Ford Escape: CHANGING THE TIRES

If you get a flat tire while driving, do not apply the brake heavily.

Instead, gradually decrease your speed. Hold the steering wheel firmly and slowly move to a safe place on the side of the road.

Note: The tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) indicator light will illuminate when the spare tire is in use. To restore the full functionality of the monitoring system, all road wheels equipped with tire pressure monitoring sensors must be mounted on the vehicle.

Have a flat serviced by an authorized dealer in order to prevent damage to the TPMS sensors, refer to Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) in the Tires, Wheels and Loading chapter. Replace the spare tire with a road tire as soon as possible. During repairing or replacing of the flat tire, have the authorized dealer inspect the TPMS sensor for damage.

WARNING: The use of tire sealants may damage your tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and should not be used.

However, if you must use a sealant, the TPMS sensor and valve stem on the wheel must be replaced by an authorized Ford dealer.

WARNING: Refer to Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) in the Tires, Wheels and Loading chapter for important information. If the tire pressure monitor sensor becomes damaged, it will no longer function.

Dissimilar spare tire/wheel information

WARNING: Failure to follow these guidelines could result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, injury or death.

If you have a dissimilar spare tire/wheel, then it is intended for temporary use only. This means that if you need to use it, you should replace it as soon as possible with a road tire/wheel that is the same size and type as the road tires and wheels that were originally provided by Ford. If the dissimilar spare tire or wheel is damaged, it should be replaced rather than repaired.

A dissimilar spare tire/wheel is defined as a spare tire and/or wheel that is different in brand, size or appearance from the road tires and wheels and can be one of three types:

1. T-type mini-spare: This spare tire begins with the letter “T” for tire size and may have “Temporary Use Only” molded in the sidewall 2. Full-size dissimilar spare with label on wheel: This spare tire has a label on the wheel that states: “THIS TIRE AND WHEEL FOR TEMPORARY USE ONLY” When driving with one of the dissimilar spare tires listed above, do not:

• Exceed 50 mph (80 km/h)
• Load the vehicle beyond maximum vehicle load rating listed on the Safety Compliance Label
• Tow a trailer
• Use snow chains on the end of the vehicle with the dissimilar spare tire
• Use more than one dissimilar spare tire at a time
• Use commercial car washing equipment
• Try to repair the dissimilar spare tire

Use of one of the dissimilar spare tires listed above at any one wheel location can lead to impairment of the following:

• Handling, stability and braking performance
• Comfort and noise
• Ground clearance and parking at curbs
• Winter weather driving capability
• Wet weather driving capability
• All-wheel driving capability (if applicable)

3. Full-size dissimilar spare without label on wheel

When driving with the full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel, do not:

• Exceed 70 mph (113 km/h)
• Use more than one dissimilar spare tire/wheel at a time
• Use commercial car washing equipment
• Use snow chains on the end of the vehicle with the dissimilar spare tire/wheel

The usage of a full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel can lead to impairment of the following:

• Handling, stability and braking performance
• Comfort and noise
• Ground clearance and parking at curbs
• Winter weather driving capability
• Wet weather driving capability
• All-wheel driving capability (if applicable)
• Load leveling adjustment (if applicable)

When driving with the full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel additional caution should be given to:

• Towing a trailer
• Driving vehicles equipped with a camper body
• Driving vehicles with a load on the cargo rack

Drive cautiously when using a full-size dissimilar spare tire/wheel and seek service as soon as possible.

Stopping and securing the vehicle

1. Park on a level surface, set the parking brake and activate hazard flashers.
2. Place gearshift lever in P (Park) (automatic transmission) or R (Reverse) (manual transmission) and turn engine off.

Removing the jack and tools

1. The jack and tools are located under the carpeted load floor.
2. Pull back the carpet away from the liftgate, and remove the hardboard cover. If your vehicle is equipped with a cargo management system, the jack and tools are in the forward compartment under a lid.

3. Unbuckle the strap and remove the jack and tools by pulling the right side up first.
4. Remove the tools from the jack in order to remove the spare tire from under the vehicle.

5. Remove the lug wrench from the jack in order to remove the spare tire from under the vehicle.

Removing the spare tire or spare tire and tether (if equipped)

1. Insert the lug wrench through the access hole in the rear bumper.
2. Turn the handle counterclockwise and lower the spare tire until it can be slid rearward and the cable is slack.
3. Slide the retainer through the center of the wheel.

If equipped with a tether, perform the following additional steps:

4. Lift the spare tire on end to access tether attachment (1).

5. Use the lug wrench to remove the lug nut from the spare tire tether.

6. If not replacing the spare or flat tire to the underbody storage area, raise winch up into the installed position.
7. Use the attached fastener strap (2) to tie the tether end to the winch actuator shaft (if equipped).

Tire change procedure

WARNING: When one of the front wheels is off the ground, the transmission alone will not prevent the vehicle from moving or slipping off the jack, even if the vehicle is in P (Park) (automatic transmission) or R (Reverse) (manual transmission).

WARNING: To help prevent the vehicle from moving when you change a tire, be sure the parking brake is set, then block (in both directions) the wheel that is diagonally opposite (other side and end of the vehicle) to the tire being changed.

WARNING: If the vehicle slips off the jack, you or someone else could be seriously injured.

WARNING: Do not attempt to change a tire on the side of the vehicle close to moving traffic. Pull far enough off the road to avoid the danger of being hit when operating the jack or changing the wheel.

1. Block the diagonally opposite wheel.

2. Loosen each wheel lug nut one-half turn counterclockwise but do not remove them until the wheel is raised off the ground.

Before placing the jack under the vehicle, NOTE the jack locations:

• Front

View shown from rear of front tire.

Position the jack directly below the protruding bolt.

• Rear

View shown from forward of rear tire. Position the jack directly below the stud on the rear trailing arm.

3. Position the jack according to the guides and turn the jack handle clockwise until the tire is a maximum of 1 inch (25 mm) off the ground.

Be sure to place the jack away from the rear edge of the rocker to avoid damaging the rear tire spoiler (pictured).

Never use the differentials as a jacking point.

WARNING: To lessen the risk of personal injury, do not put any part of your body under the vehicle while changing a tire.

Do not start the engine when your vehicle is on the jack. The jack is only meant for changing the tire.

4. Remove the lug nuts with the lug nut wrench.
5. Replace the flat tire with the spare tire, making sure the valve stem is facing outward. Reinstall lug nuts until the wheel is snug against the hub.
Do not fully tighten the lug nuts until the wheel has been lowered.
6. Lower the wheel by turning the jack handle counterclockwise.
7. Remove the jack and fully tighten the lug nuts in the order shown.

Refer to Wheel lug nut torque specifications later in this chapter for the proper lug nut torque specification.

Stowing the jack and tools

• Make sure the jack is fully lowered.
• Reclip the tools onto the jack making sure that the tools are fully contained by the clips as shown.
• Reinstall the jack in the pocket with the left side first, then snap the right side down.
• Ensure that the hold-strap contains the jack and tools before snapping the buckle.
• Ensure that the jack and tools are oriented as illustrated.

Stowing the flat/spare tire

Note: Failure to follow spare tire stowage instructions may result in failure of cable or loss of spare tire.

If you are stowing a tire that requires reattaching it to the vehicle with a tether, perform these steps first, then proceed with the steps following.

1. Place tire on end with valve stem facing rearward, away from vehicle.
2. Place tether into bolt holes in wheel and attach lug nut using lug wrench.

3. Lay the tire on the ground with the valve stem facing down. If your vehicle is equipped with aluminum wheels, remove the wheel ornament.

4. Slide the wheel partially under the vehicle and install the retainer through the center of the wheel.

5. Turn the jack handle clockwise until the tire is raised to its original position underneath the vehicle. The effort to turn the jack handle increases significantly as the tire contacts the frame. The spare tire carrier will ratchet when the tire is in the fully stowed position. The spare tire carrier has a built-in ratchet feature that will not allow you to overtighten. If the spare tire carrier ratchets with very little effort, take the vehicle to your authorized dealer for assistance at your earliest convenience. If your vehicle is equipped with a trailer hitch, guide the tire with one hand; keep the rear of the tire tilted down until the tire clears the bumper.

6. Check that the tire lies flat against the frame assembly. Push against the tire to make sure it is tightly seated under the vehicle. Loosen and retighten, if necessary. Failure to properly stow the spare tire may result in failure of the winch cable and loss of the spare tire. (Make sure that the tire does not contact the bumper.) 7. Repeat this tightness check procedure (every six months, per scheduled maintenance information), when servicing the spare tire pressure or at any time that the spare tire is disturbed through service of other components.

Wheel lug nut torque specifications

Retighten the lug nuts to the specified torque within 100 miles (160 km) after any wheel disturbance (tire rotation, changing a flat tire, wheel removal, etc.).

WARNING: When a wheel is installed, always remove any corrosion, dirt or foreign materials present on the mounting surfaces of the wheel or the surface of the wheel hub, brake drum or brake disc that contacts the wheel. Ensure that any fasteners that attach the rotor to the hub are secured so they do not interfere with the mounting surfaces of the wheel. Installing wheels without correct metal-to-metal contact at the wheel mounting surfaces can cause the wheel nuts to loosen and the wheel to come off while the vehicle is in motion, resulting in loss of control.

Note: Inspect the wheel pilot bore (1) and mounting surface prior to installation. Remove any visible corrosion or loose particles.

Running out of fuel

If you have run out of fuel and need to refill the vehicle with a portable fuel container, see Running out of fuel in the Maintenance and Specifications chapter for proper fuel filling method using a portable fuel container and the included fuel filler funnel. Do not insert the nozzle of portable fuel containers or any type of aftermarket funnels into the Easy Fuel “no cap” fuel system as it can be damaged. You must use the included funnel in such circumstances.

WARNING: Do not insert the nozzle of portable fuel containers or aftermarket funnels into the Easy Fuel system. This could damage the fuel system and its seal, and may cause fuel to run onto the ground instead of filling the tank, all of which could result in serious personal injury.