2004 Mercury Mountaineer Owner's Manual - Page 258

Maintenance and Specifications If your vehicle has a leak in the exhaust system, a road tire or the spare tire may be exposed to hot exhaust temperatures requiring the tire to be replaced. Tire Replacement Requirements Your vehicle is equipped with tires designed to provide safe ride and handling capability. Only use replacement tires and wheels that are the same size and type (such as P-metric versus LT-metric or all-season versus all-terrain) as those originally provided by Ford. Use of any tire or wheel not recommended by Ford can affect the safety and performance of your vehicle, which could result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death. Additionally the use of non-recommended tires and wheels could cause steering, suspension, axle or transfer case/power transfer unit failure. If you have questions regarding tire replacement, see an authorized Ford or Lincoln/Mercury dealer. Make sure all tires and wheels on the vehicle are of the same size, type, tread design, brand, load-carrying capacity and speed rating because it can affect the safety and performance of your vehicle, which could result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death. You should replace the spare tire when you replace the other road tires due to the aging of the spare tire. Safety practices Driving habits have a great deal to do with your tire mileage and safety. • Observe posted speed limits • Avoid fast starts, stops and turns • Avoid potholes and objects on the road • Do not run over curbs or hit the tire against a curb when parking If your vehicle is stuck in snow, mud, sand, etc., do not rapidly spin the tires; spinning the tires can tear the tire and cause an explosion. A tire can explode in as little as three to five seconds. Tire explosions can cause death, personal injury or property damage. Do not allow anyone to stand near, directly ahead or behind the spinning tire. 258 REVIEW COPY: 2004 Explorer (exp), Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) (own2002), Market: USA English (fus)