tires LINCOLN AVIATOR 2023 Owner's Guide

In general, tires should be replaced
after six years regardless of tread
wear. However, heat caused by hot
climates or frequent high loading
conditions can accelerate the aging
process and may require tires to be
replaced more frequently.
You should replace your spare tire
when you replace the road tires or
after six years due to aging even if it
has not been used.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number
Both United States 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.This begins with the letters DOT and
indicates that the tire meets all federal
standards. The next two numbers or
letters are the plant code designating
where it was manufactured, the next two
are the tire size code and the last four
numbers represent the week and year
the tire was built. For example, the
numbers 317 mean the 31st week of
1997. After 2000, the numbers go to four
digits. For example, 2501 means the
25th week of 2001. The numbers in
between are identification codes used
for traceability. This information is used
to contact customers if a tire defect
requires a recall.
Tire Replacement Requirements
Your vehicle is equipped with tires
designed to provide a safe ride and
handling capability.
WARNING: Only use
replacement tires and wheels that are
the same size, load index, speed rating
and type (such as P-metric versus
LT-metric or all-season versus
all-terrain) as those originally provided
by Ford. The recommended tire and
wheel size may be found on either the
Safety Compliance Certification Label
(affixed to either the door hinge pillar,
door-latch post, or the door edge that
meets the door-latch post, next to the
driver's seating position), or the Tire
Label which is located on the B-Pillar
or edge of the driver's door. If this
information is not found on these
labels, then you should contact your
authorized dealer as soon as possible.
Use of any tire or wheel not
recommended by Ford can affect the
safety and performance of your
vehicle, which could result in an
increased risk of loss of vehicle
control, vehicle rollover, personal
injury and death.
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WARNING: To reduce the risk of
serious injury, when mounting
replacement tires and wheels, you
should not exceed the maximum
pressure indicated on the sidewall of
the tire to set the beads without
additional precautions listed below. If
the beads do not seat at the maximum
pressure indicated, re-lubricate and
try again.
WARNING: For a mounting
pressure more than 20 psi (1.38 bar)
greater than the maximum pressure,
a Ford dealer or other tire service
professional should do the mounting.
WARNING: Always inflate steel
carcass tires with a remote air fill with
the person inflating standing at a
minimum of 12 ft (3.66 m) away from
the wheel and tire assembly.
WARNING: When inflating the
tire for mounting pressures up to
20 psi (1.38 bar) greater than the
maximum pressure on the tire sidewall,
the following precautions must be
taken to protect the person mounting
the tire:
• Make sure that you have the correct
tire and wheel size.
• Lubricate the tire bead and wheel
bead seat area again.
• Stand at a minimum of 12 ft (3.66 m)
away from the wheel and tire
assembly.
• Use both eye and ear protection.
Important: Remember to replace the
wheel valve stems when the road tires
are replaced on your vehicle.
It is recommended that the two front
tires or two rear tires generally be
replaced as a pair if the worn tires still
have usable depth.To avoid potential All Wheel Drive (AWD)
malfunction or All Wheel Drive (AWD)
system damage, it is recommended to
replace all four tires rather than mixing
significantly worn tires with new tires.
The tire pressure sensors mounted in
the wheels (originally installed on your
vehicle) are not designed to be used in
aftermarket wheels.
The use of wheels or tires not
recommended may affect the operation
of your tire pressure monitoring system.
If the tire pressure monitoring system
indicator is flashing, your system is
malfunctioning. Your replacement tire
might be incompatible with your tire
pressure monitoring system, or some
component of the system may be
damaged.
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Wheels and Tires

Safety Practices
WARNING: If your vehicle is
stuck in snow, mud or sand, do not
rapidly 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 34 mph (55 km/h). The
tires may fail and injure a passenger
or bystander.
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 parkingHighway Hazards
No matter how carefully you drive, there
is 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 are 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 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.
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Wheels and Tires

Tire Rotation
WARNING: If the tire label shows
different tire pressures for the front
and rear tires and the vehicle has a
tire pressure monitoring system, then
you need to update the settings for
the system sensors. Always perform
the system reset procedure after tire
rotation. If you do not reset the system,
it may not provide a low tire pressure
warning when necessary.
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 wheel and tire
assembly. A dissimilar spare wheel and
tire assembly is defined as a spare
wheel and tire assembly that is different
in brand, size or appearance from the
road tires and wheels. If you have a
dissimilar spare wheel and tire
assembly, 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.
Rotating your tires at the recommended
interval will help your tires wear more
evenly, providing better tire performance
and longer tire life. Sometimes irregular
tire wear can be corrected by rotating
the tires. See Scheduled Maintenance
(page 579).
Tire Rotation Diagram
Rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive
vehicles, front tires at left of diagram.
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USING SUMMER TIRES
Summer tires provide superior performance
on wet and dry roads. Summer tires do not
have the Mud and Snow (M+S or M/S) tire
traction rating on the tire side wall. Since
summer tires do not have the same traction
performance as All-season or Snow tires, we
do not recommend using summer tires when
temperatures drop to approximately 45°F
(7°C) or below (depending on tire wear and
environmental conditions) or in snow and ice
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Wheels and Tires

conditions. Like any tire, summer tire
performance is affected by tire wear and
environmental conditions. If you must drive
in those conditions, we recommend using
Mud and Snow (M+S, M/S), All-season or
Snow tires.
Always store your summer tires indoors at
temperatures above 19°F (-7°C). The rubber
compounds used in these tires lose flexibility
and may develop surface cracks in the tread
area at temperatures below 19°F (-7°C). If the
tires have been subjected to 19°F (-7°C) or
less, warm them in a heated space to at least
41°F (5°C) for at least 24 hours before
installing them on a vehicle, or moving the
vehicle with the tires installed, or checking
tire inflation. Do not place tires near heaters
or heating devices used to warm the room
where the tires are stored. Do not apply heat
or blow heated air directly on the tires.
Always inspect the tires after storage periods
and before use.USING SNOW CHAINS
WARNING: Do not exceed 30 mph
(50 km/h). Failure to follow this instruction
could result in the loss of control of your
vehicle, personal injury or death.
WARNING: Do not use snow chains
on snow-free roads.
WARNING: Only fit snow chains to
specified tires.
WARNING: If your vehicle is fitted
with wheel trims, remove them before
fitting snow chains.
WARNING: Wheels and tires must
be the same size, load index and speed
rating as those originally fitted on the
vehicle. Use of any other tire or wheel can
affect the safety and performance of your
vehicle. Additionally, the use of
non-recommended tires and wheels can
cause steering, suspension, axle, transfer
case or power transfer unit failure. Follow
the recommended tire inflation pressures
found on the Safety Compliance
Certification label, or the Tire Label on the
B-Pillar or the edge of the driver door.
Failure to follow this instruction could result
in loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover,
or personal injury or death.
Only use snow chains on rear wheels. Install
snow chains in pairs. Do not use
self-tensioning snow chains.
Only use snow chains on the following
specified tire sizes:
• 255/60R19
• Only install chains that are 10 mm or
less.
• 255/55R20
• Only install chains that are 10 mm or
less.
We recommend you use steel wheels of the
same size and specification if snow chains
are required because chains may chip
aluminum wheels.
Follow these guidelines when using snow
tires and traction devices:
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Wheels and Tires

• If possible, avoid fully loading your
vehicle.
• Purchase snow chains from a
manufacturer that clearly labels body to
tire dimension restrictions.
• When driving with snow chains do not
exceed 30 mph (50 km/h) or the
maximum speed recommended by the
chain manufacturer, whichever is less.• Drive cautiously. If you hear the snow
chains rub or bang against the vehicle,
stop and tighten them. If this does not
work, remove the snow chains to prevent
vehicle damage.
• Remove the snow chains when they are
no longer needed. Do not use snow
chains on dry roads.• If a temporary spare wheel is mounted
on your vehicle, do not use snow chains
on the axle with the temporary spare
wheel.
• Use snow chains that fit against the
sidewall of the tire to prevent the chains
from touching the wheel rims or
suspension, see following illustration.
E292547E2925472547
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Wheels and Tires

If you have any questions regarding snow
chains, please contact your authorized
dealer.
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING
SYSTEM
WARNING: The tire pressure
monitoring system is not a substitute for
manually checking tire pressures. You
should periodically check tire pressures
using a pressure gauge. Failure to correctly
maintain tire pressures could increase the
risk of tire failure, loss of control, vehicle
rollover and personal injury.
Note: You should only use tire sealants in
roadside emergencies as they may cause
damage to the tire pressure monitoring
system sensor.
Note: If the tire pressure monitoring system
sensor becomes damaged, it may not
function.
Each tire, including the spare (if
provided), should be checked
monthly when cold and inflated to
the inflation pressure recommended by the
vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard
or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle
has tires of a different size than the size
indicated on the vehicle placard or tire
inflation pressure label, you should
determine the proper tire inflation pressure
for those tires).
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has
been equipped with a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System (TPMS) that illuminates a
low tire pressure telltale when one or more
of your tires is significantly under-inflated.
Accordingly, when the low tire pressure
telltale illuminates, you should stop and
check your tires as soon as possible, and
inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving
on a significantly under-inflated tire causes
the tire to overheat and can lead to tire
failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel
efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect
the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute
for proper tire maintenance, and it is the
driver’s responsibility to maintain correct tire
pressure, even if under-inflation has not
reached the level to trigger illumination of
the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a
TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when
the system is not operating properly. The
TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with
the low tire pressure telltale. When the
system detects a malfunction, the telltale will
flash for approximately one minute and then
remain continuously illuminated. This
sequence will continue upon subsequent
vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction
exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated,
the system may not be able to detect or
signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS
malfunctions may occur for a variety of
reasons, including the installation of
replacement or alternate tires or wheels on
the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from
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Wheels and Tires

functioning properly. Always check the TPMS
malfunction telltale after replacing one or
more tires or wheels on your vehicle to
ensure that the replacement or alternate tires
and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to
function properly.
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC
Rules and with License exempt RSS
Standards of Industry Canada. Operation is
subject to the following two conditions:
1. This device may not cause harmful
interference, and
2. This device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may
cause undesired operation.
WARNING: Changes or modifications
not expressively approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the
user's authority to operate the equipment.
The term "IC:" before the radio certification
number only signifies that Industry Canada
technical specifications were met.
Changing Tires With a Tire Pressure
Monitoring System
Note:Each road tire is equipped with a tire
pressure sensor located inside the wheel
and tire assembly cavity. The pressure
sensor is attached to the valve stem. The
pressure sensor is covered by the tire and
is not visible unless the tire is removed. Take
care when changing the tire to avoid
damaging the sensor.
You should always have your tires serviced
by an authorized dealer.Check the tire pressure periodically (at least
monthly) using an accurate tire gauge. See
When Inflating Your Tires in this chapter.
Understanding Your Tire Pressure
Monitoring System
E250820E250820
The tire pressure monitoring system
measures pressure in your road tires and
sends the tire pressure readings to your
vehicle. You can view the tire pressure
readings through the information display.
See General Information (page 136). The low
tire pressure warning light will turn on if the
tire pressure is significantly low. Once the
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Wheels and Tires

light is illuminated, your tires are
under-inflated and need to be inflated to the
manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure.
Even if the light turns on and a short time
later turns off, your tire pressure still needs
to be checked.When Your Temporary Spare Tire is
Installed
When one of your road tires needs to be
replaced with the temporary spare, the
system will continue to identify an issue to
remind you that the damaged road wheel
and tire assembly needs to be repaired and
put back on your vehicle.
To restore the full function of the tire
pressure monitoring system, have the
damaged road wheel and tire assembly
repaired and remounted on your vehicle.When You Believe Your System is Not
Operating Properly
The main function of the tire pressure
monitoring system is to warn you when your
tires need air. It can also warn you in the
event the system is no longer capable of
functioning as intended. See the following
chart for information concerning your tire
pressure monitoring system:
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Wheels and Tires

Customer action required Possible cause Low tire pressure warning light
Make sure tires are at the proper pressure. See Inflating your tires
in this chapter. After inflating your tires to the manufacturer’s
recommended pressure as shown on the Tire Label (located on
the edge of driver’s door or the B-Pillar), the vehicle must be driven
for at least two minutes over 20 mph (32 km/h) before the light
turns off. Tire(s) under-inflated
Solid warning light Repair the damaged road wheel and tire assembly and reinstall
it on the vehicle to restore system function. For a description on
how the system functions, see When Your Temporary Spare Tire
is Installed in this section. Spare tire in use
If the tires are properly inflated and the spare tire is not in use but
the light remains on, contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible. TPMS malfunction
Repair the damaged road wheel and tire assembly and reinstall
it on the vehicle to restore system function. For a description on
how the system functions, see When Your Temporary Spare Tire
is Installed in this section. Spare tire in use
Flashing warning light
If the tires are properly inflated and the spare tire is not in use but
the light remains on, contact your authorized dealer as soon as
possible. TPMS malfunction
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