tires FORD TRANSIT CONNECT 2020 User Guide

•
If your vehicle has AdvanceTrac with
RSC and a heavily loaded trailer is on
tow, the system may turn on while
taking corners. This is normal. Taking
corners at slower speeds can reduce
this tendency.
• Allow more distance for stopping with
a trailer attached. Anticipate stops and
brake gradually.
• Avoid parking on a grade. However, if
you must park on a grade:
•Turn the steering wheel to point
your vehicle tires away from traffic
flow.
• Set the vehicle parking brake.
• Place the transmission selector
lever in position P.
• Place wheel chocks in front and
back of the trailer wheels. (Chocks
not included with vehicle.)
Launching or Retrieving a Boat or
Personal Watercraft
Note: Disconnect the trailer wiring
connector before the trailer enters the
water.
Note: Reconnect the trailer wiring
connector after the trailer is removed from
the water.
When backing down a ramp during boat
launching or retrieval:
• Do not allow the static water level to
rise above the bottom edge of the rear
bumper.
• Do not allow waves to break higher
than 6 inches (15 centimeters) above
the bottom edge of the rear bumper.
Note: Exceeding these limits may allow
water to enter your vehicle or its
components, affecting driveability,
emissions and reliability. The vehicle
warranty may not cover component damage
caused by water entry. Replace the rear axle lubricant anytime
the rear axle has been submerged in water.
Water may have contaminated the rear
axle lubricant, which is not normally
checked or changed unless a leak is
suspected or other axle repair is required.
TRANSPORTING THE VEHICLE
If you need to have your vehicle towed,
contact a professional towing service or,
if you are a member of a roadside
assistance program, your roadside
assistance service provider.
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BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires for
approximately 300 mi (480 km). During
this time, your vehicle may exhibit some
unusual driving characteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first
1,000 mi (1,600 km)
. Vary your speed
frequently and change up through the
gears early. Do not labor the engine.
Do not tow during the first
1,000 mi
(1,600 km).
REDUCED ENGINE
PERFORMANCE WARNING: If you continue to drive
your vehicle when the engine is
overheating, the engine could stop
without warning. Failure to follow this
instruction could result in the loss of
control of your vehicle.
If the engine coolant temperature gauge
needle moves to the upper limit position,
the engine is overheating. See
Gauges
(page 93).
You must only drive your vehicle for a short
distance if the engine overheats. The
distance you can travel depends on
ambient temperature, vehicle load and
terrain. The engine continues to operate
with limited power for a short period of
time.
If the engine temperature continues to rise,
the fuel supply to the engine reduces. The
air conditioning switches off and the engine
cooling fan operates continually.
1. Gradually reduce your speed and stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe to do
so. 2. Immediately switch the engine off to
prevent severe engine damage.
3. Wait for the engine to cool down.
4. Check the coolant level. See
Engine
Coolant Check (page 278).
5. Have your vehicle checked as soon as possible.
ECONOMICAL DRIVING
Fuel economy is affected by several things
such as how you drive, the conditions you
drive under and how you maintain your
vehicle.
There are some things to keep in mind that
may improve your fuel economy:
• Accelerate and slow down in a smooth,
moderate fashion.
• Drive at steady speeds.
• Anticipate stops; slowing down may
eliminate the need to stop.
• Combine errands and minimize
stop-and-go driving (When running
errands, go to the furthest destination
first and then work your way back
home).
• Close the windows for high-speed
driving.
• Drive at reasonable speeds.
• Keep the tires properly inflated and use
only the recommended size.
• Use the recommended engine oil.
• Perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance.
There are also some things you may want
to avoid doing because they reduce your
fuel economy:
• Avoid sudden or hard accelerations.
• Avoid revving the engine before turning
off the car.
• Avoid long idle periods.
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General
•
Store all vehicles in a dry, ventilated
place.
• Protect from sunlight, if possible.
• If vehicles are stored outside, they
require regular maintenance to protect
against rust and damage.
Body
• Wash your vehicle thoroughly to
remove dirt, grease, oil, tar or mud from
exterior surfaces, rear-wheel housing
and the underside of front fenders.
• Periodically wash your vehicle if it is
stored in exposed locations.
• Touch-up exposed or primed metal to
prevent rust.
• Cover chrome and stainless steel parts
with a thick coat of auto wax to prevent
discoloration. Re-wax as necessary
when you wash your vehicle.
• Lubricate all hood, door and luggage
compartment hinges and latches with
a light grade oil.
• Cover interior trim to prevent fading.
• Keep all rubber parts free from oil and
solvents.
Engine
• Change the engine oil and filter prior to
storage because used engine oil
contains contaminates which may
cause engine damage.
• Start the engine every 15 days for a
minimum of 15 minutes. Run at fast idle
with the climate controls set to defrost
until the engine reaches normal
operating temperature. •
With your foot on the brake, shift
through all the gears while the engine
is running.
• We recommend that you change the
engine oil before you use your vehicle
again.
Fuel system
• Fill the fuel tank with high-quality fuel
until the first automatic shutoff of the
fuel pump nozzle.
Cooling system
• Protect against freezing temperatures.
• When removing your vehicle from
storage, check coolant fluid level.
Confirm that there are no cooling
system leaks and that fluid is at the
recommended level.
Battery
• Check and recharge as necessary. Keep
connections clean.
• If storing your vehicle for more than 30
days without recharging the battery,
we recommend that you disconnect
the battery cables to maintain battery
charge for quick starting.
Note: It is necessary to reset memory
features if battery cables are disconnected.
Brakes
• Make sure the brakes and parking brake
release fully.
Tires
• Maintain recommended air pressure.
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GENERAL INFORMATION
Notice to Utility Vehicle, Van and
Truck Owners
WARNING: Utility vehicles have a
significantly higher rollover rate than
other types of vehicles. To reduce the
risk of serious injury or death from a
rollover or other crash you must avoid
sharp turns and abrupt maneuvers, drive
at safe speeds for the conditions, keep
tires properly inflated, never overload or
improperly load your vehicle, and make
sure every passenger is properly
restrained. WARNING:
In a rollover crash, an
unbelted person is significantly more
likely to die than a person wearing a seat
belt. All occupants must wear seat belts.
Children and infants must use
appropriate restraints to minimize the
risk of injury or ejection. Utility vehicles and trucks handle
differently than passenger cars in the
various driving conditions that are
encountered on streets, highways and
off-road. Utility vehicles and trucks are not
designed for cornering at speeds as high
as passenger cars any more than low-slung
sports cars are designed to perform
satisfactorily under off-road conditions.
How Your Vehicle Differs from
Other Vehicles
Sport-utility vehicles, vans and trucks can
differ from some other vehicles in a few
noticeable ways. Your vehicle may be:
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•
Higher - to allow higher load carrying
capacity and to allow it to travel over
rough terrain without getting hung up
or damaging underbody components.
• Shorter - to give it the capability to
approach inclines and drive over the
crest of a hill without getting hung up
or damaging underbody components.
All other things held equal, a shorter
wheelbase may make your vehicle
quicker to respond to steering inputs
than a vehicle with a longer wheelbase.
• Narrower - to provide greater
maneuverability in tight spaces,
particularly in off-road use. As a result of the above dimensional
differences, sport-utility vehicles, vans and
trucks often will have a higher center of
gravity and a greater difference in center
of gravity between the loaded and
unloaded condition.
These differences that make your vehicle
so versatile also make it handle differently
than an ordinary passenger car. TIRE SEALANT AND INFLATOR
KIT WARNING: Do not use the inflator
kit on run flat tires. This could cause loss
of vehicle control. WARNING: Depending on the type
and extent of tire damage, some tires
can only be partially sealed or not sealed
at all. Loss of tire pressure can affect
vehicle handling, leading to loss of
vehicle control. WARNING:
Do not use the kit on
a previously damaged tire, for example
when it has been driven under inflated.
This could cause loss of vehicle control,
personal injury or death.
If your vehicle does not have a spare wheel
it has a tire sealant and inflator kit. The kit
is in the left-hand side of the luggage
compartment. Only use the kit supplied
with your vehicle.
Note: The kit can only temporarily repair
one tire puncture with a maximum puncture
size of up to
0.24 in (6 mm).
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Pressure Gauge.
A
Sealant bottle access cap.
B
Warning label.
C
Power switch.
D
Sealant bottle.
E
Tire inflation pipe.
F
12 volt DC power point
connector.
G
Note: Make sure you regularly check the
expiry date on the sealant bottle. If the low tire pressure warning
lamp illuminates do the
following:
1. Gradually reduce the vehicle speed and
stop your vehicle as soon as it is safe
to do so.
2. Apply the parking brake and switch the
ignition off. 3. Check for a punctured tire.
Note:
Do not remove objects, for example
nails or screws from a punctured tire.
Using the Tire Sealant and Inflator
Kit WARNING: Check the sidewall of
the tire prior to inflation. If there are any
cracks, bumps or similar damage, do not
attempt to inflate the tire. This could
cause personal injury. WARNING: Watch the sidewall of
the tire when inflating. If any cracks,
bumps or similar damage appears,
switch the compressor off and let the air
out by means of the pressure relief valve.
Do not continue driving with this tire. This
could cause loss of vehicle control. WARNING:
Do not stand directly
beside the tire while the compressor is
operating. This could cause personal
injury if the tire bursts. WARNING:
Do not leave the kit
unattended when it is in use. Failure to
follow this instruction could result in
personal injury or death. WARNING:
Do not keep the
compressor operating for more than 10
minutes. This could cause the
compressor to malfunction causing
serious personal injury.
To temporarily repair a punctured tire, do
the following:
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1. Release the tire inflation pipe and the
12 volt DC power point connector from
the underside of the compressor. 2. Turn the sealant bottle access cap
counterclockwise and remove it. 3.
Remove the sealant bottle cap. Do not
pierce or remove the seal. 4. Attach the sealant bottle to the
compressor. Turn the sealant bottle
clockwise until you feel a strong
resistance.
Note: Attaching the sealant bottle to the
compressor pierces the seal. Do not loosen
the bottle as sealant could escape.
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5. Remove the tire valve dust cap and
attach the tire inflation pipe. 6. Plug the 12 volt DC power point
connector into the 12 volt DC socket.
See Auxiliary Power Points (page
136).
7. Start the engine. 8. Switch the compressor on.
9. Inflate the tire to between 29–44 psi
(2 –3 bar).
Note: If the tire pressure does not reach
26 psi (1.8 bar)
within 10 minutes, the tire
could be damaged beyond a temporary
repair. Have your vehicle immediately
checked. Do not drive your vehicle.
10. When the tire reaches the recommended tire pressure of
between 29–44 psi (2 –3 bar), switch
the compressor and the ignition off.
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11.
Disconnect the tire inflation pipe and
the 12 volt DC power point connector.
Note: Do not remove the sealant bottle
from the compressor.
12. Reinstall the tire valve dust cap.
13. Place the warning label on the steering wheel and correctly stow the
kit.14. Immediately drive your vehicle for
2–6 mi (3– 10 km). Do not exceed
50 mph (80 km/h). 15. After driving between
2
–6 mi
(3– 10 km), stop your vehicle and
recheck the tire pressure. See Tire
Pressures (page 334).
Note: If the tire pressure has dropped to
26 psi (1.8 bar)
or below, the tire could be
damaged beyond a temporary repair. Have
your vehicle immediately checked. Do not
drive your vehicle.
Note: If the tire pressure has dropped but
is still above
26 psi (1.8 bar), use the kit to
inflate the tire again.
After Using the Tire Sealant and
Inflator Kit WARNING:
If you experience
heavy vibrations, unsteady steering
behavior or noises while driving, reduce
your speed gradually and stop your
vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
Recheck the tire and its pressure. If the
tire pressure is less than 18.9 psi (1.3 bar)
or if there are any cracks, bumps or
similar damage visible, do not continue
driving with this tire. This could cause
loss of vehicle control.
The kit only provides temporary mobility.
Regulations concerning tire repair or
replacement after using the kit could differ
from country to country. We recommend
you consult a tire specialist.
After using the kit:
• Do not drive your vehicle more than
124 mi (200 km)
before repairing or
replacing the punctured tire.
• Inform all other users of your vehicle
that a tire was sealed using the kit.
Make them aware of the special driving
conditions that must be observed.
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•
Regularly check the tire pressure until
the sealed tire is repaired or replaced
by a tire specialist. Before the tire is
removed from the rim, you must inform
the tire specialist that the tire contains
sealant.
• Take the kit to an authorized dealer to
have the sealant bottle and the tire
inflation pipe replaced.
TIRE CARE
Information About Uniform
Tire Quality Grading Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires.
The tire Quality Grades can be
found where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example: Treadwear 200
Traction AA Temperature A.
These Tire Quality Grades are
determined by standards that the
United States Department of
Transportation has set. Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires.
They do not apply to deep tread,
winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use
spare tires, light truck or LT type
tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches or
limited production tires as defined
in Title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 575.104 (c)(2).
U.S. Department of
Transportation-Tire quality
grades:
The U.S. Department of
Transportation requires Ford
Motor Company to give you the
following information about tire
grades exactly as the government
has written it.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150
would wear 1½ times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their
use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service
practices, and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
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