1996 Mercury Tracer Owner's Manual - Page 265

Replacing the Tires Replace any tires that show wear bands. When your tire shows a wear band, it has only 1/16 inch (2 mm) of tread left. A worn-out tire Because your vehicle's tires may wear unevenly, you may need to replace them before a wear band appears across the entire tread. Some spots wear more heavily than others. RWARNING When replacing full size tires, never mix radial, bias-belted, or bias-type tires. Use only the tire sizes that are listed on the tire pressure decal. Make sure that all tires are the same size, speed rating, and load-carrying capacity. Use only the tire combinations recommended on the decal. If you do not follow these precautions, your vehicle may not drive properly and safely. If you have the standard Tracer, the correct tire size for your vehicle is P175/70R13. If you have the Tracer LTS model, the correct tire size for your vehicle is P185/60R14. Tires that are larger or smaller than your vehicle's original tires may also affect the accuracy of your speedometer. 279