width FORD ESCAPE 2014 3.G Owners Manual

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 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 one and one-half (1
½) 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.
236
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 - mph
(km/h) Letter
rating
81 (130) M
87 (140) N
99 (159) Q
106 (171) R
112 (180) S
118 (190) T
124 (200) U
130 (210) H
149 (240) V
239
Wheels and Tires

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
BCDE
E142545
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.
242
Wheels and Tires

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.
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 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 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 Ford Motor Company.You are strongly urged to buy a
reliable tire pressure gauge, as
automatic service station gauges
may be inaccurate. Ford
recommends 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
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!
Always inflate your tires to the
Ford recommended inflation
pressure even if it is less than the
maximum inflation pressure
information found on the tire. The
Ford recommended tire inflation
pressure is found on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label
243
Wheels and Tires