, please contact yourauthorized dealer.
CHANGING A ROAD WHEEL
If you get a flat tire while driving, do notapply the brake heavily. Instead, graduallydecrease your speed. Hold the steeringwheel firmly and slowly move to a safeplace on the side of the road.
Dissimilar Spare Wheel and TireAssembly Information
WARNING: Failure to follow theseguidelines could result in an increasedrisk of loss of vehicle control, injury ordeath.
If you have a dissimilar spare wheel andtire, then it is intended for temporary useonly. This means that if you need to use it,you should replace it as soon as possiblewith a road wheel and tire assembly thatis the same size and type as the road tiresand wheels that were originally providedby Ford. If the dissimilar spare tire or wheelis damaged, it should be replaced ratherthan repaired.
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