ac Control FORD TRANSIT 2021 Owners Manual
Page 319 of 509
United States Department of
Transportation Tire Quality
Grades
The United States of America
Department of Transportation
requires Ford Motor Company 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. 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
316
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires
Page 323 of 509
manufacturers also must
indicate the ply materials
in the tire and the
sidewall, which include
steel, nylon, polyester,
and others.
Maximum Load:
Indicates the maximum
load in kilograms and
pounds that can be
carried by the tire. Refer to
the Safety Compliance
K
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), for the
correct tire pressure for
your vehicle.
Treadwear, Traction
and Temperature
Grades:Treadwear The
treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based
on the wear rate of the tire
L
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. 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.
Maximum Inflation
Pressure:
Indicates the
tire manufacturer's
maximum permissible
pressure or the pressure
at which the maximum
M
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 of
320
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires
Page 327 of 509
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
Page 331 of 509
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
Page 335 of 509
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
Page 336 of 509
USING SNOW CHAINS
WARNING: Do not exceed 30 mph
(50 km/h). Failure to follow this
instruction could result in the loss of
control of your vehicle, personal injury or
death. WARNING:
Do not use snow chains
on snow-free roads. WARNING:
Only fit snow chains to
specified tires. WARNING:
If your vehicle is fitted
with wheel trims, remove them before
fitting snow chains.
Your vehicle has all-weather tires designed
to provide traction in all weather
conditions. In some conditions you may
need to use snow chains or cables.
Snow Chain Use by Tire Size Variant
3
Tire Size All-Wheel
Drive
Rear Wheel
Drive -
Vehicles
With Dual Rear
Wheels
Rear Wheel
Drive -
Vehicles With
Single Rear Wheels
Front Wheel Drive
N/A
Yes. 1
N/A
N/A
195/
75R16C
Yes.2
Yes. 1
N/A
N/A
205/
75R16C
N/A
N/A
N/A
Yes.
215/
65R15C
N/A
N/A
N/A
Use special snow chain use wheel kit
16x5.5J with 185/75R16C 104/102
tires.
4
215/
65R16C
333
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires
Page 337 of 509
Variant
3
Tire Size All-Wheel
Drive
Rear Wheel
Drive -
Vehicles
With Dual Rear
Wheels
Rear Wheel
Drive -
Vehicles With
Single Rear Wheels
Front Wheel Drive
Yes.2
N/A
Yes.
Use special snow chain use wheel kit
16x5.5J with 185/75R16C 104/102
tires.
4
235/
65R16C
115/113
Yes.2
N/A
Yes.
Use special snow chain use wheel kit
16x5.5J with 195/75R16C 107/105.
4
235/
65R16C
121/119
1 Only fit snow chains to the outer tires.
2 Only fit snow chains to the rear tires.
3 To ascertain the variant of your vehicle, refer to the vehicle identification plate.
4 Alternative wheels that permit the use of snow chains or cables are available to purchase
from an authorized dealer as part of a special snow chain use wheel kit.
Note: Maintain correct tire pressures.
Note: The anti-lock brake system continues
to correctly operate.
Note: We recommend that you switch the
traction control system off. See Using
Traction Control (page 180).
Do not use self-tensioning snow chains.
Avoid fully loading your vehicle.
Only use SAE Class S snow chains or
cables of
0.4 in (10 mm) or smaller in
diameter.
We recommend that steel wheels of the
correct size and specification are used.
Snow chains or cables could damage alloy
wheels. TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM
(IF EQUIPPED) WARNING:
The tire pressure
monitoring system is not a substitute for
manually checking tire pressures. You
should periodically check tire pressures
using a pressure gauge. Failure to
correctly maintain tire pressures could
increase the risk of tire failure, loss of
control, vehicle rollover and personal
injury. WARNING:
If the tire pressure
monitor sensor becomes damaged it
may not function.
Note: The use of tire sealants can damage
the tire pressure monitoring system.
334
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires
Page 342 of 509
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Reset Procedure
Overview
WARNING: To determine the
required pressure(s) for your vehicle, see
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 the Tire Label on the
B-Pillar or the edge of the driver door.
You must carry out the system reset
procedure after each tire replacement or
adjustment of the tire pressures. To maintain your vehicle load carrying
capability, your vehicle requires different
tire pressures in the front tires compared
to the rear tires.
The system illuminates the warning lamp
at different pressures for the front and rear
tires.
If the tires are rotated, the Tire Pressure
Monitoring System needs to be reset to
relearn the new tire pressures. It does not
know which sensor is where and assumes
you have set the pressures correctly.
Carrying Out the System Reset
Procedure
Switch the ignition on. Using the
information display control select: Action
Message
Press the
OK button.
Settings
Press the
OK button.
Driver assist
Press and hold the
OK button until a confirmation message
appears in the information display. Alternatively, if your
vehicle has a tire pressure monitoring system reset button,
press and hold the button until a confirmation message
appears in the information display.
Tire Monitor
CHANGING A ROAD WHEEL WARNING:
If the tire pressure
monitor sensor becomes damaged it
may not function.
Note: : The use of tire sealants can damage
the tire pressure monitoring system. Note:
The tire pressure monitoring system
indicator light will illuminate when the spare
tire is in use. To restore the full function of
the monitoring system, all road wheels
equipped with tire pressure monitoring
sensors must be mounted on this vehicle.
If you get a flat tire while driving, do not
apply the brake heavily. Instead, gradually
decrease your speed. Hold the steering
wheel firmly and slowly move to a safe
place on the side of the road.
339
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires
Page 343 of 509
Have a flat serviced by an authorized
dealer in order to prevent damage to the
system sensors See Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (page 334). Replace
the spare tire with a road tire as soon as
possible. During repairing or replacing of
the flat tire, have the authorized dealer
inspect the system sensor for damage.
Dissimilar Spare Wheel and Tire
Assembly Information WARNING:
Failure to follow these
guidelines could result in an increased
risk of loss of vehicle control, injury or
death.
If you have a dissimilar spare wheel and
tire, then it is intended for temporary use
only. This means that if you need to use it,
you should replace it as soon as possible
with a road wheel and tire assembly that
is the same size and type as the road tires
and wheels that were originally provided
by Ford. If the dissimilar spare tire or wheel
is damaged, it should be replaced rather
than repaired.
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
and can be one of three types:
1. T-type mini-spare:
This spare tire
begins with the letter T for tire size and
may have Temporary Use Only molded in
the sidewall.
2. Full-size dissimilar spare with label
on wheel:
This spare tire has a label on
the wheel that states: THIS WHEEL AND
TIRE ASSEMBLY FOR TEMPORARY USE
ONLY.
When driving with one of the dissimilar
spare tires listed above, do not: •
Exceed
50 mph (80 km/h).
• Load the vehicle beyond maximum
vehicle load rating listed on the Safety
Compliance Label.
• Tow a trailer.
• Use snow chains on the end of the
vehicle with the dissimilar spare tire.
• Use more than one dissimilar spare tire
at a time.
• Use commercial car washing
equipment.
• Try to repair the dissimilar spare tire.
Use of one of the dissimilar spare tires
listed above at any one wheel location can
lead to impairment of the following:
• Handling, stability and braking
performance.
• Comfort and noise.
• Ground clearance and parking at curbs.
• Winter weather driving capability.
• Wet weather driving capability.
• All-wheel driving capability.
3. Full-size dissimilar spare without
label on wheel
When driving with the full-size dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly, do not:
• Exceed
70 mph (113 km/h).
• Use more than one dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly at a time.
• Use commercial car washing
equipment.
• Use snow chains on the end of the
vehicle with the dissimilar spare wheel
and tire assembly.
The usage of a full-size dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly can lead to
impairment of the following:
• Handling, stability and braking
performance.
• Comfort and noise.
340
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and Tires
Page 347 of 509
Note:
Do not raise the spare wheel bracket
without a wheel attached. Damage to the
winch mechanism could occur.
Vehicle Jack WARNING: Do not work on your
vehicle when the jack is the only support
as your vehicle could slip off the jack.
Failure to follow this instruction could
result in personal injury or death. WARNING:
To help prevent your
vehicle from moving when changing a
wheel, shift the transmission into park
(P), set the parking brake and use an
appropriate block or wheel chock to
secure the wheel diagonally opposite to
the wheel being changed. For example,
when changing the front left wheel,
place an appropriate block or wheel
chock on the right rear wheel. WARNING:
Do not attempt to
change a tire on the side of the vehicle
close to moving traffic. Pull far enough
off the road to avoid the danger of being
hit when operating the jack or changing
the wheel. WARNING:
Always use the jack
provided as original equipment with your
vehicle. If using a jack other than the one
provided, make sure the jack capacity is
adequate for the vehicle weight,
including any vehicle cargo or
modifications. If you are unsure if the jack
capacity is adequate, contact the
authorized dealer. WARNING:
Switch off the running
boards before jacking or placing any
object under your vehicle. Never place
your hand between the extended running
board and your vehicle. A moving running
board may cause injury. Note:
Passengers should not remain in the
vehicle when the vehicle is being jacked.
Note: Vehicles with a Temporary Mobility
Kit do not have a vehicle jack or a lug
wrench.
Vehicle Jack Storage The jack, jack handle and wheel brace are
in a storage compartment in the front
right-hand side stepwell.
Note:
The vehicle jack is in the load space
area on vehicles with rear climate control.
344
2021 Transit (TTH) Canada/United States of America, MK3J 19A321 AA enUSA, Edition date: 202010, Second-Printing Wheels and TiresE218059