Ford Focus (2017 year). Manual — part 63

Inspecting Your Tires and
Wheel Valve Stems

Periodically inspect the tire treads
for uneven or excessive wear and
remove objects such as stones,
nails or glass that may be wedged
in the tread grooves. Check the tire
and valve stems for holes, cracks,
or cuts that may permit air
leakage and repair or replace the
tire and replace the valve stem.
Inspect the tire sidewalls for
cracking, cuts, bruises and other
signs of damage or excessive
wear. If internal damage to the tire
is suspected, have the tire
demounted and inspected in case
it needs to be repaired or replaced.
For your safety, tires that are
damaged or show signs of
excessive wear should not be used
because they are more likely to
blow out or fail.

Improper or inadequate vehicle
maintenance can cause tires to
wear abnormally. Inspect all your
tires, including the spare,
frequently, and replace them if
one or more of the following
conditions exist:

Tire Wear

E142546

When the tread is worn down to
1/16th of an inch (2 mm), tires
must be replaced to help prevent
your vehicle from skidding and
hydroplaning. Built-in treadwear
indicators, or wear bars, which
look like narrow strips of smooth
rubber across the tread will
appear on the tire when the tread
is worn down to 1/16th of an inch
(2 mm).

When the tire tread wears down
to the same height as these wear
bars, the tire is worn out and must
be replaced.

Damage

Periodically inspect the tire treads
and sidewalls for damage (such
as bulges in the tread or sidewalls,
cracks in the tread groove and
separation in the tread or
sidewall). If damage is observed

or suspected have the tire
inspected by a tire professional.
Tires can be damaged during
off-road use, so inspection after
off-road use is also
recommended.

Age

WARNING

Tires degrade over time
depending on many factors

such as weather, storage
conditions, and conditions of use
(such as load, speed, inflation
pressure, etc.) the tires experience
throughout their lives.

In general, tires should be
replaced after six years regardless
of tread wear. However, heat
caused by hot climates or
frequent high loading conditions
can accelerate the aging process
and may require tires to be
replaced more frequently.

You should replace your spare tire
when you replace the road tires or
after six years due to aging even if
it has not been used.

U.S. DOT Tire Identification
Number

Both United States and Canada
Federal regulations require tire
manufacturers to place
standardized information on the
sidewall of all tires. This
information identifies and

describes the fundamental
characteristics of the tire and also
provides a United States DOT Tire
Identification Number for safety
standard certification and in case
of a recall.

This begins with the letters DOT
and indicates that the tire meets
all federal standards. The next
two numbers or letters are the
plant code designating where it
was manufactured, the next two
are the tire size code and the last
four numbers represent the week
and year the tire was built. For
example, the numbers 317 mean
the 31st week of 1997. After 2000
the numbers go to four digits. For
example, 2501 means the 25th
week of 2001. The numbers in
between are identification codes
used for traceability. This
information is used to contact
customers if a tire defect requires
a recall.

Tire Replacement
Requirements

Your vehicle is equipped with tires
designed to provide a safe ride
and handling capability.

WARNINGS

Only use replacement tires
and wheels that are the same

size, load index, speed rating and
type (such as P-metric versus
LT-metric or all-season versus
all-terrain) as those originally
provided by Ford. The
recommended tire and wheel size

WARNINGS

may be found on either the Safety
Compliance Certification Label
(affixed to either the door hinge
pillar, door-latch post, or the door
edge that meets the door-latch
post, next to the driver's seating
position), or the Tire Label which
is located on the B-Pillar or edge
of the driver’s door. If this
information is not found on these
labels, then you should contact
your authorized dealer as soon as
possible. 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, transfer case or
power transfer unit failure. If you
have questions regarding tire
replacement, contact your
authorized dealer as soon as
possible.

When mounting replacement
tires and wheels, you should

not exceed the maximum pressure
indicated on the sidewall of the
tire to set the beads without
additional precautions listed
below. If the beads do not seat at
the maximum pressure indicated,
re-lubricate and try again.

WARNINGS

When inflating the tire for
mounting pressures up to 20 psi
(1.38 bar) greater than the
maximum pressure on the tire
sidewall, the following
precautions must be taken to
protect the person mounting the
tire:

1. Make sure that you have the
correct tire and wheel size.

2. Lubricate the tire bead and
wheel bead seat area again.

3. Stand at a minimum of 12 ft
(3.66 m) away from the wheel
and tire assembly.

4. Use both eye and ear
protection.

For a mounting pressure more
than 20 psi (1.38 bar) greater than
the maximum pressure, a Ford
dealer or other tire service
professional should do the
mounting.

Always inflate steel carcass tires
with a remote air fill with the
person inflating standing at a
minimum of 12 ft (3.66 m) away
from the wheel and tire assembly.

Important: Remember to replace
the wheel valve stems when the
road tires are replaced on your
vehicle.

It is recommended that the two
front tires or two rear tires
generally be replaced as a pair.

The tire pressure sensors mounted
in the wheels (originally installed
on your vehicle) are not designed
to be used in aftermarket wheels.

The use of wheels or tires not
recommended by Ford Motor
Company may affect the
operation of your tire pressure
monitoring system.

If the tire pressure monitoring
system indicator is flashing, your
tire pressure monitoring system is
malfunctioning. Your replacement
tire might be incompatible with
your TPMS, or some component
of the TPMS may be damaged.

Safety Practices

WARNINGS

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.

Do not spin the wheels at
over 30 mph (56 km/h). The

tires may fail and injure a
passenger or bystander.

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.

Highway Hazards

No matter how carefully you drive
there is always the possibility that
you may eventually have a flat tire
on the highway. Drive slowly to the
closest safe area out of traffic.
This may further damage the flat
tire, but your safety is more
important.

If you feel a sudden vibration or
ride disturbance while driving, or
you suspect your tire or vehicle
has been damaged, immediately
reduce your speed. Drive with
caution until you can safely pull
off the road. Stop and inspect the
tires for damage. If a tire is
under-inflated or damaged,
deflate it, remove wheel and
replace it with your spare tire and
wheel. If you cannot detect a
cause, have the vehicle towed to
the nearest repair facility or tire
dealer to have the vehicle
inspected.