United States of America DOT
Tire Identification Number
(TIN)
United States of America, 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 United States of
America 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.
Location of the Tire Label
You will find a Tire Label
containing tire inflation pressure
by tire size and other important
information located on the B-Pillar
or the edge of the driver's door.
Inflating the Tires 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!
Safe operation of your vehicle
requires that the tires are correctly
inflated.
Every day before you drive, check
the tires. If one looks lower than
the others, use a tire gauge to
check pressure of all tires and
adjust if required.
At least once a month and before
long trips inspect each tire
including the spare tire. Check the
tire pressure with a tire pressure
gauge. Inflate all tires to the
correct inflation pressure.
324
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires
You are strongly urged to buy a
reliable tire pressure gauge, as
automatic service station gauges
may be inaccurate. We
recommend 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.
Always inflate the tires to the
recommended inflation pressure
even if it is less than the maximum
inflation pressure information
found on the tire. The
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 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
Note:
Do not reduce tire pressure
to change the ride characteristics
of your vehicle. If you do not
maintain the tire pressures as
specified by Ford, your vehicle may
experience a condition known as
shimmy. This will cause severe
vibration and oscillations in the
steering wheel when your vehicle
travels over a bump or dip in the
road and is unable to dampen out
by itself. Significantly
under-inflated tires, incorrect tire
usage or any vehicle modifications
such as lift-kits can cause your
vehicle to shimmy. If your vehicle
begins to shimmy, slowly reduce
the speed of your vehicle by
pressing the brake pedal or
releasing the accelerator pedal. As
your vehicle speed reduces the
shimmy will cease.
The maximum inflation pressure
is the tire manufacturer's
maximum permissible pressure or
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 seating
position), or Tire Label which is
located on the B-Pillar or the edge
325
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires
of the driver 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 the tire pressures frequently
and adjust them to the correct
pressure which can be found on
the Safety Compliance
Certification Label or Tire Label.
To check the tire pressures:
1. Make sure the tires are cool, meaning they are not hot from
driving even a mile.
2. Remove the cap from the valve
on one tire, then firmly press
the tire gauge onto the valve
and measure the tire pressure.
3. Add enough air to reach the
recommended tire pressure.
4. Replace the valve cap.
5. Repeat this procedure for each
tire, including the spare.
6. Visually inspect the tires to
make sure there are no nails or
other objects embedded that
could poke a hole in the tire
and cause an air leak.
7. Check the sidewalls to make sure there are no gouges, cuts
or bulges. Note:
On the Dual Rear Wheel
Vehicles, the valve is fitted with a
flow through valve cap. There is no
need to remove the cap before
firmly pressing the tire gauge onto
the valve.
Note: If you are checking tire
pressure when the tire is hot, for
example you have driven more than
1.0 mi (1.6 km)
, never bleed or
reduce tire pressure. The tires are
hot from driving and it is normal for
pressures to increase above
recommended cold pressures. A
hot tire at or below recommended
cold inflation pressure could be
significantly under-inflated.
Note: If you have to drive a
distance to get air for the tires,
check and record the tire pressure
first and add the appropriate air
pressure when you get to the
pump. It is normal for tires to heat
up and the tire pressure to increase
as you drive.
Note: If you over inflate the tire,
release air by pressing on the metal
stem in the center of the valve.
Then recheck the pressure with
your tire gauge.
326
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires
Note:
Some spare tires operate at
a higher inflation pressure than the
other tires. For T-type mini-spare
tires, refer to the Dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly
information for a description. Store
and maintain at 60 psi (4.15 bar).
For full-size and dissimilar spare
tires, refer to the Dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly
information for a description. Store
and maintain at the higher of the
front and rear inflation pressure as
shown on the Tire Label.
Inspecting the Tires and Wheel
Valve Stems
Periodically inspect the tire treads
for uneven or excessive wear and
remove objects, for example
stones, nails or glass that may be
wedged in the tread grooves.
Check the tire and valve stems for
holes, cracks, or cuts that may
permit air leakage and repair or
replace the tire and replace the
valve stem. Inspect the tire
sidewalls for cracking, cuts,
bruises and other signs of damage
or excessive wear. If internal
damage to the tire is suspected,
have the tire removed and
inspected in case it needs to be
repaired or replaced. For your
safety, tires that are damaged or
show signs of excessive wear
should not be used because they
are more likely to blow out or fail. Incorrect or inadequate vehicle
maintenance can cause tires to
wear abnormally. Inspect all the
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
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.
327
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and TiresE142546
Tire Damage
Periodically inspect the tire treads
and sidewalls for damage, for
example bulges in the tread or
sidewalls, cracks in the tread
groove or 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.
Tire 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. 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. Tire Replacement
Requirements 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:
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.
328
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires
Tire Rotation
WARNING: If the tire label
shows different tire pressures for
the front and rear tires and the
vehicle has a tire pressure
monitoring system, then you
need to update the settings for
the system sensors. Always
perform the system reset
procedure after tire rotation. If
you do not reset the system, it
may not provide a low tire
pressure warning when
necessary.
Rotating the tires at the
recommended interval detailed in
the Scheduled Maintenance
chapter will help the tires wear
more evenly, providing better tire
performance and longer tire life.
Sometimes irregular tire wear can
be corrected by rotating the tires.
Note: After rotating the tires the
inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle
requirements.
Note: If the 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 have 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.
Rear-wheel drive and
four-wheel drive vehicles with
single rear wheels (front tires
at left of diagram). 331
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and TiresE142548
Rear-wheel drive and
four-wheel drive vehicles with
dual rear wheels.
USING WINTER TIRES
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
control, vehicle rollover, personal injury
and death. Additionally, the use of
non-recommended tires and wheels can
cause steering, suspension, axle, transfer
case or power transfer unit failure. Follow the Ford recommended tire
inflation pressure found on 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 Tire
Label 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.
WARNING: If you choose to install
snow tires on your vehicle, they must be
the same size, construction, and load
range as the original tires listed on the
tire placard, and they must be installed
on all four wheels. Mixing tires of
different size or construction on your
vehicle can adversely affect your
vehicle's handling and braking, and may
lead to loss of vehicle control.
Your vehicle has all-season tires that are
optimized for use in all weather conditions.
As the seasons change you may choose to
use winter tires or snow tires. Winter tires
and snow tires are available to purchase
from an authorized dealer.
We recommend that you use winter tires
when the temperature is
45°F (7°C) or
lower, or in snow and ice conditions.
If you use winter tires or snow tires, inflate
them to the recommended tire pressures
listed on the tire information label. The
label is on the driver side B-pillar.
332
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and TiresE166988
You must check the tire
pressures (including the spare
tire where applicable) every two
weeks when the tires are cold. See
Wheels and Tires (page 311). The tire
pressures are also on the tire inflation
pressure label (located on the edge of
driver door or the B-Pillar).
As a driver assistance feature your vehicle
has a tire pressure monitoring system. A
warning lamp will illuminate when one or
more of the tires are significantly
under-inflated. If the low tire pressure
warning lamp illuminates, you should stop
your vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so,
check the tires and inflate them to the
correct pressure.
Driving on under-inflated tires can:
• Cause them to overheat.
• Lead to tire failure.
• Reduce fuel efficiency.
• Reduce tire life.
• Affect vehicle handling or stopping
ability.
The system is not substitute for correct tire
maintenance.
You must maintain the correct tire
pressures, even if low tire pressure has not
illuminated the warning lamp.
The tire pressure monitoring system has a
system malfunction indicator to warn you
when the system is not operating correctly.
The malfunction indicator and low tire
pressure warning lamp have a combined
function. When the system detects a
malfunction, the warning lamp will flash
for approximately one minute and then
remain illuminated. This sequence will
occur every time you switch the ignition on
while the malfunction remains. The
system has detected a fault that requires
service. When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be able
to detect or signal low tire pressures. A
malfunction may occur for a variety of
reasons, including the installation of a
replacement tire or wheel that prevents
the system from functioning correctly.
Always check the tire pressure monitoring
system malfunction warning after
replacing one or more tires or wheels on
your vehicle. Make sure the replacement
tires or wheels allow the system to
continue to function correctly.
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules and with Licence exempt RSS
Standards of Industry Canada. Operation
is subject to the following two conditions:
•
This device may not cause harmful
interference.
• This device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation. WARNING:
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.
How Temperature Affects the Tire
Pressures
Under normal driving conditions tire
pressures may increase by up to
4 psi
(0.3 bar) from a cold start situation.
335
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires