tire type LINCOLN MKZ HYBRID 2014 Owners Manual

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 one and one-half (1
½) 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 AA A B C WARNING
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. 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 A B C WARNING
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. 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
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Information Contained on the Tire
Sidewall
Both U.S. 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.
Information on P Type Tires
P215/65R15 95H is an example of a
tire size, load index and speed rating.
The definitions of these items are
listed below. (Note that the tire size,
load index and speed rating for your
vehicle may be different from this
example.) A. P: Indicates a tire, designated by
the Tire and Rim Association, that may
be used for service on cars, sport
utility vehicles, minivans and light
trucks. Note: If your tire size does not
begin with a letter this may mean it is
designated by either the European
Tire and Rim Technical Organization
or the Japan Tire Manufacturing
Association.
B.
215: 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.
C. 65: Indicates the aspect ratio which
gives the tire's ratio of height to width.
D.
R: Indicates a radial type tire.
E.
15: 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.
F.
95: Indicates the tire's load index.
It is an index that relates to how much
weight a tire can carry. You may find
this information in your owner’ s
manual. If not, contact a local tire
dealer.
Note: You may not find this
information on all tires because it is
not required by federal law.
G.
H: Indicates the tire's speed rating.
The speed rating denotes the speed
at which a tire is designed to be driven
for extended periods of time under a
standard condition of load and
inflation pressure. The tires on your
vehicle may operate at different
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L. Treadwear, Traction and
Temperature Grades:
• 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 Permissible 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, radial tubeless, etc.
Additional Information Contained on
the Tire Sidewall for LT Type Tires
Note: Tire Quality Grades do not
apply to this type of tire. 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.
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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. 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.
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.
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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 (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
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Note:
Some spare tires operate at a
higher inflation pressure than the
other tires. For T type mini-spare tires
(refer to 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 (refer to 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:
Tire Wear
When the tread is worn down to one
sixteenth of an inch (2 mm), 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 mm)
When the tire tread wears down to the
same height as these wear bars, the
tire is worn out and must be replaced.
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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 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. WARNINGS
To reduce the risk of 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
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
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