wheel alignment Mercury Sable 2004 Owner's Manuals

Maintenance
•Keep tires properly inflated and use only recommended size.
•Operating a vehicle with the wheels out of alignment will reduce fuel
economy.
•Use recommended engine oil. Refer toLubricant specificationsin
this chapter.
•Perform all regularly scheduled maintenance items. Follow the
recommended maintenance schedule and owner maintenance checks
found in your vehicle scheduled maintenance guide.
Conditions
•Heavily loading a vehicle or towing a trailer may reduce fuel economy
at any speed.
•Carrying unnecessary weight may reduce fuel economy (approximately
0.4 km/L [1 mpg] is lost for every 180 kg [400 lb] of weight carried).
•Adding certain accessories to your vehicle (for example bug
deflectors, rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski/luggage racks) may
reduce fuel economy.
•Using fuel blended with alcohol may lower fuel economy.
•Fuel economy may decrease with lower temperatures during the first
12–16 km (8–10 miles) of driving.
•Driving on flat terrain offers improved fuel economy as compared to
driving on hilly terrain.
•Transmissions give their best fuel economy when operated in the top
cruise gear and with steady pressure on the gas pedal.
•Close windows for high speed driving.
EPA window sticker
Every new vehicle should have the EPA window sticker. Contact your
dealer if the window sticker is not supplied with your vehicle. The EPA
window sticker should be your guide for the fuel economy comparisons
with other vehicles.
It is important to note the box in the lower left corner of the window
sticker. These numbers represent the Range of L/100 km (MPG)
expected on the vehicle under optimum conditions. Your fuel economy
may vary depending upon the method of operation and conditions.
2004 Sable(sab)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
209

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, bulges or
other irregularities.
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 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 a qualified technician at a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury
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 a qualified technician
at a Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer. Front wheel drive (FWD) vehicles,
and those with an independent rear suspension 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
Rotating your tires at the recommended interval (as indicated in the
Scheduled Maintenance Guidethat comes with your vehicle) will help
your tires wear more evenly providing better tire performance and longer
tire life. Unless otherwise specified, rotate the tires approximately every
8,000 km (5,000 miles).
2004 Sable(sab)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
224

Note:If your tires show uneven wear ask a qualified technician at a
Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealership to check for and correct any wheel
misalignment, tire imbalance or mechanical problem involved before tire
rotation.
Note:Your vehicle may be equipped with a dissimilar spare tire/wheel. A
dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel that is
different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires and wheels. If
you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel it is intended for temporary use
only and should not be used in a tire rotation.
Note:After having your tires rotated, inflation pressure must be checked
and adjusted to the vehicle requirements.
Tire wear
Measure and inspect the tire tread on all your tires periodically.
Advanced and unusual tire wear can reduce the ability of tread to grip
the road in adverse (wet, snowy, etc.) conditions. Visually check your
tires for uneven wear, looking for high and low areas or unusually
smooth areas. Also check for signs of tire damage.
When the tread is worn down to 4
mm (1/16th of an inch), tires must
be replaced to 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 4mm (1/16th of an inch). When you see these
“wear bars”, the tire is worn out and should be replaced.
Inspect your tires frequently for any of the following conditions and
replace them if one or more of the following conditions exist:
•Fabric showing through the tire rubber
•Bulges in the tread or sidewalls
•Cracks or cuts on the sidewalls
•Cracks in the tread groove
•Impact damage resulting from use
•Separation in the tread
•Separation in the sidewall
•Severe abrasion on the sidewall
2004 Sable(sab)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Maintenance and Specifications
226

Power door locks ........................72
Power Point
Cigar lighter ..............................47
Power steering ..........................135
fluid, checking and adding ....212
fluid, refill capacity ................230
fluid, specifications .........231, 233
Power Windows ...........................48
R
Radio ......................................15, 18
Rear window defroster ...............27
Relays ........................................156
Remote entry system
illuminated entry ......................78
locking/unlocking doors ...........72
opening the trunk .....................76
Roadside assistance ..................148
Roof rack .....................................71
S
Safety Belt Maintenance ..........106
Safety belts (see Safety
restraints) ..................91, 94–97, 99
Safety defects, reporting ..........178
Safety restraints ............91, 94–100
belt minder .............................102
extension assembly ................106
for adults .............................95–97
for children .....................115–116
lap belt ......................................99
Occupant Classification
Sensor ........................................92
safety belt maintenance .........106
warning light and
chime ...............................101–102Safety seats for children ..........118
Seat belts
(see Safety restraints) ...............91
Seats ............................................87
child safety seats ....................118
front seats .................................88
Servicing your vehicle ..............185
Setting the clock
AM/FM/CD .................................18
AM/FM/Tape ..............................15
Spare tire
(see Changing the Tire) ...........157
Spark plugs,
specifications .....................229, 233
Specification chart,
lubricants ...........................231, 233
Speed control ..............................50
Starting a flex fuel vehicle .......131
Starting your
vehicle ........................128–129, 131
jump starting ..........................162
Steering wheel
tilting .........................................46
T
Tilt steering wheel ......................46
Tires ...........................157, 216–217
alignment ................................224
care ..........................................222
changing ..................157, 159, 162
checking the pressure ............222
label .........................................222
replacing ..................................227
rotating ....................................224
safety practices .......................227
sidewall information ...............218
snow tires and chains ............228
2004 Sable(sab)
Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt)
USA English(fus)
Index
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