1998 Mercury Villager Owner Guide 1st Printing - Page 307

Maintenance and Care WARNING Failure to follow these precautions may adversely affect the handling of the vehicle and make it easier to lose control and roll over. Tires that are larger or smaller than your vehicle's original tires may affect the accuracy of your speedometer and odometer. Wheel and Tire Matching See an authorized tire dealer for proper servicing procedures. Wheels and tires must be properly removed, matched and remounted to maintain the best possible ride. Information About Tire Quality Grades New vehicles are fitted with tires that have their Tire Quality Grade (described below) molded into the tire's sidewall. These Tire Quality Grades are determined by standards that the United States Department of Transportation has set. Tire Quality Grades apply to new pneumatic tires for use on this vehicle. They do not apply to deep tread, winter-type snow tires, space-saver or temporary use spare tires, tires with nominal rim diameters of 10 to 12 inches (254-305 mm) or limited production tires as defined in Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Part 575.104(c)(2). U.S. Department of Transportation - Tire quality grades: The U.S. Department of Transportation requires Ford to give you the following information about tire grades exactly as the government has written it. Treadwear The treadwear grade is a comparative rating based on the wear rate of the tire when tested under controlled conditions on a specified government test course. For example, a tire graded 303