
GENERAL INFORMATION
The recommended tire inflation pressures
are found on the Tire Label which is located
on the B-pillar or the edge of the driver door.
This information can also 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’
s seating
position.
We strongly recommend maintaining these
tire pressures at all times. Failure to follow
the tire pressure recommendations can
cause uneven treadwear patterns, reduced
fuel economy, and adversely affect the way
your vehicle handles.
Note: Check and set the tire pressure at the
ambient temperature in which you are
intending to drive your vehicle and when the
tires are cold.
Note: Check your tire pressures at least once
per month.
If your vehicle has a spare tire, set the
pressure to the highest value given for your
vehicle and tire size combination. Use only approved wheels and tire sizes,
using other sizes could damage your vehicle.
The tires installed on your vehicle from us
as original equipment are certified for
Greenhouse Gas and Fuel Efficiency
regulations. Replacement tires must be of
equal or lower rolling resistance level (TRRL
or CRR). Consult with your tire supplier for
appropriate replacement tires.
If you change the diameter of the factory
installed tires, the speedometer may not
display the correct speed. This could effect
the functionality of the All Wheel Drive (AWD)
system, if equipped. Take your vehicle to an
authorized dealer and have the engine
management system reprogrammed.
If you intend to change the size of the factory
installed tires, check the suitability with an
authorized dealer.
Additional information related to the
functionality and maintenance of your tires
can be found in the Wheels and Tire section.
See Tire Care (page 415).
Notice to utility vehicle and truck
owners 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. WARNING:
In a rollover crash, an
unbelted person is significantly more likely
to die than a person wearing a seatbelt.
Utility vehicles and trucks handle differently
than passenger cars in the various driving
conditions that are encountered on streets,
highways and off-road. Utility vehicles and
trucks are not designed for cornering at
speeds as high as passenger cars any more
than low-slung sports cars are designed to
perform satisfactorily under off-road
conditions.
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Study your owner's manual and any
supplements for specific information about
equipment features, instructions for safe
driving and additional precautions to reduce
the risk of an accident or serious injury.
All-wheel drive system (if equipped)
WARNING: Do not become
overconfident in the ability of four-wheel
drive vehicles. Although a four-wheel drive
vehicle may accelerate better than a
two-wheel drive vehicle in low traction
situations, it won't stop any faster than
two-wheel drive vehicles. Always drive at
a safe speed. A vehicle equipped with all-wheel drive has
the ability to use all four wheels to power
itself. This increases traction which may
enable you to safely drive over terrain and
road conditions that a conventional
two-wheel drive vehicle cannot. Power is
supplied to all four wheels through a transfer
case operation and drive mode selection.
See All-Wheel Drive (page 250). You should
become thoroughly familiar with this
information before you operate 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 needed while a
temporary wheel is installed, it is
recommended the temporary spare be
installed on the front axle.
For all-wheel-drive vehicles, a spare tire of
a different size other than the tire provided
should never be used. A dissimilar spare tire
size; other than the spare tire provided or
major dissimilar tire sized between the front
and rear axles could cause the
all-wheel-drive system to stop functioning
and default to rear-wheel drive. How your vehicle differs from other
vehicles
Sport utility vehicles and trucks can differ
from some other vehicles in a few noticeable
ways. Your vehicle could be:
•
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 could 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.
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As a result of the above dimensional
differences, sport utility vehicles and trucks
often 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 CARE
Information About Uniform Tire Quality
Grading
Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires. The
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.
These Tire Quality Grades are
determined by standards that the United
States Department of Transportation has
set.
Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires. 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 (c)(2).
U.S. Department of Transportation Tire
quality grades: The U.S. Department of
Transportation requires us to give you
the following information about tire
grades exactly as the government has
written it. Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative
rating based on the wear rate of the tire
when tested under controlled conditions
on a specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150 would
wear 1½ times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of
their use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service
practices, and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
Traction AA A B C
WARNING:
The traction grade
assigned to this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include acceleration,
cornering, hydroplaning or peak
traction characteristics.
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The traction grades, from highest to
lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The grades
represent the tire
’s ability to stop on wet
pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.
Temperature A B C WARNING: The temperature
grade for this tire is established for a
tire that is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading,
either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible
tire failure.
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B and C, representing the tire ’s
resistance to the generation of heat and
its ability to dissipate heat when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can cause the material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to a
level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
No. 139. Grades B and A represent
higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum
required by law.
Glossary of Tire Terminology
*
Tire label: A label showing the original
equipment tire sizes, recommended
inflation pressure and the maximum
weight the vehicle can carry.
*
Tire Identification Number (TIN): A
number on the sidewall of each tire
providing information about the tire
brand and manufacturing plant, tire size
and date of manufacture. Also referred
to as DOT code.
*
Inflation pressure: A measure of the
amount of air in a tire. *
Standard load: A class of P-metric or
Metric tires designed to carry a
maximum load at set pressure. For
example: For P-metric tires
35 psi
(2.4 bar) and for Metric tires 36 psi
(2.5 bar). Increasing the inflation
pressure beyond this pressure will not
increase the tire ’s load carrying
capability.
*
Extra load: A class of P-metric or Metric
tires designed to carry a heavier
maximum load at
42 psi (2.9 bar).
Increasing the inflation pressure beyond
this pressure will not increase the tire ’s
load carrying capability.
*
kPa: Kilopascal, a metric unit of air
pressure.
*PSI: Pounds per square inch, a standard
unit of air pressure.
*
Cold tire pressure: The tire pressure
when the vehicle has been stationary
and out of direct sunlight for an hour or
more and prior to the vehicle being
driven for
1 mi (1.6 km).
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*Traction: The traction grades, from
highest to lowest are AA, A, B, and C.
The grades represent the tire's ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on specified
government test surfaces of asphalt and
concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance.
*
Temperature: The temperature grades
are A (the highest), B and C,
representing the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to
dissipate heat when tested under
controlled conditions on a specified
indoor laboratory test wheel.
M.
Maximum Inflation Pressure:
Indicates the tire manufacturers'
maximum permissible pressure or the
pressure at which the maximum load
can be carried by the tire. This pressure
is normally higher than the vehicle
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's seating position), or Tire
Label which is located on the B-Pillar or
the edge of the driver’
s door. The cold
inflation pressure should never be set
lower than the recommended pressure
on the vehicle label.
The tire suppliers may 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.
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BC
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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 the
manufacturer.
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!
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 your tires to the
recommended inflation pressure even
if it is less than the maximum inflation
pressure information found on the tire.
You will find a Tire Label containing the
manufactures recommended tire
inflation pressure by the tire size and
other important information located on
the B-Pillar or the edge of the driver’
s
door.
The recommended tire inflation pressure
is also 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 on
the B-pillar, or on the edge of the
driver’ s door.
Failure to follow the tire pressure
recommendations can cause uneven
treadwear patterns and adversely affect
the way your vehicle handles.
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Inspecting Your Tires and Wheel Valve
Stems
Periodically inspect the tire treads for
uneven or excessive wear and remove
objects such as 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 demounted 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.
Improper or inadequate vehicle
maintenance can cause tires to wear
abnormally. Inspect all your 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 one
sixteenth of an inch (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
one sixteenth of an inch (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.
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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 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. 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.
Tire Replacement Requirements
Your vehicle is equipped with tires
designed to provide a safe ride and
handling capability. 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.
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