2002 Ford Escape Owner's Manual - Page 199

Roadside Emergencies 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 tire do not: • exceed 80 km/h (50 mph) under any circumstances • load the vehicle beyond maximum vehicle load rating listed on the Safety Compliance Label • tow a trailer • use tire chains • try to repair the temporary spare tire or remove it from its wheel • use the wheel for any other type of vehicle Tire change procedure When one of the front wheels is off the ground, the transmission alone will not prevent the vehicle from moving or slipping off the jack, even if the vehicle is in P (Park) (automatic transaxle) or R (Reverse) (manual transaxle). 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. 199