2023 LINCOLN AVIATOR tire size

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 causethe 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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Wheels and Tires

*Recommended inflation pressure: The
cold inflation pressure 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
located on the B-Pillar or the edge of the
driver door.
*B-pillar: The structural member at the
side of the vehicle behind the front door.
*Bead area of the tire: Area of the tire
next to the rim.
*Sidewall of the tire: Area between the
bead area and the tread.
*Tread area of the tire: Area of the
perimeter of the tire that contacts the
road when mounted on the vehicle.
*Rim: The metal support (wheel) for a
tire or a tire and tube assembly upon
which the tire beads are seated.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
H
I
J
KL
M
A
B
CDEFG
E142543
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 may
be different from this example.)
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Wheels and Tires

A. P: Indicates a tire, designated by the
Tire and Rim Association, that may 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 may 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 may 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.
G. H: Indicates the tire's speed rating.
The speed rating denotes the speed at
which a tire is designed to be driven for
extended periods of time under a
standard condition of load and inflation
pressure. The tires on your vehicle may
operate at different conditions for load
and inflation pressure. These speed
ratings may need to be adjusted for the
difference in conditions. The ratings
range from 81 mph (130 km/h) to
186 mph (299 km/h). These ratings are
listed in the following chart.
Note:You may not find this information
on all tires because it is not required by
federal law.
Speed rating Letter rating
81 mph (130 km/h) M
87 mph (140 km/h) N
99 mph (159 km/h) Q
106 mph (171 km/h) R
112 mph (180 km/h) S
118 mph (190 km/h) T
124 mph (200 km/h) U
130 mph (210 km/h) H
149 mph (240 km/h) V
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Wheels and Tires

Speed rating Letter rating
168 mph (270 km/h) W
186 mph (299 km/h) Y
Note:For tires with a maximum speed
capability over 149 mph (240 km/h), tire
manufacturers sometimes use the letters
ZR. For those with a maximum speed
capability over 186 mph (299 km/h), tire
manufacturers always use the letters
ZR.
H. U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number
(TIN): 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 numbersgo 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.
I. M+S or M/S: Mud and Snow, or
AT: All Terrain, or
AS: All Season.
J. Tire Ply Composition and Material
Used: Indicates the number of plies or
the number of layers of rubber-coated
fabric in the tire tread and sidewall. Tire
manufacturers also must indicate the ply
materials in the tire and the sidewall,
which include steel, nylon, polyester,
and others.K. Maximum Load: Indicates the
maximum load in kilograms and pounds
that can be carried by the tire. See 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), for the correct
tire pressure for your vehicle.
L. Treadwear, Traction and
Temperature Grades:
*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 one and
one-half times as well on the
government course as a tire graded 100.
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Wheels and Tires

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 may be different from this
example. Tire Quality Grades do not
apply to this type of tire.
A
BCD
E
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.
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Wheels and Tires

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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Wheels and Tires

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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Wheels and Tires

WARNING: To reduce the risk of
serious injury, when mounting
replacement tires and wheels, you
should not exceed the maximum
pressure indicated on the sidewall of
the tire to set the beads without
additional precautions listed below. If
the beads do not seat at the maximum
pressure indicated, re-lubricate and
try again.
WARNING: For a mounting
pressure more than 20 psi (1.38 bar)
greater than the maximum pressure,
a Ford dealer or other tire service
professional should do the mounting.
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.
WARNING: When inflating the
tire for mounting pressures up to
20 psi (1.38 bar) greater than the
maximum pressure on the tire sidewall,
the following precautions must be
taken to protect the person mounting
the tire:
• Make sure that you have the correct
tire and wheel size.
• Lubricate the tire bead and wheel
bead seat area again.
• Stand at a minimum of 12 ft (3.66 m)
away from the wheel and tire
assembly.
• Use both eye and ear protection.
Important: Remember to replace the
wheel valve stems when the road tires
are replaced on your vehicle.
It is recommended that the two front
tires or two rear tires generally be
replaced as a pair if the worn tires still
have usable depth.To avoid potential All Wheel Drive (AWD)
malfunction or All Wheel Drive (AWD)
system damage, it is recommended to
replace all four tires rather than mixing
significantly worn tires with new tires.
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 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.
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Wheels and Tires