Car Tires

Keep Your Tires In Shape

Keeping your tires well cared for helps ensure they wear evenly, without creating any weak spots. It can also lower your risk of skidding and poor handling, which could be dangerous.

Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated

Checking your tire pressure regularly for proper inflation, helps keep wear evenly distributed across each tire. You can find the recommended inflation level on the Certification Decal or Tire Decal, usually located on the driver’s door or door pillar, or in the glove box. Your tires can lose up to half their pressure without looking flat, so it’s best to keep a tire pressure gauge in your glove box at all times and get into the habit of monitoring your tire inflation. Tire pressure information does NOT appear in the Vehicle Owner Guide.

Checking And Adjusting The Tire Pressure

 To get an accurate reading, your tires need to be read “cold,” meaning the vehicle has been parked for at least one hour or has been driven less than a mile.

• Remove the cap from the tire valve and place the tire pressure gauge on it firmly. Make sure you don’t hear any air leaking. A digital gauge should give you a reading on its screen. Most other gauges will have a stick, which pops out – the highest pressure on the stick is your current tire pressure.
• Remove the tire gauge and measure twice more for accuracy.
• If the pressure is low, fill the tire using an air pump (found at most gas or service stations) by placing the end of the hose over the tire valve.
• Recheck the pressure with the gauge. If the tire is overinflated, you can release air by pressing the valve inside the tire valve stem.
• Once you have confirmed your tire is inflated to the proper level, replace the valve cap.
• Repeat these steps for each of your remaining tires, including the spare.

Rotate Your Tires Every Time You Change Your Oil

Having your tires rotated regularly helps keep wear evenly distributed. We generally recommend rotating them every 5,000 miles or 8,000 kilometers, and since that involves elevating your vehicle, your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership is a convenient place to have it done.

Get Proper Tire Balancing and Wheel Alignment

 These operations help keep your tires in full contact with the road. You may need an alignment if you notice your vehicle pulling to one side while you are driving straight. Since balancing and alignment involve using precision equipment on your wheels and suspension system, this is also a good job for the technicians at your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership. Check your Owner Guide for how frequently this should be done.

Learn To Spot The Symptoms of Tire Wear

 If your tires are more than six years old or if you notice any of the following signs, it may be time for new tires:

• The tread has worn down to less than 3/32″
• Wear bars (narrow strips of smooth rubber across the tire tread)
• Bulges in the tire
• Cracking in the tread grooves
• Punctures, cuts, snags or separation in the tire tread or sidewall
• Sudden loss of tire pressure
• Poor handling or traction on slippery surfaces
• Sudden vibration while driving 

Checking your tire pressure regularly for proper inflation, helps keep wear evenly distributed across each tire. You can find the recommended inflation level on the Certification Decal or Tire Decal, usually located on the driver’s door or door pillar, or in the glove box. Your tires can lose up to half their pressure without looking flat, so it’s best to keep a tire pressure gauge in your glove box at all times and get into the habit of monitoring your tire inflation. Tire pressure information does NOT appear in the Vehicle Owner Guide.

Checking And Adjusting The Tire Pressure

 To get an accurate reading, your tires need to be read “cold,” meaning the vehicle has been parked for at least one hour or has been driven less than a mile.

• Remove the cap from the tire valve and place the tire pressure gauge on it firmly. Make sure you don’t hear any air leaking. A digital gauge should give you a reading on its screen. Most other gauges will have a stick, which pops out – the highest pressure on the stick is your current tire pressure.
• Remove the tire gauge and measure twice more for accuracy.
• If the pressure is low, fill the tire using an air pump (found at most gas or service stations) by placing the end of the hose over the tire valve.
• Recheck the pressure with the gauge. If the tire is overinflated, you can release air by pressing the valve inside the tire valve stem.
• Once you have confirmed your tire is inflated to the proper level, replace the valve cap.
• Repeat these steps for each of your remaining tires, including the spare.

Rotate Your Tires Every Time You Change Your Oil

Having your tires rotated regularly helps keep wear evenly distributed. We generally recommend rotating them every 5,000 miles or 8,000 kilometers, and since that involves elevating your vehicle, your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership is a convenient place to have it done.

Get Proper Tire Balancing and Wheel Alignment

These operations help keep your tires in full contact with the road. You may need an alignment if you notice your vehicle pulling to one side while you are driving straight. Since balancing and alignment involve using precision equipment on your wheels and suspension system, this is also a good job for the technicians at your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership. Check your Owner Guide for how frequently this should be done.

Learn To Spot The Symptoms of Tire Wear

If your tires are more than six years old or if you notice any of the following signs, it may be time for new tires:

• The tread has worn down to less than 3/32″
• Wear bars (narrow strips of smooth rubber across the tire tread)
• Bulges in the tire
• Cracking in the tread grooves
• Punctures, cuts, snags or separation in the tire tread or sidewall
• Sudden loss of tire pressure
• Poor handling or traction on slippery surfaces
• Sudden vibration while driving