wheel alignment FORD FIVE HUNDRED 2006 D258 / 1.G Owners Manual

If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc.,do notrapidly
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.
Do not spin the wheels at over 35 mph (56 km/h). The tires may
fail and injure a passenger or bystander.
Highway hazards
No matter how carefully you drive there’s 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’re 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 (FWD) 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
Rotating your tires at the recommended interval (as indicated in the
scheduled maintenance informationthat comes with your vehicle) will
help your tires wear more evenly, providing better tire performance and
longer tire life. Unless otherwise specified, rotate the tires approximately
every 5,000 miles (8,000 km).
2006 Five Hundred(500)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
156

Sometimes irregular tire wear can be corrected by rotating the tires.
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.
Note:Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire/wheel. 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. If
you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel 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.
INFORMATION CONTAINED ON THE TIRE SIDEWALL
Both U.S. 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
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.)
1.P:Indicates a tire, designated by
the Tire and Rim Association
(T&RA), that may be used for
service on cars, SUVs, minivans and
light trucks.
Note:If your tire size does not
begin with a letter this may mean it
is designated by either ETRTO
(European Tire and Rim Technical Organization) or JATMA (Japan Tire
Manufacturing Association).
2.215: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.
2006 Five Hundred(500)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
158

•Revving the engine before turning it off may reduce fuel economy.
•Using the air conditioner or defroster may reduce fuel economy.
•
You may want to turn off the speed control in hilly terrain if unnecessary
shifting between third and fourth gear occurs. Unnecessary shifting of
this type could result in reduced fuel economy.
•Warming up a vehicle on cold mornings is not required and may
reduce fuel economy.
•Resting your foot on the brake pedal while driving may reduce fuel
economy.
•Combine errands and minimize stop-and-go driving.
Maintenance
•Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
•Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
•Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant specificationsin
this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found inscheduled maintenance information.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
1 mpg [0.4 km/L] is lost for every 400 lb [180 kg] of weight carried).
•Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
•Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
8–10 miles (12–16 km) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
•Close windows for high speed driving.
2006 Five Hundred(500)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
252

Relays ........................................195
Remote entry system .................87
illuminated entry ................91–92
locking/unlocking doors .....87–88
opening the trunk .....................88
panic alarm ...............................88
replacement/additional
transmitters ...............................90
replacing the batteries .............89
Reverse sensing system ...........183
Roadside assistance ..................192
S
Safety Belt Maintenance ..........122
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ..................109, 112–116
Safety Canopy ...........................134
Safety defects, reporting ..........222
Safety restraints ........109, 112–116
BeltMinder
............................117
extension assembly ................122
for adults .........................113–115
for children .....................137–138
Occupant Classification
Sensor ......................................110
safety belt maintenance .........122
warning light and chime ........116
Safety seats for children ..........141
Safety Compliance
Certification Label ....................266
Seat belts
(see Safety restraints) .............109
Seats ..........................................101
child safety seats ....................141
front seats ...............101, 103, 106
heated ........................................44
memory seat .....................88, 106SecuriLock passive anti-theft
system ..........................................96
Servicing your vehicle ..............230
Setting the clock
AM/FM single CD .....................17
AM/FM/In-dash 6 CD ................21
Spare tire
(see Changing the Tire) ...........204
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................259, 264
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................262, 264
Speed control ..............................65
Starting your vehicle ........172–174
jump starting ..........................208
Steering wheel
controls ......................................68
tilting .........................................59
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................59
Tires ...........................149–150, 201
alignment ................................156
care ..........................................153
changing ..........................201, 204
checking the pressure ............153
inflating ...................................151
label .........................................162
replacing ..................................155
rotating ....................................156
safety practices .......................155
sidewall information ...............158
snow tires and chains ............163
spare tire .................................202
terminology .............................150
tire grades ...............................150
treadwear ........................149, 154
Towing .......................................169
2006 Five Hundred(500)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Index
275