1996 Mercury Cougar Owner's Manual - Page 192

NOTE: If your vehicle is equipped with a 4.6L engine you will need to perform additional steps after your vehicle has been jump started. See Readiness for Inspection/Maintenance Testing in Servicing Your Vehicle chapter. Changing a Tire If you get a flat tire while you are driving, do not apply the brake heavily. Instead, gradually decrease the speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly and slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road. Park on a level spot, turn off the ignition, set the parking brake, and turn on the hazard flashers. The Temporary Spare Tire You have a high pressure temporary spare tire. This spare tire is smaller than a regular tire and is designed for emergency use only. Use it only when you get a flat tire and replace it as soon as you can. This spare tire is marked with the words "TEMPORARY USE ONLY" so that you can easily identify it. NOTE: Extended use of other than conventional spare tires on a Traction-Lok rear axle could result in a permanent reduction in effectiveness. This loss of effectiveness does not affect normal driving and should not be noticeable to the driver. RWARNING 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. 193