USING ALL-WHEEL DRIVE
WARNING: Vehicles with a higher
center of gravity (utility and four-wheel
drive vehicles) handle differently than
vehicles with a lower center of gravity
(passenger cars). Avoid sharp turns,
excessive speed and abrupt steering in
these vehicles. Failure to drive cautiously
increases the risk of losing control of your
vehicle, vehicle rollover, personal injury
and death.
The intelligent AWD system continuously
monitors vehicle conditions and adjusts
the power distribution between the front
and rear wheels. It combines transparent
all-surface operation with highly capable
all-wheel drive.
The AWD system is always active and
requires no driver input. It is capable of
handling all road conditions. You can
optimize the AWD performance for
specialized driving conditions by selecting
different drive modes. See Drive Control
(page
226).
Operating All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Vehicles with Mismatched Tires 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.
Major dissimilar tire sizes between the front
and rear axles could cause the AWD
system to stop functioning and default to
rear-wheel drive or damage the AWD
system.
For optimum AWD performance, it is
recommended to follow the tire rotation
maintenance schedule. To avoid potential
AWD malfunction or AWD system damage,
it is recommended to replace all four tires
rather than mixing significantly worn tires
with new tires.
Driving In Special Conditions With
All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
Note: AWD vehicles are equipped for
driving on sand, snow, mud and rough roads
and have operating characteristics that are
somewhat different from conventional
vehicles, both on and off the highway.
Basic Operating Principles in Special
Conditions
• Drive slower in strong crosswinds which
can affect the normal steering
characteristics of your vehicle.
• Be extremely careful when driving on
pavement made slippery by loose sand,
water, gravel, snow or ice.
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•
Higher - to allow higher load carrying
capacity and to allow it to travel over
rough terrain without getting hung up
or damaging underbody components.
• Shorter - to give it the capability to
approach inclines and drive over the
crest of a hill without getting hung up
or damaging underbody components.
All other things held equal, a shorter
wheelbase may make your vehicle
quicker to respond to steering inputs
than a vehicle with a longer wheelbase.
• Narrower - to provide greater
maneuverability in tight spaces,
particularly in off-road use. As a result of the above dimensional
differences, sport-utility vehicles, vans and
trucks often will have a higher center of
gravity and a greater difference in center
of gravity between the loaded and
unloaded condition.
These differences that make your vehicle
so versatile also make it handle differently
than an ordinary passenger car. TIRE SEALANT AND INFLATOR
KIT WARNING: Do not use the inflator
kit on run flat tires. This could cause loss
of vehicle control. WARNING: Depending on the type
and extent of tire damage, some tires
can only be partially sealed or not sealed
at all. Loss of tire pressure can affect
vehicle handling, leading to loss of
vehicle control. WARNING:
Do not use the kit on a
previously damaged tire, for example
when it has been driven under inflated.
This could cause loss of vehicle control,
personal injury or death.
Note: Motorhome owners may have to
follow separate instructions issued with the
temporary mobility kit.
If your vehicle does not have a spare wheel
it has a tire sealant and inflator kit. The kit
is in the right-hand side stepwell. Only use
the kit supplied with your vehicle.
Note: : The kit can only temporarily repair
one tire puncture with a maximum puncture
size of up to 0.24 in (6 mm).
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2.
Attach the tire sealant and the inflator
kit and check the tire pressure from the
pressure gauge D.
3. If the tire pressure is too high, deflate the tire to the specified pressure using
the pressure relief valve B. If the tire
pressure is less than the recommended
pressure, repeat steps 13 to 16 and
steps 1 to 2 (Checking the Tire
Pressure).
4. Once you have inflated the tire to its correct tire pressure, move the
compressor switch F to position 0,
remove the power plug E from the
auxiliary power point, unscrew the
sealant bottle hose, fasten the valve
cap and replace the protective cap A.
5. Drive to the nearest tire specialist to get the damaged tire replaced. Before
the tire is removed from the wheel,
inform the tire specialist that the tire
contains sealant. Renew the sealant
bottle as soon as possible after it has
been used once.
Note: The temporary mobility kit only
provides an emergency repair. Regulations
concerning tire repair after using the
temporary mobility kit may differ from
country to country. You should consult a tire
specialist for advice. TIRE CARE
Information About Uniform
Tire Quality Grades Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires.
The tire Quality Grades can be
found where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example: Treadwear 200
Traction AA Temperature A.
They do not apply to deep tread,
winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use
spare tires, light truck or LT type
tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches or
limited production tires as defined
in Title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 575.104 ©)(2).
Tire Quality Grades are
determined by standards that the
United States Department of
Transportation has set.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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 a tire or your 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 wheel and replace it with the spare tire and
wheel. 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
the tires. If your vehicle seems to
pull to one side when you are
driving, the wheels may be out of
alignment. Have an authorized
dealer check the wheel alignment
periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front
or the rear can cause uneven and
rapid treadwear of the tires and
should be corrected by an
authorized dealer. Front-wheel
drive vehicles and those with an
independent rear suspension 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.
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