When the tread is worn down to 0.08 in
(2 mm), 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
0.08 in
(2 mm).
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. However,
heat caused by hot climates or
frequent high loading conditions can
accelerate the aging process and may
require tires to be replaced more
frequently.
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. 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.
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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
Highway Hazards
No matter how carefully you drive there
is always the possibility that you may
eventually have a flat tire on the
highway. Drive slowly to the closest safe
area out of traffic. This may further
damage the flat tire, but your safety is
more important. If you feel a sudden vibration or ride
disturbance while driving, or you suspect
your tire or vehicle has been damaged,
immediately reduce your speed. Drive
with caution until you can safely pull off
the road. Stop and inspect the tires for
damage. If a tire is under-inflated or
damaged, deflate it, remove the wheel
and replace it with your spare tire and
wheel (if provided). If you cannot detect
a cause, have the vehicle towed to the
nearest repair facility or tire dealer to
have the vehicle inspected.
Tire and Wheel Alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or pothole
can cause the front end of your vehicle
to become misaligned or cause damage
to your tires. If your vehicle seems to
pull to one side when you’re driving, the
wheels may be out of alignment. Have
an authorized dealer check the wheel
alignment periodically.
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Wheel misalignment in the front or the
rear can cause uneven and rapid
treadwear of your tires and should be
corrected by an authorized dealer.
Front-wheel drive vehicles and those
with an independent rear suspension (if
equipped) may require alignment of all
four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced
periodically. An unbalanced tire and
wheel assembly may result in irregular
tire wear.
Tire Rotation
Note:
If your tires show uneven wear
ask an authorized dealer to check for
and correct any wheel misalignment,
tire imbalance or mechanical problem
involved before tire rotation. Note:
Your vehicle may be equipped
with a dissimilar spare wheel and tire
assembly. A dissimilar spare wheel and
tire assembly is defined as a spare
wheel and tire assembly that is different
in brand, size or appearance from the
road tires and wheels. If you have a
dissimilar spare wheel and tire assembly
it is intended for temporary use only and
should not be used in a tire rotation.
Note: After having your tires rotated,
inflation pressure must be checked and
adjusted to the vehicle requirements.
Rotating your tires at the recommended
interval (as indicated in the Scheduled
Maintenance chapter) will help your tires
wear more evenly, providing better tire
performance and longer tire life.
Front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive
vehicles (front tires on the left side of
the diagram) All vehicles with directional tires (front
tires on the left of the diagram)
Sometimes irregular tire wear can be
corrected by rotating the tires.
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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. Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle
has tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) that illuminates a
low tire pressure telltale when one or more
of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and
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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
Information Messages (page 115). 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.
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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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
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
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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. 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.
CHANGING A ROAD WHEEL
(IF
EQUIPPED) WARNING:
If the tire pressure
monitor sensor becomes damaged it may
not function. 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, mount all road
wheels equipped with tire pressure
monitoring sensors on the vehicle.
Note: You should only use tire sealants in
roadside emergencies as they may cause
damage to the tire pressure monitoring
system sensor.
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
to prevent damage to the tire pressure
monitoring system sensors.
See Tire
Pressure Monitoring System (page 350).
Replace the spare tire with a road tire as
soon as possible. During repairing or
replacing of the flat tire, have an authorized
dealer inspect the tire pressure monitoring
system sensor for damage.
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Dissimilar Spare Wheel and Tire
Assembly Information
WARNING: Failure to follow these
guidelines could result in an increased risk
of loss of vehicle control, injury or death. If you have a dissimilar spare wheel and tire,
use it for temporary use only. This means
that if you need to use it, you should replace
it as soon as possible with a road wheel and
tire assembly that is the same size and type
as the road tires and wheels that originally
came with your vehicle. If the dissimilar spare
tire or wheel is damaged, replace it instead
of repairing it.
Important Use of Spare Wheel
A dissimilar spare wheel and tire assembly is a spare wheel and tire ass\
embly that is different in brand, size or appearance from the road
tires and wheels and can be one of three types: Types of Spare Wheels
T-type mini-spare. 1
Full-size dissimilar spare with label on wheel. 2
Full-size dissimilar spare without label on wheel.
1 This spare tire begins with the letter T for tire size and may have Temporary Use Only molded in the sidewall.
2 This spare tire has a label on the wheel that states: THIS WHEEL AND TIR\
E ASSEMBLY FOR TEMPORARY USE ONLY.
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