owner
’
s
manual
2011
ford
excel
Page 43
The recommended tire inflation pressure that vehicle manufacturers provide reflects the
proper psi when a tire is cold. The term cold does not relate to the outside temperature.
rather, a cold tire is one that has not been driven on for at least three hours. When you
drive, your tires get warmer, causing the air pressure within them to increase. Therefore, to
get an accurate tire pressure reading, you must measure tire pressure when the tires are
cold or compensate for the extra pressure in warm tires.
steps for maIntaInIng proper tIre pressure
Step 1: Locate the recommended tire pressure on the vehicle’s tire information placard,
certification label, or in the owner’s manual.
Step 2: record the tire pressure of all tires.
Step 3: if the tire pressure is too high in any of the tires, slowly release air by gently
pressing on the tire valve stem with the edge of your tire gauge until you get to
the correct pressure.
Step 4: if the tire pressure is too low, note the difference between the measured tire
pressure and the correct tire pressure. These “missing” pounds of pressure are
what you will need to add.
Step 5: at a service station, add the missing pounds of air pressure to each tire thatis
under inflated.
Step 6: Check all the tires to make sure they have the same air pressure (except incases
in which the front and rear tires are supposed to have different amounts of
pressure).
if you have been driving your vehicle and think that a tire is under inflated, fill it to the
recommended cold inflation pressure indicated on your vehicle’s tire information placard
or certification label. While your tire may still be slightly under inflated due to the extra
pounds of pressure in the warm tire, it is safer to drive with air pressure that is slightly lower
than the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended cold inflation pressure than to drive with
a significantly under inflated tire. Since this is a temporary fix, don’t forget to recheck and
adjust the tire’s pressure when you can obtain a cold reading.
tIre sIze
To maintain tire safety, purchase new tires that are the same size as the vehicle’s original
tires or another size recommended by the manufacturer. Look at the tire information
placard, the owner’s manual, or the sidewall of the tire you are replacing to find this
information. if you have any doubt about the correct size to choose, consult with the tire
dealer.
tIre tread
The tire tread provides the gripping action and traction that prevent your vehicle from
slipping or sliding, especially when the road is wet or icy. in general, tires are not safe and
should be replaced when the tread is worn down to 1/16 of an inch. Tires have built-in
treadwear indicators that let you know when it is time to replace your tires. These indicators