One moment you’re happily moving down the highway. The next, there’s a warning light glaring at you from the dash, demanding you service your tire mobility kit.
Has this recently happened in your Ford Fusion? Here’s what it means.
What is the tire mobility kit warning, and how do you reset it on a Ford Fusion?
The quick answer is that the warning light can be reset by scrolling through your vehicle’s menu until you get to the tire mobility reset option; then select when you next want to be reminded.
But while that will take care of the warning light, it falls short of actually understanding what the warning light is trying to tell you in the first place. The good news is that in this article we’ll explain what a tire mobility kit is and how you can service it before you reset the warning.
What is a Tire Mobility Kit?
It may be hard to believe, but vehicles used to come with a full-sized spare tire. That’s still true today for some vehicles, mostly trucks. But by and large, today’s vehicles come with either a temporary spare or, in the case of the Ford Fusion, a tire mobility kit.
A tire mobility kit is sometimes called a tire inflator or tire repair kit. Its advantage is that it takes up considerably less space in a trunk than even a temporary spare tire would. The kit consists of an air compressor with an attached hose and an integrated bottle of a thick sealant.
If you get a flat, attach the inflator-kit hose to the valve stem of the tire. Then, turn on the unit and let it inject the sealant into the tire. Then you use the kit’s compressor to inflate the flat.
You don’t have to remove the tire, so using the kit doesn’t require the physical strength that changing a tire does. On the other hand, the kit doesn’t work if the puncture is larger than the size of a pencil eraser or is located on the sidewall. It also will do you no good if the tire has separated from the wheel.
How is the Tire Mobility Kit Serviced?
The warning light you see exists because the sealant included with the tire mobility kit has an expiration date. It’s warning you to replace the sealant, so it’s ready when you need it. If you remove the can and check the part number, you can contact your local Ford dealer who will be able to sell you a replacement. Once exchanged for the expired can, you can put your kit back into place.
The remaining step is to reset the warning light. Scroll through the menu until you see the tire mobility kit reset option. Select the time you wish the warning light to remind you based on the expiration of the new can of sealant. Back out of the menu, and you should be good to go.
No Vehicle is Perfect
It can be frustrating to deal with a vehicle problem. But there will always be some concerns that crops up. Keep informed so you can select a car, SUV or truck that typically has few problems and understand how to do routine maintenance. Reading the Vehicle History is a great way to start.
