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
to be flat!
Always inflate your tires to the Ford
recommended inflation pressure even
if it is less than the maximum inflation
pressure information found on the tire.
The Ford recommended tire inflation
pressure is 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’ s door. Failure to follow the tire
pressure recommendations can cause
uneven treadwear patterns and
adversely affect the way your vehicle
handles Maximum Inflation Pressure is the tire
manufacturer's maximum permissible
pressure and the pressure at which the
maximum load can be carried by the tire.
This pressure is normally higher than the
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 which is 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 Safety Compliance Certification
Label or Tire Label.
When weather temperature changes
occur, tire inflation pressures also
change. A 10°F (6°C) temperature drop
can cause a corresponding drop of 1 psi
(7 kPa) in inflation pressure. Check your
tire pressures frequently and adjust
them to the proper pressure which can
be found on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label or Tire Label.
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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 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. 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.
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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.
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.
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:
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WARNING: 1. Make sure that you
have the correct tire and wheel size. WARNING: 2. Lubricate the tire
bead and wheel bead seat area again. WARNING:
3. Stand at a
minimum of 12 ft (3.66 m) away from
the wheel and tire assembly. WARNING:
4. 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
It is recommended that the two front
tires or two rear tires generally be
replaced as a pair.
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 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
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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
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 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
19°F (-7°C). The rubber
compounds used in these tires lose flexibility
and may develop surface cracks in the tread
area at temperatures below
19°F (-7°C). If the
tires have been subjected to 19°F (-7°C) or
less, warm them in a heated space to at least
41°F (5°C)
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.
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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:
•
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.
Note: You should only use tire sealants in
roadside emergencies as they could cause
damage to the tire pressure monitoring
system sensor.
Note: If the tire pressure monitoring system
sensor becomes damaged, it will not
function.
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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
When Inflating Your Tires in this chapter.
Understanding Your Tire Pressure
Monitoring System The tire pressure monitoring system
measures pressure in your road tires and
sends the tire pressure readings to your
vehicle. You can view the tire pressure
readings through the information display.
See General Information (page 112). The low
tire pressure warning light will turn on if the
tire pressure is significantly low. Once thelight 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.
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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: 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
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