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Steps for Maintaining Proper Tire Pressure
Step 1: Locate the recommended tire pressure on the
vehicle’s tire information placard, certi cation 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 tire pressure. These missing pounds of pressure
are what you will need to add.
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 that is underin ated.
Step 6: Check all the tires to make sure they have the same
air pressure (except in cases 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 underin ated, ll it to the recommended cold in ation
pressure indicated on your vehicle’s tire information
placard or certi cation label. While your tire may still be
slightly underin ated 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 in ation pressure than to drive with a
signi cantly underin ated tire. Since this is a temporary
x, 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 nd 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 are raised sections spaced intermittently in the
bottom of the tread grooves. When they appear “even”
with the outside of the tread, it is time to replace your
tires. Another method for checking tread depth is to place
a penny in the tread with Lincoln’s head upside down and
facing you. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, you
are ready for new tires.
Tire Balance and Wheel Alignment
To avoid vibration or shaking of the vehicle when a tire
rotates, the tire must be properly balanced. This balance
is achieved by positioning weights on the wheel to
counterbalance heavy spots on the wheel-and-tire assembly.
A wheel alignment adjusts the angles of the wheels so
that they are positioned correctly relative to the vehicle’s
frame. This adjustment maximizes the life of your tires.
These adjustments require special equipment and should
be performed by a quali ed technician.
Tire Repair
The proper repair of a punctured tire requires a plug for the
hole and a patch for the area inside the tire that surrounds
the puncture hole. Punctures through the tread can be
repaired if they are not too large, but punctures to the
sidewall should not be repaired. Tires must be removed
from the rim to be properly inspected before being plugged
and patched.
Tire Fundamentals
Federal law requires tire manufacturers to place standardized
information on the sidewall of all tires. This information
identi es and describes the fundamental characteristics of
the tire and also provides a tire identi cation number for
safety standard certi cation and in case of a recall.
