flat tire LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 1996 Customer Assistance Guide

At zero pressure, the Securitires will provide you
with a minimum driving capability of approximately
20 miles (30 kms). How you drive and the actual
amount of air pressure left in your tires will
determine exactly how many miles can be driven.
To extend the mileage and help prevent damage to
low or deflated tires, you should: not exceed 55 mph (90 km/h) and drive at a
reduced rate of speed, if possible avoid excessive hard steering and braking
maneuvers, if possible stop periodically to allow the tires to cool down/! WARNINGIf your vehicle is driven with a low tire, thetire itself may become very hot. Allow thetire and wheel to cool before attempting tochange it.142Pressure Alert System
Each of your Securitires is monitored by a low
tire pressure sensor. A warning will appear in
the overhead console when the pressure in one
of your tires drops below acceptable levels or if
the system has malfunctioned.
Low Tire Pressure Warning Light Overhead
consoleLow Tire Pressure Warning in the overhead
console

THIS DEVICE COMPLIES WITH FCC RULES,
PART 15. OPERATION IS SUBJECT TO THE
FOLLOWING TWO CONDITIONS: (1) THIS
DEVICE MAY NOT CAUSE HARMFUL
INTEREFERENCE AND (2) THIS DEVICE
MUST ACCEPT ANY INTEREFERENCE THAT
MAY BE RECEIVED, INCLUDING
INTEREFERENCE THAT MAY CAUSE
UNDESIRABLE OPERATION.
Maintenance Warning
The "Low Tire Pressure" warning will illuminate
and stay on when one of your vehicle's tires drops
below 18 psi (124 kps). The warning light will also
come on and stay lit if the Pressure Alert System has
malfunctioned.
If this warning appears, check the pressure in your
tires at the earliest possible convenience and adjust
any tire that is low to the recommended air pressure
level. This information can be found on the Service
Station Information page at the back of this manual
or on the driver's door placard.If the warning remains on after you have
adjusted the tires to recommended air pressure
levels, take your vehicle to an authorized
Lincoln/Mercury dealer for service.
Flat Tire Warning
If the sensors detect a tire pressure lower than I
0 psi (68 kps), the "Low Tire Pressure" warning
will flash repeatedly in the overhead console and
the message "Warning Low Tire Pressure" will
be displayed in the Message Center, indicating
an impending flat tire. If this condition occurs,
your Securitire requires service as soon as
possible. Refer to Servicing Your Secutitires.
NOTE: The Pressure Alert System will
activate only when the vehicle is moving faster
than 10 mph (15 km/h).
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Servicing Your Securitires/!\ WARNINGDo not use aerosol tire inflator/sealer withSecuritires. Doing so may damage the tire'spressure sensor.If you cannot service your Securitire immediately,
replace it with your mini-spare as soon as it is safe
to do so.
Your mini-spare tire can be used until your
Securitire has been repaired. See Tires in the
Servicing chapter of this guide for more information
on using the spare.
It is recommended that you always have your
Securitires serviced by an authorized Michelin tire
dealer. Each Securitire is equipped with a
pressure sensor around the wheel rim. This
sensor could be damaged when removing and
installing the tire. Servicing a Securitire at
144locations other than your Michelin tire dealer
lmay adversely affect your warranty.
If you have questions concerning your
Securitires or servicing, please call the Michelin
Tire Information Line at 1-800-847-3435 or
contact your local Michelin tire dealer.
Lincoln RESCU System
(If equipped) /!\ WARNINGIt is important that you understand thelimitations of your Lincoln RESCUSystem prior to initiating an activation.See Lincoln RESCU System Limitationslater in this chapter for details.

Towing ClassLight-dutyMaximum gross trailer
weight1,000/2,000 lbs. (454/907
kg)*Maximum tongue load100/200 lbs. (45/91 kg)Engine4.OLHitch designLoad carrying typeTraffer-tow package
optionNot requiredVehicle speed should not exceed 45 mph (72 km/h) when
towing on grades. Limit maximum gross trailer weight to
1,000 lbs. (454 kg) and maximum tongue load to 100 lbs. (45
kg): (1) when you are towing a trailer on steep hills or on
moderate hills for a long distance (five miles (8 kms) or more)
(2) on very hot days (when the temperature is 1OO°F (38°C)
or more).
You should also limit your trailer's load when you
tow in high altitudes.
196Preparing to Tow
For your safety and for the good of your
vehicle, use the right equipment for the type of
trailer you tow. Also, make sure that all
towing equipment is properly attached to your
vehicle. If you are not certain that you are
using the right equipment in the proper manner,
see your Ford or Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
Do not use hitches that clamp onto your
vehicle's bumper. The bumper is not designed
to bear the load.
Always check the pressure in all your vehicle's
tires when preparing to tow (see inflation
recommendation on the tire label).
Connecting the safety chains
Always attach the trailer's safety chains to your
vehicle. They help protect your trailer if the
hitch breaks.

Changing a Tire
if you get a flat tire while you are driving, do not
apply the brake heavily. Instead, gradually decrease
the speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly and
slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road.
Park on a level spot, turn off the ignition, set the
parking brake, and turn on the hazard flashers.
The Temporary Spare Tire
You may have a high pressure temporary spare tire.
This spare tire is smaller than a regular tire and is
designed for emergency use only. Use it only when
you get a flat tire and replace it as soon as you can.
This spare tire is marked with the words
"TEMPORARY USE ONLY" so that you can easily
identify it.
204/! WARNINGIf you use the temporary spare tirecontinuously or do not follow theseprecautions, the tire could fail, causing you tolose control of the vehicle, possibly injuringyourself or others.When you drive with the temporary spare tire,
DO NOT: exceed 50 mph (80 km/h) under any
circumstances. load your vehicle so that it is heavier than the
maximum vehicle load rating listed on the tire
decal. tow a trailer. try to repair the temporary spare tire or remove it
from its wheel. use the wheel for any other type of vehicle.

The notches for the jack
2082. Turn the jack handle clockwise until the wheel
clears the ground. Remove the wheel lug nuts.
3. Replace the flat tire with the spare tire, making
sure that the air valve stem is facing outward.
4. Reinstall the lug nuts, tightening until the wheel is
snug against the hub. The beveled edges on the
lug nuts face inward. Do not fully tighten the lug
nuts until you lower the vehicle. If you do, you
could force the vehicle off the jack.
5. Lower the vehicle by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise.
6. Remove the jack and fully tighten the lug nuts in
the order shown in the following illustration. As
soon as possible, have your dealer or a qualified
service technician check the lug nuts for proper
torque specifications.
7.
8.

9. Lug nutThe lug nuts on the wheel
7.Place any ornaments in the trunk.
8.Put the tire, jack, and wrench away. Make
sure the jack is securely fastened so it does not
rattle when You drive.
9.Unblock the wheels.
10. Turn on the air suspension switch.After replacing a flat tire with the temporary spare
tire, the flat tire can be secured in the trunk tub by
placing the "J" hook through a lug nut hole in the
wheel with the tire and wheel lying at an angle.
Anti-Theft Wheel Lug Nuts
(If equipped)
If your vehicle has this option, one of the lug nuts on
each wheel locks and must be unlocked 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.
NOTE: If entire lug wrench/lug nut key assembly is
lost, see Your nearest Ford Or Lincoln-Mercury
dealer who has access to a master set of keys.
DO NOT USE A POWER IMPACT WRENCH
ON THE LUG NUT KEY
209

Using speed control in hilly terrain Extended use of the A/C, defroster, rear window
defroster and other accessories Underinflated tires Heavy loads Aftermarket add-ons such as bike, ski or luggage
racks, bug deflectors, etc.
Self-Service Pointers
If you choose to do your own fueling, you should
also perform a few simple maintenance routines.
This extra effort will save you additional money and
contribute to the driving efficiency of your vehicle.
The following procedures require only a tire gauge,
a rag, an oil can spout and windshield washer fluid.Check the engine oil at every refueling stopClean the windshield, outside mirrors and
headlights
244 Check windshield washer fluid Check tires for excessive wear or worn edges Check the tire pressure at least monthly
Engine Oil Recommendations
We recommend using Motorcraft oil or an equivalent
oil meeting Ford Specification ESE-M2C153-E and
displaying the American Petroleum Institute
CERTIFICATION MARK on the front of the
container.

Keep your tires inflated to the recommended
pressures. Stay within the recommended load limits (see
Load limits in the Index). Make sure the weight of your load is evenly
distributed.
If you do not take these precautions, your tires may
fail or go flat.
Ford Motor Company recommends obeying posted
speed limits./!\ WARNINGDriving too fast for conditions creates thepossibility of loss of vehicle control. Drivingat very high speeds for extended periods oftime may result in damage to vehiclecomponents.256At least once a month, check the pressure in all your
vehicle's tires, including the spare. 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 3 miles (5
km). You can find proper cold pressure and load
limits of recommended size tires on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label./!\ WARNINGImproperly inflated tires can affect vehiclehandling and can fail suddenly, possiblyresulting in loss of vehicle control.Tire Rotation
Because your vehicle's front and rear tires perform
different jobs, they often wear differently. To make
sure your tires wear evenly and last longer, rotate
them as indicated in the following diagram.

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
one and one-half (1 1/2) 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.
Traction A B C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are A, B,
and C, and they 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. Warning: The traction
grade assigned to this tire is based on braking(straightahead) traction tests and does not include
cornering (turning) traction.
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 B and A represent higher
levels of performance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by law. Warning: The
temperature grade for this tire is established for a tire
that is properly inflated and not overloaded.
Excessive speed, underinflation, or excessive
259