FORD ESCAPE 2020 Owners Manual

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.
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
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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.
Inspecting Your Tires and
Wheel Valve Stems
Periodically inspect the tire treads
for uneven or excessive wear and
remove objects such as stones,
nails or glass that may be wedged
in the tread grooves. Check the tire
and valve stems for holes, cracks,
or cuts that may permit air
leakage and repair or replace the
tire and replace the valve stem.
Inspect the tire sidewalls for
cracking, cuts, bruises and other
signs of damage or excessive
wear. If internal damage to the tire
is suspected, have the tire
demounted and inspected in case
it needs to be repaired or replaced.
For your safety, tires that are
damaged or show signs of
excessive wear should not be used
because they are more likely to
blow out or fail.
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Improper or inadequate vehicle
maintenance can cause tires to
wear abnormally. Inspect all your
tires, including the spare,
frequently, and replace them if
one or more of the following
conditions exist:
Tire Wear
When the tread is worn down to
one sixteenth of an inch (2 mm),
tires must be replaced to help
prevent your vehicle from skidding
and hydroplaning. Built-in
treadwear indicators, or wear bars,
which look like narrow strips of
smooth rubber across the tread
will appear on the tire when the
tread is worn down to one
sixteenth of an inch (2 mm).
When the tire tread wears down
to the same height as these wear
bars, the tire is worn out and must
be replaced. Damage
Periodically inspect the tire treads
and sidewalls for damage (such
as bulges in the tread or sidewalls,
cracks in the tread groove and
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.
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.
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.
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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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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.
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.
Safety Practices WARNING:
If your vehicle
is stuck in snow, mud or sand, do
not rapidly spin the tires;
spinning the tires can tear the
tire and cause an explosion. A
tire can explode in as little as
three to five seconds.
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WARNING: Do not spin the
wheels at over 34 mph
(55 km/h). The tires may fail and
injure a passenger or bystander.
Driving habits have a great deal
to do with your tire mileage and
safety.
*Observe posted speed limits
*Avoid fast starts, stops and turns
*Avoid potholes and objects on
the road
*Do not run over curbs or hit the
tire against a curb when parking
Highway Hazards
No matter how carefully you drive,
there is always the possibility that
you may eventually have a flat tire
on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic.
This may further damage the flat
tire, but your safety is more
important.
If you feel a sudden vibration or
ride disturbance while driving, or
you suspect your tire or vehicle
has been damaged, immediately
reduce your speed. Drive with
caution until you can safely pull
off the road. Stop and inspect the
tires for damage. If a tire is
under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and replace it with your spare tire and
wheel. If you cannot detect a
cause, have the vehicle towed to
the nearest repair facility or tire
dealer to have the vehicle
inspected.
Tire and Wheel Alignment
A bad jolt from hitting a curb or
pothole can cause the front end
of your vehicle to become
misaligned or cause damage to
your tires. If your vehicle seems to
pull to one side when you are
driving, the wheels may be out of
alignment. Have an authorized
dealer check the wheel alignment
periodically.
Wheel misalignment in the front
or the rear can cause uneven and
rapid treadwear of your tires and
should be corrected by an
authorized dealer. Front-wheel
drive vehicles and those with an
independent rear suspension (if
equipped) may require alignment
of all four wheels.
The tires should also be balanced
periodically. An unbalanced tire
and wheel assembly may result in
irregular tire wear.
Tire Rotation
Note:
If your tires show uneven
wear, ask an authorized dealer to
check for and correct any wheel
misalignment, tire imbalance or
mechanical problem involved
before tire rotation.
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Note:
Your vehicle may be
equipped with a dissimilar spare
wheel and tire assembly. 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. If you have a dissimilar
spare wheel and tire assembly, it is
intended for temporary use only
and should not be used in a tire
rotation.
Note: After having your tires
rotated, inflation pressure must be
checked and adjusted to the
vehicle requirements.
Rotating your tires at the
recommended interval will help
your tires wear more evenly,
providing better tire performance
and longer tire life. Sometimes
irregular tire wear can be
corrected by rotating the tires. See
Scheduled Maintenance (page
486).
Tire Rotation Diagram USING SUMMER TIRES
Summer tires provide superior
performance on wet and dry roads.
Summer tires do not have the Mud and
Snow (M+S or M/S) tire traction rating on
the tire side wall. Since summer tires do
not have the same traction performance
as All-season or Snow tires, we do not
recommend using summer tires when
temperatures drop to about 45°F (7°C) or
below (depending on tire wear and
environmental conditions) or in snow and
ice conditions. Like any tire, summer tire
performance is affected by tire wear and
environmental conditions. If you must drive
in those conditions, we recommend using
Mud and Snow (M+S, M/S), All-season or
Snow tires.
Always store your summer tires indoors at
temperatures above
19°F (-7°C). The
rubber compounds used in these tires lose
flexibility and may develop surface cracks
in the tread area at temperatures below
19°F (-7°C)
. If the tires have been
subjected to 19°F (-7°C) or less, warm
them in a heated space to at least 41°F
(5°C) for at least 24 hours before installing
them on a vehicle, or moving the vehicle
with the tires installed, or checking tire
inflation. Do not place tires near heaters
or heating devices used to warm the room
where the tires are stored. Do not apply
heat or blow heated air directly on the tires.
Always inspect the tires after storage
periods and before use.
USING SNOW CHAINS
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 cables. If you need
to use cables, it is recommended that steel
wheels (of the same size and
specifications) be used, as cables may chip
aluminum wheels.
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Follow these guidelines when using snow
tires and traction devices
•
If possible, avoid fully loading your
vehicle
• Purchase chains or cables from a
manufacturer that clearly labels body
to tire dimension restrictions.
• Use 10 mm cables or chains only on
front axle with 225/65R17 tires.
• Not all S-class snow chains or cables
meet these restrictions. Chains of this
size restriction will include a tensioning
device.
• The snow chains or cables must be
mounted in pairs on the front axle.
• Do not use chains or cables on
225/60R18 and 225/55R19 tires.
• Install cables securely, verifying that
the cables do not touch any wiring,
brake lines or fuel lines.
• When driving with tire cables do not
exceed 30 mph (48 km/h) or the
maximum speed recommended by the
chain manufacturer, whichever is less.
• Drive cautiously. If you hear the cables
rub or bang against the vehicle, stop
and retighten them. If this does not
work, remove the cables to prevent
vehicle damage.
• Remove the cables when they are no
longer needed. Do not use cables on
dry roads.
If you have any questions regarding snow
chains or cables, please contact your
authorized dealer. TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM 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.
Note: You should only use tire sealants in
roadside emergencies as they may cause
damage to the tire pressure monitoring
system sensor.
Note: If the tire pressure monitoring system
sensor becomes damaged, it may not
function. Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated
to the inflation pressure recommended by
the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If
your vehicle has tires of a different size
than the size indicated on the vehicle
placard or tire inflation pressure label, you
should determine the proper tire inflation
pressure for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle
has been equipped with a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) that
illuminates a low tire pressure telltale
when one or more of your tires is
significantly under-inflated. Accordingly,
when the low tire pressure telltale
illuminates, you should stop and check
your tires as soon as possible, and inflate
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them to the proper pressure. Driving on a
significantly under-inflated tire causes the
tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure.
Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency
and tire tread life, and may affect the
vehicle
’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a
substitute for proper tire maintenance, and
it is the driver ’s responsibility to maintain
correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation
has not reached the level to trigger
illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure
telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with
a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate
when the system is not operating properly.
The TPMS malfunction indicator is
combined with the low tire pressure
telltale. When the system detects a
malfunction, the telltale will flash for
approximately one minute and then remain
continuously illuminated. This sequence
will continue upon subsequent vehicle
start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is
illuminated, the system may not be able
to detect or signal low tire pressure as
intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur
for a variety of reasons, including the
installation of replacement or alternate
tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent
the TPMS from functioning properly.
Always check the TPMS malfunction
telltale after replacing one or more tires or
wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the
replacement or alternate tires and wheels
allow the TPMS to continue to function
properly.
This device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules and with License exempt RSS
Standards of Industry Canada. Operation
is subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful interference, and 2. This device must accept any
interference received, including
interference that may cause undesired
operation. WARNING: Changes or
modifications not expressively approved
by the party responsible for compliance
could void the user's authority to operate
the equipment. The term "IC:" before the
radio certification number only signifies
that Industry Canada technical
specifications were met.
Changing Tires With a Tire
Pressure Monitoring System Note:
Each road tire is equipped with a tire
pressure sensor located inside the wheel
and tire assembly cavity. The pressure
sensor is attached to the valve stem. The
pressure sensor is covered by the tire and is
not visible unless the tire is removed. Take
care when changing the tire to avoid
damaging the sensor.
You should always have your tires serviced
by an authorized dealer.
Check the tire pressure periodically (at
least monthly) using an accurate tire
gauge. See
When Inflating Your Tires in
this chapter.
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Understanding Your Tire Pressure
Monitoring System
The tire pressure monitoring system
measures pressure in your road tires and
sends the tire pressure readings to your
vehicle. You can view the tire pressure
readings through the information display.
See General Information (page 110). The
low tire pressure warning light will turn on
if the tire pressure is significantly low. Once
the light is illuminated, your tires are
under-inflated and need to be inflated to
the manufacturer
’s recommended tire
pressure. Even if the light turns on and a
short time later turns off, your tire pressure
still needs to be checked. When Your Temporary Spare Tire is
Installed
When one of your road tires needs to be
replaced with the temporary spare, the
system will continue to identify an issue to
remind you that the damaged road wheel
and tire assembly needs to be repaired and
put back on your vehicle.
To restore the full function of the tire
pressure monitoring system, have the
damaged road wheel and tire assembly
repaired and remounted on your vehicle.
When You Believe Your System is Not
Operating Properly
The main function of the tire pressure
monitoring system is to warn you when
your tires need air. It can also warn you in
the event the system is no longer capable
of functioning as intended. See the
following chart for information concerning
your tire pressure monitoring system:
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