tires LINCOLN MKZ 2014 Owner's Guide

mph ( km/h)
Letter
rating
168 mph (270 km/h)
W
186 mph (299 km/h)
Y
Note: For tires with a maximum
speed capability over 149 mph
(240 km/h), tire manufacturers
sometimes use the letters ZR. For
those with a maximum speed
capability over 186 mph (299
km/h), tire manufacturers always
use the letters ZR.
H. U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number: 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.
I. M+S or M/S: Mud and Snow, or
AT : All Terrain, or
AS: All Season. J.
Tire Ply Composition and
Material Used: Indicates the
number of plies or the number of
layers of rubber-coated fabric in
the tire tread and sidewall. Tire
manufacturers also must indicate
the ply materials in the tire and the
sidewall, which include steel,
nylon, polyester, and others.
K. Maximum Load: Indicates the
maximum load in kilograms and
pounds that can be carried by the
tire. See 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), for the correct tire
pressure for your vehicle.
L. Treadwear, Traction and
Temperature Grades:
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Wheels and Tires

•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 times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100.
• Traction: 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.
• Temperature: 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.
M. Maximum Inflation
Pressure: Indicates the tire
manufacturers' maximum
permissible pressure or the
pressure at which the maximum
load can be carried by the tire. This
pressure is normally higher than
the vehicle manufacturer's
recommended cold inflation
pressure which can be found on 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 Tire Label which is
located on the B-Pillar or the edge
of the driver’s door. The cold
inflation pressure should never be
set lower than the recommended
pressure on the vehicle label.
The tire suppliers may have
additional markings, notes or
warnings such as standard load
or radial tubeless.
Additional Information
Contained on the Tire Sidewall
for LT Type Tires
Note:
Tire Quality Grades do not
apply to this type of tire.
A
BC
BDE142544
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Wheels and Tires

LT type tires have some additional
information beyond those of P
type tires; these differences are
described below.
A.LT : Indicates a tire, designated
by the Tire and Rim Association,
that is intended for service on light
trucks.
B. Load Range and Load
Inflation Limits: Indicates the
tire's load-carrying capabilities
and its inflation limits.
C. Maximum Load Dual lb (kg)
at psi (kPa) cold: Indicates the
maximum load and tire pressure
when the tire is used as a dual;
defined as four tires on the rear
axle (a total of six or more tires on
the vehicle).
D. Maximum Load Single lb
(kg) at psi (kPa) cold: Indicates
the maximum load and tire
pressure when the tire is used as
a single; defined as two tires
(total) on the rear axle.
Information on T Type Tires
T145/80D16 is an example of a
tire size.
Note: The temporary tire size for
your vehicle may be different from
this example. Tire Quality Grades
do not apply to this type of tire.
A
BCDE
E142545
T type tires have some additional
information beyond those of P
type tires; these differences are
described below:
A. T: Indicates a type of tire,
designated by the Tire and Rim
Association, that is intended for
temporary service on cars, sport
utility vehicles, minivans and light
trucks.
B. 145: Indicates the nominal
width of the tire in millimeters
from sidewall edge to sidewall
edge. In general, the larger the
number, the wider the tire.
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Wheels and Tires

C.80: Indicates the aspect ratio
which gives the tire's ratio of
height to width. Numbers of 70 or
lower indicate a short sidewall.
D. D: Indicates a diagonal type tire.
R: Indicates a radial type tire.
E. 16: Indicates the wheel or rim
diameter in inches. If you change
your wheel size, you will have to
purchase new tires to match the
new wheel diameter.
Location of the Tire Label
You will find a Tire Label
containing tire inflation pressure
by tire size and other important
information located on the B-Pillar
or the edge of the driver’s door.
Inflating Your Tires
Safe operation of your vehicle
requires that your tires are
properly inflated. Remember that
a tire can lose up to half of its air
pressure without appearing flat.
Every day before you drive, check
your tires. If one looks lower than
the others, use a tire gauge to
check pressure of all tires and
adjust if required.
At least once a month and before
long trips, inspect each tire and
check the tire pressure with a tire
gauge (including spare, if
equipped). Inflate all tires to the
inflation pressure recommended
by Ford Motor Company. You are strongly urged to buy a
reliable tire pressure gauge, as
automatic service station gauges
may be inaccurate. Ford
recommends the use of a digital
or dial-type tire pressure gauge
rather than a stick-type tire
pressure gauge.
Use the recommended cold
inflation pressure for optimum tire
performance and wear.
Under-inflation or over-inflation
may cause uneven treadwear
patterns
WARNING
Under-inflation is the most
common cause of tire failures
and may result in severe tire
cracking, tread separation or
blowout, with unexpected loss of
vehicle control and increased risk
of injury. Under-inflation increases
sidewall flexing and rolling
resistance, resulting in heat
buildup and internal damage to
the tire. It also may result in
unnecessary tire stress, irregular
wear, loss of vehicle control and
accidents. A tire can lose up to
half of its air pressure and not
appear to be flat!
Always inflate your tires to the
Ford recommended inflation
pressure even if it is less than the
maximum inflation pressure
information found on the tire. The
Ford recommended tire inflation
pressure is found on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label
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Wheels and Tires

(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 Tire Label which is
located on the B-Pillar or the edge
of the driver’s door. Failure to
follow the tire pressure
recommendations can cause
uneven treadwear patterns and
adversely affect the way your
vehicle handles
Maximum Inflation Pressure is
the tire manufacturer's maximum
permissible pressure and the
pressure at which the maximum
load can be carried by the tire. This
pressure is normally higher than
the manufacturer’s recommended
cold inflation pressure which can
be found on 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 Tire Label which is
located on the B-Pillar or the edge
of the driver’s door. The cold
inflation pressure should never be
set lower than the recommended
pressure on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label or
Tire Label. When weather temperature
changes occur, tire inflation
pressures also change. A 10°F
(6°C) temperature drop can
cause a corresponding drop of 1
psi (7 kPa) in inflation pressure.
Check your tire pressures
frequently and adjust them to the
proper pressure which can be
found on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label or Tire Label.
To check the pressure in your
tire(s):
1. Make sure the tires are cool,
meaning they are not hot from
driving even a mile.
Note: If you are checking tire
pressure when the tire is hot, (for
example driven more than 1 mile
[1.6 kilometers]), never bleed or
reduce air pressure. The tires are
hot from driving and it is normal for
pressures to increase above
recommended cold pressures. A
hot tire at or below recommended
cold inflation pressure could be
significantly under-inflated.
Note: If you have to drive a
distance to get air for your tire(s),
check and record the tire pressure
first and add the appropriate air
pressure when you get to the
pump. It is normal for tires to heat
up and the air pressure inside to go
up as you drive.
2. Remove the cap from the valve on one tire, then firmly press
the tire gauge onto the valve
and measure the pressure.
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Wheels and Tires

3. Add enough air to reach therecommended air pressure.
Note: If you overfill the tire, release
air by pressing on the metal stem
in the center of the valve. Then
recheck the pressure with your tire
gauge.
4. Replace the valve cap.
5. Repeat this procedure for each tire, including the spare.
Note: Some spare tires operate at
a higher inflation pressure than the
other tires. For T type mini-spare
tires, see the Dissimilar spare wheel
and tire assembly information for
a description. Store and maintain
at 60 psi (4.15 bar). For full-size
and dissimilar spare tires, see the
Dissimilar spare wheel and tire
assembly information for a
description. Store and maintain at
the higher of the front and rear
inflation pressure as shown on the
Tire Label.
6. Visually inspect the tires to make sure there are no nails or
other objects embedded that
could poke a hole in the tire
and cause an air leak.
7. Check the sidewalls to make sure there are no gouges, cuts
or bulges. Inspecting Your Tires and
Wheel Valve Stems
Periodically inspect the tire treads
for uneven or excessive wear and
remove objects such as stones,
nails or glass that may be wedged
in the tread grooves. Check the tire
and valve stems for holes, cracks,
or cuts that may permit air
leakage and repair or replace the
tire and replace the valve stem.
Inspect the tire sidewalls for
cracking, cuts, bruises and other
signs of damage or excessive
wear. If internal damage to the tire
is suspected, have the tire
demounted and inspected in case
it needs to be repaired or replaced.
For your safety, tires that are
damaged or show signs of
excessive wear should not be used
because they are more likely to
blow out or fail.
Improper or inadequate vehicle
maintenance can cause tires to
wear abnormally. Inspect all your
tires, including the spare,
frequently, and replace them if
one or more of the following
conditions exist:
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Wheels and Tires

Tire Wear
E142546
When the tread is worn down to
one sixteenth of an inch (2
millimeters), tires must be
replaced to help prevent your
vehicle from skidding and
hydroplaning. Built-in treadwear
indicators, or wear bars, which
look like narrow strips of smooth
rubber across the tread will
appear on the tire when the tread
is worn down to one sixteenth of
an inch (2 millimeters).
When the tire tread wears down
to the same height as these wear
bars, the tire is worn out and must
be replaced.
Damage
Periodically inspect the tire treads
and sidewalls for damage (such
as bulges in the tread or sidewalls,
cracks in the tread groove and
separation in the tread or
sidewall). If damage is observedor suspected have the tire
inspected by a tire professional.
Tires can be damaged during
off-road use, so inspection after
off-road use is also
recommended.
Age
WARNING
Tires degrade over time
depending on many factors
such as weather, storage
conditions, and conditions of use
(load, speed, inflation pressure)
the tires experience throughout
their lives.
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 U.S. and Canada Federal
regulations require tire
manufacturers to place
standardized information on the
sidewall of all tires. This
information identifies and
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Wheels and Tires

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.
WARNINGS
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
WARNINGS
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.
Additionally the use of
non-recommended tires and
wheels could cause steering,
suspension, axle, transfer case or
power transfer unit failure. If you
have questions regarding tire
replacement, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as
possible.
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
319
Wheels and Tires

WARNINGS
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:
1. Make sure that you have the
correct tire and wheel size.
2. Lubricate the tire bead and
wheel bead seat area again.
3. Stand at a minimum of 12 feet
(3.66 meters) away from the
wheel and tire assembly.
4. Use both eye and ear
protection.
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.
Always inflate steel carcass tires
with a remote air fill with the
person inflating standing at a
minimum of 12 feet (3.66 meters)
away from the wheel and tire
assemblyImportant: 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.
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 by Ford Motor
Company 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.
Safety Practices
WARNINGS
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.
Do not spin the wheels at
over 35 mph (56 km/h). The
tires may fail and injure a
passenger or bystander.
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Wheels and Tires

Driving habits have a great deal to
do with your tire mileage and
safety.
• Observe posted speed limits
• Avoid fast starts, stops andturns
• Avoid potholes and objects on the road
• Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when
parking
Highway 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 the wheel and
replace it with your spare tire and
wheel (if provided). 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 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.
Tire Rotation
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.
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Wheels and Tires