T type tires have some additionalinformation beyond those of P type tires;these differences are described below:
A. T: Indicates a type of tire, designatedby the Tire and Rim Association, that isintended for temporary service on cars,sport utility vehicles, minivans and lighttrucks.
B. 145: Indicates the nominal width ofthe tire in millimeters from sidewall edgeto sidewall edge. In general, the largerthe number, the wider the tire.
C. 80: Indicates the aspect ratio whichgives the tire's ratio of height to width.Numbers of 70 or lower indicate a shortsidewall.
D. D: Indicates a diagonal type tire.
R: Indicates a radial type tire.
E. 16: Indicates the wheel or rimdiameter in inches. If you change your
wheel size, you will have to purchasenew tires to match the new wheeldiameter.
Recommended Tire Pressures andInflating Your Tires
Safe operation of your vehicle requiresthat your tires are properly inflated.Remember that a tire can lose up to halfof its air pressure without appearing flat.Every day before you drive, check yourtires. If one looks lower than the others,use a tire gauge to check the pressureof all tires and adjust if required.
At least once a month and before longtrips, inspect each tire and check the tirepressure with a tire gauge (includingspare, if equipped). Inflate all tires to theinflation pressure recommended by FordMotor Company.
WARNING: Under-inflation is themost common cause of tire failuresand may result in severe tire cracking,tread separation or blowout, withunexpected loss of vehicle control andincreased risk of injury. Under-inflationincreases sidewall flexing and rolling
resistance, resulting in heat buildup
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and internal damage to the tire. It alsomay result in unnecessary tire stress,irregular wear, loss of vehicle controland accidents. A tire can lose up tohalf of its air pressure and not appearto be flat!
You are strongly urged to buy a reliabletire pressure gauge, as automaticservice station gauges may beinaccurate. Ford recommends the useof a digital or dial-type tire pressuregauge rather than a stick-type tirepressure gauge. Use the recommendedcold inflation pressure for optimum tireperformance and wear. Under-inflationor over-inflation may cause uneventreadwear patterns.
Always inflate your tires to the Fordrecommended inflation pressure evenif it is less than the maximum inflationpressure information found on the tire.You will find a Tire Label containing theFord recommended tire inflationpressure by the tire size and otherimportant information located on theB-Pillar or the edge of the driver’s door.
The Ford recommended tire inflationpressure is also found on the SafetyCompliance Certification Label (affixedto either the door hinge pillar, door-latchpost, or the door edge that meets thedoor-latch on the B-pillar, or on the edgeof the driver’s door.
Failure to follow the tire pressurerecommendations can cause uneventreadwear patterns and adversely affectthe way your vehicle handles.
Inspecting Your Tires and Wheel ValveStems
Periodically inspect the tire treads foruneven or excessive wear and removeobjects such as stones, nails or glassthat may be wedged in the tread
grooves. Check the tire and valve stemsfor holes, cracks, or cuts that may permitair leakage and repair or replace the tireand replace the valve stem. Inspect thetire sidewalls for cracking, cuts, bruisesand other signs of damage or excessivewear. If internal damage to the tire is
suspected, have the tire demounted andinspected in case it needs to be repairedor replaced. For your safety, tires thatare damaged or show signs of excessivewear should not be used because theyare more likely to blow out or fail.
Improper or inadequate vehiclemaintenance can cause tires to wearabnormally. Inspect all your tires,including the spare, frequently, andreplace them if one or more of thefollowing conditions exist:
Tire Wear
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When the tread is worn down to onesixteenth of an inch (2 mm), tires mustbe replaced to help prevent your vehiclefrom skidding and hydroplaning. Built-intreadwear indicators, or wear bars,which look like narrow strips of smoothrubber across the tread will appear onthe tire when the tread is worn down toone sixteenth of an inch (2 mm).
When the tire tread wears down to thesame height as these wear bars, the tireis worn out and must be replaced.
Damage
Periodically inspect the tire treads andsidewalls for damage (such as bulges inthe tread or sidewalls, cracks in thetread groove and separation in the tread
or sidewall). If damage is observed orsuspected, have the tire inspected by atire professional. Tires can be damagedduring off-road use, so inspection afteroff-road use is also recommended.
Age
WARNING: Tires degrade overtime depending on many factors suchas weather, storage conditions, andconditions of use (load, speed, inflationpressure) the tires experiencethroughout their lives.In general, tires should be replacedafter six years regardless of treadwear. However, heat caused by hotclimates or frequent high loadingconditions can accelerate the agingprocess and may require tires to bereplaced more frequently.You should replace your spare tirewhen you replace the road tires orafter six years due to aging even if ithas not been used.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number
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.
This begins with the letters DOT andindicates that the tire meets all federalstandards. The next two numbers orletters are the plant code designatingwhere it was manufactured, the next twoare the tire size code and the last fournumbers represent the week and yearthe tire was built. For example, the
numbers 317 mean the 31st week of1997. After 2000, the numbers go to fourdigits. For example, 2501 means the25th week of 2001. The numbers inbetween are identification codes usedfor traceability. This information is usedto contact customers if a tire defectrequires a recall.
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Tire Replacement Requirements
Your vehicle is equipped with tiresdesigned to provide a safe ride andhandling capability.
WARNING: Only use replacementtires and wheels that are the samesize, load index, speed rating and type(such as P-metric versus LT-metric orall-season versus all-terrain) as thoseoriginally provided by Ford. Therecommended tire and wheel size maybe found on either the SafetyCompliance Certification Label (affixedto either the door hinge pillar,door-latch post, or the door edge thatmeets the door-latch post, next to thedriver's seating position), or the TireLabel which is located on the B-Pillaror edge of the driver's door. If thisinformation is not found on theselabels, then you should contact yourauthorized dealer as soon as possible.Use of any tire or wheel not
recommended by Ford can affect thesafety and performance of yourvehicle, which could result in anincreased risk of loss of vehiclecontrol, vehicle rollover, personalinjury and death.
WARNING: To reduce the risk ofserious injury, when mountingreplacement tires and wheels, youshould not exceed the maximumpressure indicated on the sidewall ofthe tire to set the beads withoutadditional precautions listed below. Ifthe beads do not seat at the maximumpressure indicated, re-lubricate andtry again.
WARNING: For a mounting
pressure more than 20 psi (1.38 bar)greater than the maximum pressure,a Ford dealer or other tire serviceprofessional should do the mounting.
WARNING: Always inflate steelcarcass tires with a remote air fill withthe person inflating standing at aminimum of 12 ft (3.66 m) away fromthe wheel and tire assembly.
WARNING: When inflating thetire for mounting pressures up to20 psi (1.38 bar) greater than themaximum pressure on the tire sidewall,the following precautions must betaken to protect the person mountingthe tire:
•Make sure that you have the correcttire and wheel size.
•Lubricate the tire bead and wheelbead seat area again.
•Stand at a minimum of 12 ft (3.66 m)away from the wheel and tireassembly.
•Use both eye and ear protection.
Important: Remember to replace thewheel valve stems when the road tiresare replaced on your vehicle.
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It is recommended that the two fronttires or two rear tires generally bereplaced as a pair.
The tire pressure sensors mounted inthe wheels (originally installed on yourvehicle) are not designed to be used inaftermarket wheels.
The use of wheels or tires notrecommended by Ford Motor Companymay affect the operation of your tirepressure monitoring system.
If the tire pressure monitoring systemindicator is flashing, your system ismalfunctioning. Your replacement tiremight be incompatible with your tirepressure monitoring system, or somecomponent of the system may bedamaged.
Safety Practices
WARNING: If your vehicle is stuckin snow, mud or sand, do not rapidlyspin the tires; spinning the tires cantear the tire and cause an explosion.A tire can explode in as little as threeto five seconds.
WARNING: Do not spin thewheels at over 34 mph (55 km/h). Thetires may fail and injure a passengeror bystander.
Driving habits have a great deal to dowith 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 tireagainst a curb when parking
Highway Hazards
No matter how carefully you drive, thereis always the possibility that you mayeventually have a flat tire on thehighway. Drive slowly to the closest safearea out of traffic. This may furtherdamage the flat tire, but your safety ismore important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or ridedisturbance while driving, or you suspectyour tire or vehicle has been damaged,immediately reduce your speed. Drivewith caution until you can safely pull offthe road. Stop and inspect the tires fordamage. If a tire is under-inflated ordamaged, deflate it, remove wheel andreplace it with your spare tire and wheel.If you cannot detect a cause, have the
vehicle towed to the nearest repairfacility or tire dealer to have the vehicleinspected.
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Tire and Wheel Alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or potholecan cause the front end of your vehicleto become misaligned or cause damageto your tires. If your vehicle seems topull to one side when you are driving,the wheels may be out of alignment.Have an authorized dealer check thewheel alignment periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front or therear can cause uneven and rapidtreadwear of your tires and should becorrected by an authorized dealer.Front-wheel drive vehicles and thosewith an independent rear suspension (ifequipped) may require alignment of allfour wheels.
The tires should also be balanced
periodically. An unbalanced tire andwheel assembly may result in irregulartire wear.
Tire Rotation
Note:If your tires show uneven wear,ask an authorized dealer to check forand correct any wheel misalignment,tire imbalance or mechanical probleminvolved before tire rotation.
Note:Your vehicle may be equippedwith a dissimilar spare wheel and tireassembly. A dissimilar spare wheel andtire assembly is defined as a sparewheel and tire assembly that is differentin brand, size or appearance from theroad tires and wheels. If you have adissimilar spare wheel and tireassembly, it is intended for temporaryuse only and should not be used in atire rotation.
Note:After having your tires rotated,
inflation pressure must be checked andadjusted to the vehicle requirements.
Rotating your tires at the recommendedinterval will help your tires wear moreevenly, providing better tire performanceand longer tire life. Sometimes irregulartire wear can be corrected by rotatingthe tires. See Wheels and Tires (page313).
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USING SNOW CHAINS
WARNING: Snow tires must be thesame size, load index, and speed rating asthose originally provided by Ford. Use ofany tire or wheel not recommended byFord can affect the safety and performanceof your vehicle, which could result in anincreased risk of loss of vehicle control,vehicle rollover, personal injury, and death.Additionally, the use of non-recommendedtires and wheels could cause steering,suspension, axle, transfer case, or powertransfer unit failure. It is also stronglyadvised to follow the Ford recommendedtire inflation pressure found on the SafetyCompliance Certification Label (affixed toeither the door hinge pillar, door-latch post,or the door edge that meets the door-latchpost, next to the driver’s seating position),or Tire Label which is located on theB-Pillar or the edge of the driver door.Failure to follow the tire pressurerecommendations can cause uneventreadwear patterns and adversely affectthe way your vehicle handles.
Note:The suspension insulation andbumpers will help prevent vehicle damage.Do not remove these components from yourvehicle when using snow tires and chains.
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 need touse cables, it is recommended that steelwheels (of the same size and specifications)be used, as cables may chip aluminumwheels.
Follow these guidelines when using snowtires and chains:
•If possible, avoid fully loading yourvehicle.
•Use only SAE Class S snow chains, snowcables or equivalent on the front axle forP235/55R19 equipped vehicles. The useof snow chains, snow cables or othertraction assist devices that are larger thanSAE Class S may cause damage to yourvehicle’s wheel house, suspension orbody.
•Do not install tire chains, cables, oroptional traction devices on the rear tires.This could cause damage to the vehicle’swheel house or body.
•Do not use tire chains, cables or optionaltraction devices with optional 255/45R20tires.
•Install cable chains securely, verifyingthat the cables do not touch any wiring,brake lines or fuel lines.
•Do not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h) withtire cables on your vehicle.
•Drive cautiously. If you hear the cablesrub or bang against your vehicle, stopand retighten the cables. If this does notwork, remove the cables to preventdamage to your vehicle.
•Remove the tire cables when they are nolonger needed. Do not use tire cables ondry roads.
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TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM
WARNING: The tire pressuremonitoring system is not a substitute formanually checking tire pressures. Youshould periodically check tire pressuresusing a pressure gauge. Failure to correctlymaintain tire pressures could increase therisk of tire failure, loss of control, vehiclerollover and personal injury.
Note: You should only use tire sealants inroadside emergencies as they may causedamage to the tire pressure monitoringsystem sensor.
Note: If the tire pressure monitoring systemsensor becomes damaged, it may notfunction.
Each tire, including the spare (ifprovided), should be checkedmonthly when cold and inflated tothe inflation pressure recommended by thevehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placardor tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehiclehas tires of a different size than the sizeindicated on the vehicle placard or tireinflation pressure label, you shoulddetermine the proper tire inflation pressurefor those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle hasbeen equipped with a Tire PressureMonitoring System (TPMS) that illuminates alow tire pressure telltale when one or moreof your tires is significantly under-inflated.Accordingly, when the low tire pressuretelltale illuminates, you should stop andcheck your tires as soon as possible, andinflate them to the proper pressure. Drivingon a significantly under-inflated tire causesthe tire to overheat and can lead to tirefailure. Under-inflation also reduces fuelefficiency and tire tread life, and may affectthe vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitutefor proper tire maintenance, and it is thedriver’s responsibility to maintain correct tirepressure, even if under-inflation has notreached the level to trigger illumination ofthe TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with aTPMS malfunction indicator to indicate whenthe system is not operating properly. TheTPMS malfunction indicator is combined withthe low tire pressure telltale. When thesystem detects a malfunction, the telltale willflash for approximately one minute and thenremain continuously illuminated. Thissequence will continue upon subsequentvehicle start-ups as long as the malfunctionexists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,the system may not be able to detect orsignal low tire pressure as intended. TPMSmalfunctions may occur for a variety ofreasons, including the installation ofreplacement or alternate tires or wheels onthe vehicle that prevent the TPMS from
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