Ford Escape: Tire Care / Checking the Tire Pressures. Inflating the Tires

Checking the Tire Pressures

Safe operation of your vehicle requires that your tires are properly inflated. Remember that a tire can lose up to half of its air pressure without appearing flat. Every day before you drive, check your tires. If one looks lower than the others, use a tire gauge to check the pressure of all tires and adjust if required.

At least once a month and before long trips, inspect each tire and check the tire pressure with a tire gauge (including spare, if equipped). Inflate all tires to the inflation pressure recommended by the manufacturer.

Inflating the Tires

WARNING: Under-inflation is the most common cause of tire failures and may result in severe tire cracking, tread separation or blowout, with unexpected loss of vehicle control and increased risk of injury. Under-inflation increases sidewall flexing and rolling resistance, resulting in heat buildup and internal damage to the tire. It also may result in unnecessary tire stress, irregular wear, loss of vehicle control and accidents. A tire can lose up to half of its air pressure and not appear to be flat!

Use the recommended cold inflation pressure for optimum tire performance and wear. Under-inflation or over-inflation may cause uneven treadwear patterns.

Always inflate your tires to the recommended inflation pressure even if it is less than the maximum inflation pressure information found on the tire. You will find a Tire Label containing the manufacturer's recommended tire inflation pressure by the tire size and other important information located on the B-Pillar or the edge of the driver door.

The recommended tire inflation pressure is also 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 on the B-pillar, or on the edge of the driver door.

Failure to follow the tire pressure recommendations can cause uneven treadwear patterns and adversely affect the way your vehicle handles.