Ford ESCAPE, Owner'S Manual

Page: 255 / 434

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 Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 139. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of performance on
the laboratory test wheel than the
minimum required by law.
Glossary of Tire Terminology
* Tire label: A label showing the
OE (Original Equipment) tire sizes,
recommended inflation pressure
and the maximum weight the
vehicle can carry.
* Tire Identification Number
(TIN): A number on the sidewall
of each tire providing information
about the tire brand and
manufacturing plant, tire size and
date of manufacture. Also referred
to as DOT code.
* Inflation pressure: A measure
of the amount of air in a tire.
* Standard load: A class of
P-metric or Metric tires designed
to carry a maximum load at 35 psi
[37 psi (2.5 bar) for Metric tires].
Increasing the inflation pressure
beyond this pressure will not
increase the tire’s load carrying
capability.
* Extra load: A class of P-metric
or Metric tires designed to carry a
heavier maximum load at 41 psi
[43 psi (2.9 bar) for Metric tires].
Increasing the inflation pressure
beyond this pressure will not
increase the tire’s load carrying
capability.
* kPa: Kilopascal, a metric unit of
air pressure.
* PSI: Pounds per square inch, a
standard unit of air pressure.
* Cold tire pressure: The tire
pressure when the vehicle has
been stationary and out of direct
sunlight for an hour or more and
prior to the vehicle being driven for
1 mile (1.6 km).
* Recommended inflation
pressure: The cold inflation
pressure 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-latch
post, next to the driver's seating
position), or Tire Label located on
the B-Pillar or the edge of the
driver’s door.
* B-pillar: The structural member
at the side of the vehicle behind
the front door
* Bead area of the tire: Area of
the tire next to the rim.
252
Wheels and Tires