Ford Ranger (2011 year). Manual — part 32

Low tire pres-
sure warning
light

Possible
cause

Customer action required

Flashing warning
light

Spare tire
in use

Your temporary spare tire is in use. Re-
pair the damaged road wheel and re-
mount it on the vehicle to restore system
functionality. For a description of how
the system functions under these condi-
tions, refer to When your temporary
spare tire is installed in this section.

TPMS
malfunc-
tion

If your tires are properly inflated and
your spare tire is not in use and the
TPMS warning light still flashes, contact
your authorized dealer as soon as pos-
sible.

When inflating your tires

When putting air into your tires (such as at a gas station or in your
garage), the tire pressure monitoring system may not respond
immediately to the air added to your tires.

It may take up to two minutes of driving over 20 mph (32 km/h) for the
light to turn off after you have filled your tires to the recommended
inflation pressure.

How temperature affects your tire pressure

The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) monitors tire pressure in
each pneumatic tire. While driving in a normal manner, a typical
passenger tire inflation pressure may increase approximately 2 to 4 psi
(14 to 28 kPa) from a cold start situation. If the vehicle is stationary
over night with the outside temperature significantly lower than the
daytime temperature, the tire pressure may decrease approximately 3 psi
(21 kPa) for a drop of 30°F (17°C) in ambient temperature. This lower
pressure value may be detected by the TPMS as being significantly lower
than the recommended inflation pressure and activate the TPMS warning
for low tire pressure. If the low tire pressure warning light is on, visually
check each tire to verify that no tire is flat. (If one or more tires are flat,
repair as necessary.) Check air pressure in the road tires. If any tire is
under-inflated, carefully drive the vehicle to the nearest location where
air can be added to the tires. Inflate all the tires to the recommended
inflation pressure.

Tires, Wheels and Loading

131

SNOW TIRES AND CHAINS

WARNING: Driving too fast for conditions creates the possibility
of loss of vehicle control. Driving at very high speeds for

extended periods of time may result in damage to vehicle components.

WARNING: Snow tires must be the same size, load index, speed
rating 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.

The tires on your vehicle have all weather treads to provide traction in
rain and snow. However, in some climates, you may need to use snow
tires and chains. If you need to use chains, it is recommended that steel
wheels (of the same size and specifications) be used, as chains may chip
aluminum wheels.

Note: The suspension insulation and bumpers will help prevent vehicle
damage. Do not remove these components from your vehicle when using
snow tires and chains.

Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains:
• If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.
• Use only SAE Class S chains.
• Install chains securely, verifying that the chains do not touch any

wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.

• Drive cautiously. If you hear the chains rub or bang against your

vehicle, stop and retighten the chains. If this does not work, remove
the chains to prevent damage to your vehicle.

• Remove the tire chains when they are no longer needed. Do not use

tire chains on dry roads.

VEHICLE LOADING – WITH AND WITHOUT A TRAILER

This section will guide you in the proper loading of your vehicle and/or
trailer, to keep your loaded vehicle weight within its design rating
capability, with or without a trailer. Properly loading your vehicle will
provide maximum return of vehicle design performance. Before loading

Tires, Wheels and Loading

132

your vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms for determining
your vehicle’s weight ratings, with or without a trailer, from the vehicle’s
Tire Label or Safety Compliance Certification Label:

Base Curb Weight – is the weight of the vehicle including a full tank of
fuel and all standard equipment. It does not include passengers, cargo, or
optional equipment.

Vehicle Curb Weight – is the weight of your new vehicle when you
picked it up from your authorized dealer plus any aftermarket
equipment.

Payload – is the combined weight of cargo and passengers that the
vehicle is carrying. The maximum payload for your vehicle can be found
on the Tire Label on the B-Pillar or the edge of the driver’s door
(vehicles exported outside the US and Canada may not have a Tire
Label). Look for “THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND
CARGO SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX kg OR XXX lb.” for
maximum payload. The payload listed on the Tire Label is the maximum
payload for the vehicle as built by the assembly plant. If any aftermarket
or authorized-dealer installed equipment has been installed on the
vehicle, the weight of the equipment must be subtracted from the
payload listed on the Tire Label in order to determine the new payload.

WARNING: The appropriate loading capacity of your vehicle can
be limited either by volume capacity (how much space is

available) or by payload capacity (how much weight the vehicle should
carry). Once you have reached the maximum payload of your vehicle,
do not add more cargo, even if there is space available. Overloading or
improperly loading your vehicle can contribute to loss of vehicle
control and vehicle rollover.

Tires, Wheels and Loading

133

Example only:

Cargo Weight – includes all weight added to the Base Curb Weight,
including cargo and optional equipment. When towing, trailer tongue load
or king pin weight is also part of cargo weight.
GAW (Gross Axle Weight) – is the total weight placed on each axle
(front and rear) – including vehicle curb weight and all payload.

Tires, Wheels and Loading

134