Tire Service for Your Ford

Why "preventative" tire maintenance is important?

Keeping your tires balanced, rotated regularly, properly aligned and inflated to the correct pressure are all part of making sure tire tread wears evenly and doesn’t create any weak spots in your tires. You’ll be at a lower risk for skidding or poor handling, which could be dangerous in an emergency.

In between visits you can keep your tire pressure adjusted to the right level to make sure you get the most out of your tires. This can help improve your gas mileage by about 3%. Source 

Every maintenance schedule contains a complete set of tire services designed to help your tires stay safe and last longer. It’s a convenient way to make sure everything in your vehicle is taken care of properly.

Do you need new tires?

You might need new tires if you: · See your tread has worn down to less than 1/16" · See narrow strips of smooth rubber across the tire tread · See bulges in the tire · See cracks or separation in the tire · See any foreign objects puncturing the tires · Feel your tires slipping or handling poorly in wet or icy condition · Have tires more than six years old If any of these symptoms occur, you should contact Dorian Ford immediately for a tire inspection.  No appointment is necessary. Contact Us

What happens when you come in to Mike Dorian Ford for tire service?

You’ve just brought your vehicle to our service department specifically for a problem with your tires. Now what? One of our Service Advisors will ask a technician to diagnose the problem.

Our Service Advisor will take you through the technician's diagnosis, step-by-step. If it shows that your vehicle needs service or your tires need to be replaced, there’s no better place to have it done than right here at Dorian Ford.

Once you’ve OK’d the services we recommend for your vehicle, we’ll get you back on the road as quickly as possible. And you can rest easy knowing: · Tires fit your vehicle best for maximum performance · Technicians have the most up-to-date training for your vehicle

What can you do to keep your tires performing at their best? 

The best thing you can do for your tires is to get scheduled maintenance at Dorian Ford. Every vehicle maintenance schedule includes: · Tire inspection at every appointment · Tire rotations every 5,000 miles · Inspect wheel ends for play and noise every 15,000 miles · Lubricate 4x2 front wheel bearings, replace grease seals, and adjust bearings every 60,000 miles.

How to change a flat tire?

Check your owner’s guide for detailed instructions on changing your vehicle’s flat tire.  If you are unable to locate your owner’s guide, Click Here.
Step 1: Remove the spare tire and jack from your vehicle
Step 2: Loosen the lug nuts on the flat tire before jacking up the vehicle
Step 3: Block the other tires to make sure the vehicle doesn’t roll
Step 4: Raise the corner with the flat tire high enough off the ground to place the spare tire on
Step 5: Remove the lug nuts and the flat tire
Step 6: Place the spare tire on the vehicle
Step 7: Replace the lug nuts, but save final tightening for when the vehicle is on the ground
Step 8: Lower the vehicle
Step 9: Tighten the lug nuts
Step 10: Visit our Dealership as soon as possible to get a new tire  

How to adjust tire pressure?

Step 1: Check the tire pressure when the tires are cold (vehicle parked for one hour or driven for less than 3 miles)
Step 2: Remove valve stem cap
Step 3: Press tire pressure gauge on valve so no air leaks
Step 4: Read the tire pressure
Step 5: Compare it to the "operating vehicle inflation pressure." Find this on: · Certification decal on driver’s door · Tire decal on door · Tire decal on glovebox

Step 6: If pressure needs to be added, air pumps are located at most service stations or you can bring your vehicle to the Dealership
Step 7: If there’s too much pressure, press the valve inside the valve stem until you hear a "hiss" or air releasing
Step 8: Read the tire pressure again
Step 9: Add or release pressure as needed

What is the Tire Pressure Monitoring System?

As an added safety feature, your vehicle may be equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when one or more of your tires is significantly under-inflated.  When the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly under-inflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability. Your vehicle may also be equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for approximately one minute and then remain continuously illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists. When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, including the installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function properly. The tire pressure should be checked periodically (at least monthly) using an accurate tire gauge. 

How does the Tire Pressure Monitoring System work?

The Tire Pressure Monitoring System measures pressure in your four road tires and sends the tire pressure readings to your vehicle. The Low Tire Pressure Warning Lamp will turn ON if the tire pressure is significantly low. Once the light is illuminated, your tires are under inflated and need to be inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure. Even if the light turns ON and a short time later turns OFF, your tire pressure still needs to be checked. 

Here's the Tire Pressure Monitoring System work?

When you believe your system is not operating properly The main function of the Tire Pressure Monitoring System is to warn you when your tires need air. It can also warn you in the event the system is no longer capable of functioning as intended. Please refer to the following chart for information concerning your Tire Pressure Monitoring System: Low Tire Pressure Warning Light  Possible cause  Customer Action Required  Solid Warning Light  Tire(s) under-inflated  1. Check your tire pressure to ensure tires are properly inflated; refer to Inflating your tires in this chapter. 2. After inflating your tires to the manufacturer’s recommended inflation pressure as shown on the Tire Label (located on the edge of driver’s door or the B-Pillar), the vehicle must be driven for at least two minutes over 20 mph (32 km/h) before the light will turn OFF.   

When inflating your tires:

When putting air into your tires (such as at a gas station or in your garage), the Tire Pressure Monitoring System may not respond immediately to the air added to your tires.   It may take up to two minutes of driving over 20 mph for the light to turn OFF after you have filled your tires to the recommended inflation pressure.

How does temperature affect your tire pressure?

The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) monitors tire pressure in each pneumatic tire. While driving in a normal manner, a typical passenger tire inflation pressure may increase approximately 2 to 4 psi (14 to 28 kPa) from a cold start situation. If the vehicle is stationary over night with the outside temperature significantly lower than the daytime temperature, the tire pressure may decrease approximately 3 psi for a drop of 30° F in ambient temperature. This lower pressure value may be detected by the TPMS as being significantly lower than the recommended inflation pressure and activate the TPMS warning for low tire pressure. If the low tire pressure warning light is ON, visually check each tire to verify that no tire is flat. (If one or more tires are flat, repair as necessary.) Check air pressure in the road tires. If any tire is under-inflated, carefully drive the vehicle to the nearest location where air can be added to the tires. Inflate all the tires to the recommended inflation pressure.