wheel alignment FORD FUSION (AMERICAS) 2006 1.G Owners Manual

Never spin the tires in excess of the 35 mph (55 km/h) point
indicated on the speedometer.
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 Fusion(fsn)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
142

•Front Wheel Drive (FWD)
vehicles (front tires at top of
diagram)
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.
2006 Fusion(fsn)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Tires, Wheels and Loading
143

STEERING
To prevent damage to the power steering system:
•Never hold the steering wheel at its furthest turning points (until it
stops) for more than a few seconds when the engine is running.
•Do not operate the vehicle with a low power steering pump fluid level
(below the MIN mark on the reservoir).
•Some noise is normal during operation. If excessive, check for low
power steering pump fluid level before seeking service by your
authorized dealer.
•Heavy or uneven steering efforts may be caused by low power steering
pump fluid level. Check for low power steering pump fluid level before
seeking service by your authorized dealer.
•Do not fill the power steering pump reservoir above the MAX mark on
the reservoir, as this may result in leaks from the reservoir.
If the power steering system breaks down (or if the engine is turned
off), you can steer the vehicle manually, but it takes more effort.
If the steering wanders or pulls, check for:
•an improperly inflated tire
•uneven tire wear
•loose or worn suspension components
•loose or worn steering components
•improper steering alignment
A high crown in the road or high crosswinds may also make the steering
seem to wander/pull.
Speed sensitive steering
The steering in your vehicle is speed sensitive. At high speeds, steering
assist will decrease to improve steering feel. At lower speeds,
maneuverability will be increased.
If the amount of effort required to steer your vehicle changes while
driving at a constant vehicle speed, have the power steering system
checked by your authorized dealer.
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OPERATION
Brake-shift interlock
This vehicle is equipped with a brake-shift interlock feature that prevents
the gearshift lever from being moved from P (Park) when the ignition is
in the RUN position unless brake pedal is depressed.
2006 Fusion(fsn)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Driving
163

•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 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.
EPA window sticker
Every new vehicle should have the EPA window sticker. Contact your
authorized dealer if the window sticker is not supplied with your vehicle.
The EPA window sticker should be your guide for the fuel economy
comparisons with other vehicles.
It is important to note the box in the lower left corner of the window
sticker. These numbers represent the Range of MPG (L/100 km)
expected on the vehicle under optimum conditions. Your fuel economy
may vary depending upon the method of operation and conditions.
2006 Fusion(fsn)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
231

Safety belts (see
Safety restraints) ..........93, 97–101
Safety defects, reporting ..........197
Safety restraints ............93, 97–101
belt minder .............................102
extension assembly ................106
for adults ...........................98–100
for children .............................123
Occupant Classification
Sensor ........................................95
safety belt maintenance .........106
warning light and chime ........101
Safety seats for children ..........127
Safety Compliance
Certification Label ....................248
Seat belts
(see Safety restraints) ...............93
Seats ............................................88
child safety seats ....................127
front seats ...........................88–89
heated ........................................31
Servicing your vehicle ..............206
Setting the clock
AM/FM/CD .................................17
AM/FM/In-dash 6 CD ................22
Spark plugs,
specifications .............242, 246–247
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................245–246
Speed control ..............................55
Starting your
vehicle ........................156–157, 159
jump starting ..........................185
Steering
speed sensitive .......................163
Steering wheel
controls ......................................58tilting .........................................50
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................50
Tires ...........................135–136, 179
alignment ................................142
care ..........................................139
changing ..........................179, 181
checking the pressure ............139
inspecting and inflating .........137
label .........................................148
replacing ..................................141
rotating ....................................142
safety practices .......................141
sidewall information ...............143
snow tires and chains ............149
spare tire .................................179
terminology .............................136
tire grades ...............................136
treadwear ........................135, 140
Towing .......................................154
recreational towing .................154
trailer towing ..........................154
wrecker ....................................190
Traction control ........................162
Transaxle
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .....................235, 237
fluid, checking and adding
(manual) .................................240
Transmission .............................163
brake-shift interlock (BSI) ....163
fluid, refill capacities ..............243
lubricant specifications ..245–246
manual operation ....................168
Trunk ...........................................73
remote release ....................68, 76
Turn signal ..................................39
V
Vehicle dimensions ...................247
2006 Fusion(fsn)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA(fus)
Index
258