wheel alignment FORD FUSION HYBRID 2012 Owners Manual

Safety practices
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
WARNING: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.
WARNING: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.
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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 Maintenancechapter) will help your tires wear more evenly,
providing better tire performance and longer tire life.
•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.
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T
Tilt steering wheel ......................89
Tire Pressure Monitoring
System (TPMS)
Tires, Wheels and Loading ....208
Tires ...........................193–194, 258
alignment ................................201
care ..........................................197
changing ..................................258
checking the pressure ............197
inflating ...................................195
label .........................................207
replacing ..................................199
rotating ....................................202
safety practices .......................201
sidewall information ...............202
snow tires and chains ............212
spare tire .................................259
terminology .............................194
tire grades ...............................194
treadwear ........................193, 198
Towing .......................................218
recreational towing .................218
trailer towing ..........................218
wrecker ....................................268
Transmission .............................234
brake-shift interlock (BSI) ....232
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .............................310
fluid, refill capacities ..............314
lubricant specifications ..........314Trunk .........................................121
remote release ................111, 125
Turn signal ..................................81
U
Universal garage door opener ..103
USB port ......................................61
V
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) ..........................................317
Vehicle loading ..........................212
Ventilating your vehicle ...........223
W
Warning lights (see Lights) .......18
Washer fluid ..............................288
Water, Driving through .............247
Windows
opening using remote entry
system ...............................96, 124
power .........................................95
Windshield washer fluid and
wipers ..........................................87
checking and adding fluid .....288
replacing wiper blades ...........288
Wrecker towing .........................268
Index
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