snow chains Mercury Montego 2006 Owner's Manuals

Page 158 of 272

SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS
Snow tires must be the same size and grade as the tires you
currently have on your vehicle.
The tires on your vehicle have all weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. However, in some climates, you may need to use snow
tires and chains.
Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains:
•Use only SAE class “S” cables or equivalent on the front axle for
P215/60R17 equipped vehicles. SAE class “S” chains or other
conventional link chains may cause damage to the vehicles wheel
house and/or body. Use of optional spike spider type traction devices
or equivalent is also acceptable.
•Do not install tire chains, cables, or optional traction devices on the
rear tires. This could cause damage to the vehicle’s wheel house or
body.
•Do not use tire chains, cables, or optional traction devices with
optional P225/55R18 tires.
•Install cable chains securely, verifying that the cables do not touch any
wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.
•Drive cautiously. If you hear the cables rub or bang against your
vehicle, stop and re-tighten the cables. If this does not work, remove
the cables to prevent damage to your vehicle.
•If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.
•Remove the tire cables when they are no longer needed. Do not use
tire cables on dry roads.
•The suspension insulation and bumpers will help prevent vehicle
damage. Do not remove these components from your vehicle when
using snow tires and chains.
•Do not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h) with tire cables on your vehicle.
VEHICLE LOADING – WITH AND WITHOUT A TRAILER
This section will guide you in the proper loading of your vehicle and/or
trailer, to keep your loaded vehicle weight within its design rating
capability, with or without a trailer. Properly loading your vehicle will
provide maximum return of vehicle design performance. Before loading
your vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms for determining
2006 Montego(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
158

Page 197 of 272

CHANGING THE TIRES
If you get a flat tire while driving:
•do not brake heavily.
•gradually decrease the vehicle’s speed.
•hold the steering wheel firmly.
•slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road.
The use of tire sealants is not recommended and may damage
your tires.
Dissimilar spare tire/wheel information
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 tire/wheel, 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 tire/wheel 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 tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel 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 TIRE AND WHEEL 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
2006 Montego(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
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Page 198 of 272

•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
For vehicles equipped with 4WD, it is not recommended that the vehicle
be operated in 4WD modes with a temporary emergency spare tire. If
4WD operation is necessary, do not operate above speeds of 10 mph
(16 km/h) or for distances above 50 miles (80 km).
3.Full-size dissimilar spare without label on wheel
When driving with the full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel,do not:
•Exceed 70 mph (113 km/h)
•Use more than one dissimilar spare tire/wheel at a time
•Use commercial car washing equipment
•Use snow chains on the end of the vehicle with the dissimilar spare
tire/wheel
The usage of a full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel 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 (if applicable)
•Load leveling adjustment (if applicable)
When driving with the full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel additional
caution should be given to:
•Towing a trailer
•Driving vehicles equipped with a camper body
2006 Montego(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Roadside Emergencies
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Page 269 of 272

panic alarm ...............................84
replacement/additional
transmitters ...............................86
replacing the batteries .............85
Reverse sensing system ...........179
Roadside assistance ..................188
S
Safety Belt Maintenance ..........117
Safety belts (see
Safety restraints) ......105, 108–112
Safety Canopy ...........................129
Safety defects, reporting ..........217
Safety restraints ........105, 108–112
belt minder .............................113
extension assembly ................117
for adults .........................109–111
for children .....................132–133
Occupant Classification
Sensor ......................................106
safety belt maintenance .........117
warning light and chime ........112
Safety seats for children ..........136
Safety Compliance
Certification Label ....................261
Seat belts
(see Safety restraints) .............105
Seats ............................................97
child safety seats ....................136
front seats ...................97, 99, 102
heated ........................................41
memory seat .....................84, 102
SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ..........................................92
Servicing your vehicle ..............225
Setting the clock
AM/FM single CD .....................16
AM/FM/In-dash 6 CD ................20Spare tire (see
Changing the Tire) ...................199
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................254, 259
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................257, 259
Speed control ..............................61
Starting your vehicle ........168–170
jump starting ..........................203
Steering wheel
controls ......................................64
tilting .........................................55
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................55
Tires ...........................144–145, 197
alignment ................................151
care ..........................................148
changing ..........................197, 199
checking the pressure ............148
inflating ...................................146
label .........................................157
replacing ..................................150
rotating ....................................151
safety practices .......................150
sidewall information ...............153
snow tires and chains ............158
spare tire .................................197
terminology .............................145
tire grades ...............................145
treadwear ........................144, 149
Towing .......................................164
recreational towing .................167
trailer towing ..........................164
wrecker ....................................209
Traction control ........................173
2006 Montego(mgo)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Index
269