spare wheel Mercury Sable 2002 Owner's Manuals

The use of tire sealants is not recommended and may
compromise the integrity of your tires.
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. Replace the
temporary spare tire with a full-size tire as soon as possible.
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:
•use more than one temporary spare tire at a time
•exceed 80 km/h (50 mph)
•load the vehicle beyond maximum vehicle load rating listed on the
Safety Compliance Label
•tow a trailer
•use tire chains
•drive through an automatic car wash, because of the vehicle’s reduced
ground clearance
•try to repair the temporary spare tire or remove it from its wheel
•use the wheel for any other type of vehicle
Use of a temporary spare tire at any one wheel location can lead to
impairment of the following:
•handling, stability and braking performance
•comfort and noise
•ground clearance and parking at curbs
•Winter driving capability
Tire change procedure
1. Park on a level surface, activate hazard flashers and set parking brake.
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).
Roadside Emergencies
164

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.
•In the sedan, these are located in
the trunk cargo area storage
compartment.
•In 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.
Roadside Emergencies
165

3. If equipped with a wheel cover
that’s bolted on, loosen the five
plastic nuts with the lug nut
wrench.
4. Remove the center ornament or wheel cover from the wheel with the
tapered end of the wheel lug nut wrench that came with your vehicle.
Insert and twist the handle, then pry against the wheel.
5. Loosen each wheel lug nut
one-half turn counterclockwise but
do not remove them until the wheel
is raised off the ground.
6. 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.
7. Remove the lug nuts with the lug
nut wrench.
8. 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.
9. Lower the wheel by turning the jack handle counterclockwise.
Roadside Emergencies
166

child safety seats ......................99
cleaning ...................................146
Servicing your vehicle ..............149
Spare tire (see Changing the
Tire) ...........................................132
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................180, 185
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................183, 185
Speed control ..............................48
Starting your vehicle ........107–109
jump starting ..........................135
Steering wheel
tilting .........................................43
T
Tires ...........................131, 176–177
changing ..........................131–132
checking the pressure ............177
replacing ..................................178
rotating ....................................178
snow tires and chains ............179
tire grades ...............................177
treadwear ................................176
Towing .......................................120
recreational towing .................123
trailer towing ..........................120
wrecker ....................................141
Traction control ........................112
Transaxle
fluid, refill capacities ..............181
lubricant specifications ..........185Transmission .............................113
fluid, checking and adding
(automatic) .............................174
lubricant specifications ..........183
Trunk ...............................55, 57–58
remote release ....................54, 61
Turn signal ..................................29
V
Vehicle dimensions ...................185
Vehicle Identification Number
(VIN) ..........................................187
Vehicle loading ..........................118
Ventilating your vehicle ...........110
W
Warning chimes .........................112
Warning lights (see Lights) .......10
Washer fluid ..............................153
Water, Driving through .............118
Windows
power .........................................44
rear wiper/washer .....................42
Windshield washer fluid and
wipers ..........................................42
checking and adding fluid .....153
liftgate reservoir .....................154
replacing wiper blades .............43
Wrecker towing .........................141
Index
239