spare wheel Mercury Sable 1999 Owner's Manuals

CHANGING THE TIRES
If you get a flat tire while driving, do not apply the
brake heavily. Instead, gradually decrease your
speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly and slowly
move to a safe place on the side of the road.
Temporary spare tire information
The temporary spare tire for your vehicle is labeled
as such. It is smaller than a regular tire and is
designed for emergency use only.
If you use the temporary spare tire
continuously or do not follow these
precautions, the tire could fail, causing you to lose
control of the vehicle, possibly injuring yourself or
others.
When driving with the temporary spare tiredo not:
²exceed 80 km/h (50 mph) under any
circumstances
²load the vehicle beyond maximum vehicle load
rating listed on the Safety Compliance Label
²tow a trailer
²use tire chains
²drive through an automatic car wash, because of
the vehicle's reduced ground clearance
²try to repair the temporary spare tire or remove it
from its wheel
²use the wheel for any other type of vehicle
Tire change procedure
1. Park on a level surface, activate hazard flashers
and set parking brake.
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126

When one of the front wheels is off the
ground, the transaxle alone will not prevent
the vehicle from moving or slipping off the jack,
even if the vehicle is in P (Park).
To prevent the vehicle from moving when
you change a tire, be sure the parking brake
is set, then block (in both directions) the wheel
that is diagonally opposite (other side and end of
the vehicle) to the tire being changed.
If the vehicle slips off the jack, you or
someone else could be seriously injured.
2. Place gearshift lever
in P (Park), turn
engine OFF, block the
diagonally opposite
wheel, then remove the
spare tire, jack and lug wrench.
²In the sedan, these
are located in the
trunk cargo area
storage
compartment.
²In the wagon, they
are stored in the left
side rear trim panel
for the temporary
spare and in the
floor cargo area
storage compartment
for the full size
spare.
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127

3. Remove the center ornament or wheel cover from
the wheel with the tapered end of the wheel nut
wrench that came with your vehicle. Insert and twist
the handle, then pry against the wheel.
4. Loosen each wheel
lug nut one-half turn
counterclockwise but
do not remove them
until the wheel is
raised off the ground.
5. Put the jack in the
jack notch next to the
door of the tire you are
changing. Turn the jack
handle clockwise until
the wheel is completely
off the ground.
6. Remove the lug nuts with the lug wrench.
7. Replace the flat tire with the spare tire, making
sure the valve stem is facing outward. Reinstall lug
nuts until the wheel is snug against the hub. Do not
fully tighten the lug nuts until the wheel has been
lowered.
8. Lower the wheel by turning the jack handle
counterclockwise.
9. Remove the jack and
fully tighten the lug
nuts in the order
shown.
1
4 3
52
Roadside emergencies
128