flat tire FORD MUSTANG 2003 4.G Owners Manual

through the booster may be heard whenever the
brake is applied. This condition is normal. Vehicle
service is not required.
If braking performance or pedal response becomes
very poor, even when the pedal is strongly
depressed, it may indicate the presence of air in the
hydraulic system or leakage of fluid. Stop the vehicle
safely as soon as possible and seek service
immediately.
STEERING
Your vehicle is equipped with power steering. Power
steering uses energy from the engine to decrease
the driver’s effort in steering the vehicle.
To prevent damage to the power steering pump:
•Never hold the steering wheel to the extreme
right or the extreme left for more than a few
seconds when the engine is running.
•Do not operate the vehicle with the power
steering pump fluid level below the MIN mark on
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, the condition could
be caused by any of the following:
•Underinflated tire(s) on any wheel(s)
•Uneven vehicle loading
•High crown in center of road
•High crosswinds
•Wheels out of alignment
•Loose or worn suspension components
TRACTION CONTROL
Your vehicle may be equipped with the optional
Traction Control
system. This system helps you
maintain the stability and steerability of your
vehicle. It is especially useful on slippery road
Driving
142

GETTINGROADSIDEASSISTANCE
To fully assist you should you have a vehicle
concern, Ford Motor Company offers a
complimentary roadside assistance program. This
program is separate from the New Vehicle Limited
Warranty. The service is available:
•24–hours, seven days a week
•for the New Vehicle Limited Warranty period of
three years or 60,000 km (36,000 miles),
whichever occurs first on Ford and Mercury
vehicles, and four years or 80,000 km (50,000
miles) on Lincoln vehicles.
Roadside assistance will cover:
•changing a flat tire
•jump-starts
•lock-out assistance
•limited fuel delivery
•towing of your disabled vehicle to the nearest
Ford Motor Company dealership, or your selling
dealer if within 56.3 km (35 miles) of the nearest
Ford Motor Company dealership (one tow per
disablement). Even non-warranty related tows,
like accidents or getting stuck in the mud or
snow, are covered (some exclusions apply, such as
impound towing or repossession).
Canadian customers refer to your Owner
Information Guide for information on:
•Coverage period
•Exact fuel amounts
•Towing of your disabled vehicle
•Emergency travel expense reimbursement
•Travel planning benefits
USING ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE
Complete the roadside assistance identification card
and place it in your wallet for quick reference. In the
United States, this card is found in the Owner Guide
Roadside Emergencies
157

Fuse/Relay
LocationFuse Amp
RatingPower Distribution Box
Description
22—Not used
23—Not used
24 20A* A/C pressure
25—Not used
26 30A** PCM
27 20A** Daytime Running Lamps
(DRL) module, Foglamp
relay
28 25A CB Convertible top
29 Diode Convertible top circuit
breaker
* Mini Fuses ** Maxi Fuses
CHANGING THE TIRES
If you get a flat tire while driving, do not apply the
brake heavily. Instead, gradually decrease your
speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly and slowly
move to a safe place on the side of the road.
The use of tire sealants is not recommended and
may compromise the integrity of your tires. The use
of tire sealants may also affect your tire pressure
monitoring system (if equipped).
Temporary spare tire information
Your vehicle may have a temporary spare tire. The
temporary spare tire for your vehicle is labeled as
such. It is smaller than a regular tire and is designed
for emergency use only. Replace this tire with a
full-size tire as soon as possible.
Roadside Emergencies
165

5. Put the jack in the
jack notch next to the
tire you are changing.
Turn the jack handle
clockwise until the
wheel is completely off
the ground.
Never use the rear
differential as a
jacking point.
To lessen the
risk of personal
injury, do not put any
part of your body
under the vehicle
while changing a tire.
Do not start the
engine when your
vehicle is on the jack.
The jack is only
meant for changing
the tire.
6. Remove the lug nuts with the lug wrench.
7. Replace the flat tire with the spare tire, making
sure the valve stem is facing outward. Reinstall lug
nuts until the wheel is snug against the hub. Do not
fully tighten the lug nuts until the wheel has been
lowered.
If you are using the temporary tire, the lug nut
washers will not appear to be flush with the rim.
This is normal only when using the temporary spare
tire.
8. Lower the wheel by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise.
Roadside Emergencies
168

9. Remove the jack and
fully tighten the lug
nuts in the order
shown.
10. Put flat tire, wheel
ornament (if
equipped), jack and lug
wrench away. Make
sure jack is fastened so it does not rattle when you
drive.
11. Unblock the wheels.
Anti-theft lug nuts (if equipped)
If your vehicle is equipped with this feature, one of
the lug nuts on each wheel must be removed and
replaced with a special key. The key and registration
card are attached to the lug wrench and stored with
the spare tire. If you lose the key, send the
registration card to the manufacturer (not the
dealer) to get a replacement key. If the lug
wrench/lug nut key assembly is lost, see your
nearest Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealer who has
access to the master set of keys.Do not use an
impact wrench with the anti-theft key.
To remove the
anti-theft lug nut:
1. Insert the key over
the locking lug nut.
Make sure you hold the key square to the lug nut. If
you hold the key at an angle, you could damage the
key and the lug nut.
2. Place the lug nut wrench over the lug nut key and
apply pressure on the key with the wrench.
3. Turn the wrench in a counterclockwise direction
to remove the lug nut.
To install the anti-theft lug nut:
1. Insert the key over the locking lug nut.
2. Place the lug nut wrench over the lug nut key and
apply pressure on the key with the wrench.1
4 3
2 5
Roadside Emergencies
169

•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 in
your vehicle scheduled maintenance guide.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may
reduce fuel economy at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel
economy (approximately 0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost
for every 180 kg [400 lb] 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 12–16 km (8–10
miles) of driving.
Maintenance and Specifications
222

Traction AA A B C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest are AA,
A, B, and C. The grades represent the tire’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured under controlled
conditions on specified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C may have
poor traction performance.
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.
Temperature A B C
The temperature grades are A (the highest), B and
C, representing the tire’s resistance to the
generation of heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled conditions on a
specified indoor laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the material of the tire
to degenerate and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire failure. The
grade C corresponds to a level of performance which
all passenger car tires must meet under the Federal
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 109. Grades A
and B represent higher levels of performance on the
laboratory test wheel than the minimum required by
law.
The temperature grade for this tire is
established for a tire that is properly inflated
and not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading, either
separately or in combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.
Maintenance and Specifications
233

SERVICING YOUR TIRES
Checking the tire pressure
•Use an accurate tire pressure gauge.
•Check the tire pressure when tires are cold, after
the vehicle has been parked for at least one hour
or has been driven less than 5 km (3 miles).
•Adjust tire pressure to recommended
specifications found on the certification label on
the driver side door latch pillar.
Improperly inflated tires can affect vehicle
handling and can fail suddenly, possibly
resulting in loss of vehicle control.
Tire rotation
Because your vehicle’s tires perform different jobs,
they often wear differently. To make sure your tires
wear evenly and last longer, rotate them as indicated
in the scheduled maintenance guide. If you notice
that the tires wear unevenly, have them checked.
•15 or 16 inch four
tire rotation
Maintenance and Specifications
234