2015 Ford Taurus Owner Manual Printing 1 - Page 329

328 Wheels and Tires 6. Visually inspect the tires to make sure there are no nails or other objects embedded that could poke a hole in the tire and cause an air leak. 7. Check the sidewalls to make sure there are no gouges, cuts or bulges. Inspecting Your Tires and Wheel Valve Stems Periodically inspect the tire treads for uneven or excessive wear and remove objects such as stones, nails or glass that may be wedged in the tread grooves. Check the tire and valve stems for holes, cracks, or cuts that may permit air leakage and repair or replace the tire and replace the valve stem. Inspect the tire sidewalls for cracking, cuts, bruises and other signs of damage or excessive wear. If internal damage to the tire is suspected, have the tire demounted and inspected in case it needs to be repaired or replaced. For your safety, tires that are damaged or show signs of excessive wear should not be used because they are more likely to blow out or fail. Improper or inadequate vehicle maintenance can cause tires to wear abnormally. Inspect all your tires, including the spare, frequently, and replace them if one or more of the following conditions exist: Tire Wear When the tread is worn down to 1/16th of an inch (2 millimeters), tires must be replaced to help prevent your vehicle from skidding and hydroplaning. Built-in treadwear indicators, or wear bars, which look like narrow strips of smooth rubber across the tread will appear on the tire when the tread is worn down to 1/16th of an inch (2 millimeters). When the tire tread wears down to the same height as these wear bars, the tire is worn out and must be replaced. 2015 Taurus Owners Guide gf, 1st Printing, April 2014 USA (fus)