2023 LINCOLN AVIATOR Owners Manual

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.
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 432).
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.
430
Wheels and Tires

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 all-wheel
drive vehicles. Although an all-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 264). 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.
431
Wheels and Tires

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
E142542
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.
432
Wheels and Tires

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).
433
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.)
434
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
435
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.
436
Wheels and Tires

*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 tothe 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.
A
BC
BD
E142544
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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Wheels and Tires