Ford Taurus Owners Manual: Using snow chains

Your Taurus SHO may be equipped with summer tires to provide superior performance on wet and dry roads. Summer tires do not have the Mud and Snow (M+S or M/S) tire traction rating on the tire side wall. Since summer tires do not have the same traction performance as All-season or Snow tires, Ford does not recommend using summer tires when temperatures drop to approximately 40°F (5°C) or below (depending on tire wear and environmental conditions) or in snow/ice conditions. Like any tire, summer tire performance is affected by tire wear and environmental conditions. If you must drive in those conditions, Ford recommends using Mud and Snow (M+S, M/S),

All-season or Snow tires.

USING SNOW CHAINS

WARNING:

Snow tires must be the same size, load index, speed rating as those originally provided by Ford. Use of any tire or wheel not recommended by Ford can affect the safety and performance of your vehicle, which could result in an increased risk of loss of vehicle control, vehicle rollover, personal injury and death. Additionally, the use of non-recommended tires and wheels could cause steering, suspension, axle, transfer case or power transfer unit failure.

Note:

The suspension insulation and bumpers will help prevent vehicle damage. Do not remove these components from your vehicle when using snow tires and chains.

The tires on your vehicle may have all-weather treads to provide traction in rain and snow. However, in some climates, you may need to use snow tires and chains. If you need to use chains, it is recommended that steel wheels (of the same size and specifications) be used, as chains may chip aluminum wheels.

Follow these guidelines when using snow tires and chains: • If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle.

• Use only SAE Class S cables or equivalent on P235/60R17 or P235/55R18 tires on the front tires only. SAE Class S chains or other conventional link chains may cause damage to the vehicle’s wheel house and/or body. Use of optional spike spider type traction devices or equivalent is also acceptable.

• Do not install tire chains, cables or optional traction devices on the rear tires. This could cause damage to the vehicle’s wheel house or body.

• Do not use tire chains, cables or optional traction devices with optional P255/45R19 or 245/45R20 tires.

• Install tire cables securely, verifying that the tire cables do not touch any wiring, brake lines or fuel lines.

• Do not exceed 30 mph (48 km/h) with tire cables on your vehicle.

• Drive cautiously. If you hear the cables rub or bang against your vehicle, stop and retighten the cables. If this does not work, remove the cables to prevent damage to your vehicle.

• Remove the tire cables when they are no longer needed. Do not use tire cables on dry roads.

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