Ford Police Interceptor Utility (2018 year). Manual — part 53

GENERAL INFORMATION

Use only approved wheel and tire sizes,
using other sizes could damage your
vehicle. If you change the diameter of the
tires from that fitted at the factory, the
speedometer may not display the correct
speed. Take your vehicle to an authorized
Ford dealer to have the system
reprogrammed. If you intend to change the
size of the wheels from that fitted by the
manufacturer, you can check the suitability
with an authorized dealer.

Additional information related to the
functionality and maintenance of your tires
can be found later in this chapter. See Tire
Care (page 217).

The Ford recommended tire inflation
pressures can be found on the Tire Label,
which is located on the B-pillar or the edge
of the driver's door. This information can
also be found on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label (affixed to either the
door hinge pillar, door-latch post, or the
door edge that meets the door last post;
next to the driver’s seating position).

Ford strongly recommends maintaining
these tire pressures at all times. Failure to
follow the tire pressure recommendations
can cause uneven treadwear patterns,
reduced fuel economy, and adversely
affect the way your vehicle handles.

Note: Check and set the tire pressure at the
ambient temperature in which you are
intending to drive your vehicle and when the
tires are cold.

Note: Check your tire pressures at least
once per month.

Set the pressure for your spare tire to the
highest value given for your vehicle and tire
size combination (if equipped).

Notice to utility vehicle and truck
owners

WARNINGS

Utility vehicles have a significantly
higher rollover rate than other types
of vehicles. To reduce the risk of

serious injury or death from a rollover or
other crash you must avoid sharp turns and
abrupt maneuvers, drive at safe speeds for
the conditions, keep tires inflated to Ford
recommended pressures, never overload
or improperly load your vehicle, and make
sure every passenger is properly restrained.

In a rollover crash, an unbelted
person is significantly more likely to
die than a person wearing a seat belt.

All occupants must wear seat belts and
children/infants must use appropriate
restraints to minimize the risk of injury or
ejection.

Do not become overconfident in the
ability of four-wheel drive vehicles.
Although a four-wheel drive vehicle

may accelerate better than a two-wheel
drive vehicle in low traction situations, it
won't stop any faster than two-wheel drive
vehicles. Always drive at a safe speed.

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Utility vehicles and trucks handle
differently than passenger cars in the
various driving conditions that are
encountered on streets, highways and
off-road. Utility vehicles and trucks are not
designed for cornering at speeds as high
as passenger cars any more than low-slung
sports cars are designed to perform
satisfactorily under off-road conditions.

Study your owner's manual and any
supplements for specific information about
equipment features, instructions for safe
driving and additional precautions to
reduce the risk of an accident or serious
injury.

How your vehicle differs from
other vehicles

Sport utility vehicles and trucks can differ
from some other vehicles in a few
noticeable ways. Your vehicle may be:

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•

Higher - to allow higher load carrying
capacity and to allow it to travel over
rough terrain without getting hung up
or damaging underbody components.

•

Shorter - to give it the capability to
approach inclines and drive over the
crest of a hill without getting hung up
or damaging underbody components.
All other things held equal, a shorter
wheelbase may make your vehicle
quicker to respond to steering inputs
than a vehicle with a longer wheelbase.

•

Narrower - to provide greater
maneuverability in tight spaces,
particularly in off-road use.

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As a result of the above dimensional
differences, Sport utility vehicles and
trucks often will have a higher center of
gravity and a greater difference in center
of gravity between the loaded and
unloaded condition. These differences that
make your vehicle so versatile also make
it handle differently than an ordinary
passenger car.

TIRE CARE

Information About Uniform
Tire Quality Grading

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Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires.
The Quality grades can be found
where applicable on the tire
sidewall between tread shoulder
and maximum section width. For
example: Treadwear 200
Traction AA Temperature A.

These Tire Quality Grades are
determined by standards that the
United States Department of
Transportation has set.

Tire Quality Grades apply to new
pneumatic passenger car tires.
They do not apply to deep tread,
winter-type snow tires,
space-saver or temporary use
spare tires, light truck or LT type
tires, tires with nominal rim
diameters of 10 to 12 inches or
limited production tires as defined
in Title 49 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 575.104 (c)(2).

U.S. Department of
Transportation Tire quality
grades: The U.S. Department of
Transportation requires Ford
Motor Company to give you the
following information about tire
grades exactly as the government
has written it.

Treadwear

The treadwear grade is a
comparative rating based on the
wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a
specified government test course.
For example, a tire graded 150
would wear 1½ times as well on
the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative
performance of tires depends
upon the actual conditions of their
use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm due to
variations in driving habits, service
practices, and differences in road
characteristics and climate.

Traction AA A B C

WARNING

The traction grade assigned
to this tire is based on

straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning or peak traction
characteristics.

The traction grades, from highest
to lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The
grades represent the tire’s ability
to stop on wet pavement as
measured under controlled
conditions on specified
government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance.

Temperature A B C

WARNING

The temperature grade for
this tire is established for a

tire that is properly inflated and
not overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive
loading, either separately or in
combination, can cause heat
buildup and possible tire failure.

The temperature grades are A
(the highest), B and C,
representing the tire’s resistance
to the generation of heat and its
ability to dissipate heat when
tested under controlled conditions
on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel. Sustained high
temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden
tire failure. The grade C
corresponds to a level of
performance which all passenger
car tires must meet under the