Information Contained on the
Tire Sidewall
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.
Information on P Type Tires
P215/65R15 95H is an example of
a tire size, load index and speed
rating. The definitions of these
items are listed below. (Note that
the tire size, load index and speed
rating for your vehicle could be
different from this example.) A.
P: Indicates a tire, designated
by the Tire and Rim Association,
that could be used for service on
cars, sport utility vehicles,
minivans and light trucks. Note:
If
your tire size does not begin with
a letter this could mean it is
designated by either the European
Tire and Rim Technical
Organization or the Japan Tire
Manufacturing Association.
B. 215:
Indicates the nominal
width of the tire in millimeters
from sidewall edge to sidewall
edge. In general, the larger the
number, the wider the tire.
C. 65:
Indicates the aspect ratio
which gives 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
your wheel size, you will have to
purchase new tires to match the
new wheel diameter.
F. 95:
Indicates the tire's load
index. It is an index that relates to
how much weight a tire can carry.
You could find this information in
your owner ’s manual. If not,
contact a local tire dealer.
Note: You may not find this
information on all tires because it
is not required by federal law.
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The tire suppliers could 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. C.
Maximum Load Dual lb (kg)
at psi (kPa) cold:
Indicates the
maximum load and tire pressure
when the tire is used as a dual,
defined as four tires on the rear
axle (a total of six or more tires on
the vehicle).
D. Maximum Load Single lb
(kg) at psi (kPa) cold:
Indicates
the maximum load and tire
pressure when the tire is used as
a single, defined as two tires
(total) on the rear axle.
Information on T Type Tires
T145/80D16 is an example of a
tire size.
Note: The temporary tire size for
your vehicle could be different from
this example. Tire Quality Grades
do not apply to this type of tire.
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T type tires have some additional
information beyond those of P
type tires; these differences are
described below:
A.
T: Indicates a type of tire,
designated by the Tire and Rim
Association, that is intended for
temporary service on cars, sport
utility vehicles, minivans and light
trucks.
B. 145:
Indicates the nominal
width of the tire in millimeters
from sidewall edge to sidewall
edge. In general, the larger the
number, the wider the tire. 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.
Recommended Tire Pressures
and 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 the 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 Ford Motor Company. 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
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2. This device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that could cause
undesired operation.
Note: Changes or modifications not
expressively approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the
user's authority to operate the equipment.
The term "IC:" before the radio certification
number only signifies that Industry Canada
technical specifications were met.
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 85). The
low tire pressure warning light will turn on
if the tire pressure is significantly low. Once
the light 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.
Some limited All Wheel Drive (AWD)
traction may be provided if a temporary
spare is installed on one of the front
wheels. If you are in driving conditions
where limited All Wheel Drive (AWD)
traction is needed while a temporary is
installed, it is recommended the temporary
spare be installed on the front axle.
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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.
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 pres-
sure. 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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Customer action required
Possible cause
Low tire pressure
warning light
On vehicles with different front and rear
tire pressures, the system must be
retrained following every tire rotation.
See Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Reset procedure later in this section.
Tire rotation without
sensor training
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
Flashing warning light
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
When Inflating Your Tires WARNING:
Do not use the tire
pressure displayed in the information
display as a tire pressure gauge. Failure
to follow this instruction could result in
personal injury or death.
When putting air into your tires (such as at
a gas station or in your garage), the tire
pressure monitoring system will not
respond immediately to the air added to
your tires.
It could take up to two minutes of driving
over 20 mph (32 km/h) for the light to turn
off after you have filled your tires to the
recommended inflation pressure. How Temperature Affects Your Tire
Pressure
The tire pressure monitoring system
monitors tire pressure in each pneumatic
tire. While driving in a normal manner, a
typical passenger tire inflation pressure
could increase about
2
–4 psi (14– 28 kPa)
from a cold start situation. If the vehicle is
stationary overnight with the outside
temperature significantly lower than the
daytime temperature, the tire pressure
could decrease about
3 psi (21 kPa) for a
drop of 30°F (17°C) in ambient
temperature. This lower pressure value
could be detected by the tire pressure
monitoring system as being significantly
lower than the recommended inflation
pressure and activate the system warning
light for low tire pressure. If the low tire
pressure warning light is on, visually check
each tire to verify that no tire is flat. If one
or more tires are flat, repair as necessary.
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Check the air pressure in the road tires. If
any tire is under-inflated, carefully drive
the vehicle to the nearest location where
air can be added to the tires. Inflate all the
tires to the recommended inflation
pressure.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System Reset
Procedure
WARNING: To determine the
required pressure(s) for your vehicle, see
the Safety Compliance Certification
Label (on the door hinge pillar,
door-latch post or the door edge that
meets the door-latch post, next to the
driver seat) or the Tire Label on the
B-Pillar or the edge of the driver door.
Note: You need to perform the tire pressure
monitoring system reset procedure after
each tire rotation.
To provide the vehicle's load carrying
capability, some vehicles require different
recommended tire pressures in the front
tires as compared to the rear tires. The tire
pressure monitoring system equipped on
these vehicles is designed to illuminate the
low tire pressure warning light at two
different pressures; one for the front tires
and one for the rear tires.
Since tires need to be rotated to provide
consistent performance and maximum tire
life, the tire pressure monitoring system
needs to know when the tires are rotated
to determine which set of tires are on the
front and which are on the rear. With this
information, the system can detect and
properly warn of low tire pressures.
System reset tips: •
To reduce the chances of interference
from another vehicle, perform the
system reset procedure at least
3 ft
(1 m) away from another Ford Motor
Company vehicle undergoing the
system reset procedure at the same
time.
• Do not wait more than two minutes
between resetting each tire sensor or
the system can time-out and you have
to repeat the entire procedure on all
four wheels.
• A double horn sounds indicating the
need to repeat the procedure.
Performing the System Reset Procedure
Read the entire procedure before
attempting.
1. Drive the vehicle above
20 mph
(32 km/h) for at least two minutes,
then park in a safe location where you
can easily get to all four tires and have
access to an air pump.
2. Place the ignition in the off position and
keep the key in the ignition.
3. Cycle the ignition to the on position with the engine off.
4. Turn the hazard flashers on then off three times. You must accomplish this
within 10 seconds. If you successfully
enter the reset mode, the horn sounds
once, the system indicator flashes and
a message shows in the information
display. If this does not occur, please
try again starting at step 2. If after
repeated attempts to enter the reset
mode, the horn does not sound, the
system indicator does not flash and no
message shows in the information
display, seek service from your
authorized dealer.
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5. Train the tire pressure monitoring
system sensors in the tires using the
following system reset sequence
starting with the left front tire in the
following clockwise order: Left front -
driver side front tire, Right front -
passenger side front tire, Right rear -
passenger side rear tire, Left rear -
driver side rear tire.
6. Remove the valve cap from the valve stem on the left front tire. Decrease the
air pressure until the horn sounds.
Note: The single horn tone confirms that
the sensor identification code has been
learned by the module for this position. If a
double horn is heard, the reset procedure
was unsuccessful, and you must repeat it.
7. Remove the valve cap from the valve stem on the right front tire. Decrease
the air pressure until the horn sounds.
8. Remove the valve cap from the valve stem on the right rear tire. Decrease the
air pressure until the horn sounds.
9. Remove the valve cap from the valve stem on the left rear tire. Decrease the
air pressure until the horn sounds.
Training is complete after the horn
sounds for the last tire trained, driver
side rear tire, the system indicator
stops flashing, and a message shows
in the information display.
10. Turn the ignition off. If two short horn
beeps are heard, the reset procedure
was unsuccessful and you must
repeat it. If after repeating the
procedure and two short beeps are
heard when the ignition is turned to
off, seek assistance from your
authorized dealer. 11.
Set all four tires to the recommended
air pressure as indicated 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 seating position or
Tire Label located on the B-Pillar or
the edge of the driver door.
CHANGING A ROAD WHEEL WARNING: If the tire pressure
monitor sensor becomes damaged it
may not function.
Note: You should only use tire sealants in
roadside emergencies as they may cause
damage to the tire pressure monitoring
system sensor.
Note: The tire pressure monitoring system
indicator light illuminates when the spare
tire is in use. To restore the full function of
the monitoring system, all road wheels
equipped with tire pressure monitoring
sensors must be mounted on the vehicle.
If you get a flat tire when driving, do not
apply the brake heavily. Instead, gradually
decrease your speed. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and slowly move to a safe
place on the side of the road.
Have a flat serviced by an authorized
dealer in order to prevent damage to the
tire pressure monitoring system sensors.
See
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
(page 264). Replace the spare tire with a
road tire as soon as possible. During
repairing or replacing of the flat tire, have
the authorized dealer inspect the tire
pressure monitoring system sensor for
damage.
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