1996 Mercury Sable Owner's Manual - Page 252

RWARNING 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, block (in both directions) the wheel that is diagonally opposite to the tire being changed. If the vehicle slips off the jack, you or someone else could be seriously injured. 2. Get out the spare tire and jack. RWARNING To avoid injury, never run the engine with one wheel off the ground when changing a tire, or at any other time. The wheel still on the ground could cause the vehicle to move. 3. Remove wheel covers or aluminum wheel ornaments with the tapered end of a wheel nut wrench. Insert the handle of the wrench between the wheel and ornament and twist it against the inner wheel cover flange. Loosen each wheel lug nut one-half turn counterclockwise, but do not remove them until the tire is raised off the ground. You should pull up on the handle rather than push to develop maximum force to loosen wheel lug nuts. See Anti-Theft Wheel Lug Nuts later in this chapter for information on removing anti-theft lug nuts. 225 4.