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SAFETY SEATS FOR CHILDREN
Child and infant or child safety seats
Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight of the
child. Carefully follow all of the manufacturer's instructions with the
safety seat you put in your vehicle. If you do not install and use the
safety seat properly, the child may be injured in a sudden stop or
collision.
When installing a child safety seat:
²Review and follow the information
presented in theAir Bag
Supplemental Restraint System
section in this chapter.
²Use the correct safety belt buckle
for that seating position (the
buckle closest to the direction the
tongue is coming from).
²Insert the belt tongue into the
proper buckle until you hear a
snap and feel it latch. Make sure
the tongue is securely fastened in
the buckle.
²For the front passenger seat,
keep the buckle release button
pointing up and away from the
safety seat, with the tongue
between the child seat and the release button, to prevent accidental
unbuckling.
²For the front passenger seat, place seat back in upright position.
Seating and safety restraints
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²Base Curb Weight:Weight of the vehicle including any standard
equipment, fluids, lubricants, etc. It does not include occupants or
aftermarket equipment.
²Payload:Combined maximum allowable weight of cargo, occupants
and optional equipment. The payload equals the gross vehicle weight
rating minus base curb weight.
²GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight):Base curb weight plus payload
weight. The GVW is not a limit or a specification.
²GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating):Maximum permissable total
weight of the base vehicle, occupants, optional equipment and cargo.
The GVWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on the Safety
Certification Label on the driver's door pillar.
²GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating):Carrying capacity for each axle
system. The GAWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on the
Safety Certification Label on the driver's door pillar.
²GCW (Gross Combined Weight):The combined weight of the
towing vehicle (including occupants and cargo) and the loaded trailer.
²GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating):Maximum permissable
combined weight of towing vehicle (including occupants and cargo)
and the loaded trailer
²Maximum Trailer Weight Rating:Maximum weight of a trailer the
vehicle is permitted to tow. The maximum trailer weight rating is
determined by subtracting the vehicle curb weight for each
engine/transmission combination, any required option weight for trailer
towing and the weight of the driver from the GCWR for the towing
vehicle.
²Maximum Trailer Weight:Maximum weight of a trailer the loaded
vehicle (including occupants and cargo) is permitted to tow. It is
determined by subtracting the weight of the loaded trailer towing
vehicle from the GCWR for the towing vehicle.
²Trailer Weight Range:Specified weight range that the trailer must
fall within that ranges from zero to the maximum trailer weight rating.
Remember to figure in the tongue load of your loaded trailer when
figuring the total weight.
Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the
certification label.
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Do not use replacement tires with lower load carrying capacities than the
originals because they may lower the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR
limitations. Replacement tires with a higher limit than the originals do
not increase the GVWR and GAWR limitations.
The Safety Certification Label, found on the driver's door pillar, lists
several important vehicle weight rating limitations. Before adding any
additional equipment, refer to these limitations. If you are adding weight
to the front of your vehicle, (potentially including weight added to the
cab), the weight added should not exceed the front axle reserve capacity
(FARC). Additional frontal weight may be added to the front axle reserve
capacity provided you limit your payload in other ways (i.e. restrict the
number of occupants or amount of cargo carried).
Always ensure that the weight of occupants, cargo and equipment being
carried is within the weight limitations that have been established for
your vehicle including both gross vehicle weight and front and rear gross
axle weight rating limits. Under no circumstance should these limitations
be exceeded.
Exceeding any vehicle weight rating limitation could result in
serious damage to the vehicle and/or personal injury.
Special loading instructions for owners of pickup trucks and
utility-type vehicles
For important information regarding safe operation of this type
of vehicle, see thePreparing to drive your vehiclesection in
this chapter.
Loaded vehicles, with a higher center of gravity, may handle
differently than unloaded vehicles. Extra precautions, such as
slower speeds and increased stopping distance, should be taken when
driving a heavily loaded vehicle.
Your vehicle has the capability to haul more cargo and people than most
passenger cars. Depending upon the type and placement of the load,
hauling cargo and people may raise the center of gravity of the vehicle.
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Calculating the load your vehicle can carry/tow
1. Use the appropriate maximum gross combined weight rating (GCWR)
chart to find the maximum GCWR for your type engine and rear axle
ratio.
2. Weigh your vehicle as you customarily operate the vehicle without
cargo. To obtain correct weights, try taking your vehicle to a shipping
company or an inspection station for trucks.
3. Subtract your loaded vehicle weight from the maximum GCWR on the
following charts. This is the maximum trailer weight your vehicle can tow
and must fall below the maximum shown under maximum trailer weight
on the chart.
TRAILER TOWING
Refer to7.3 Liter Power Stroke Direct Injection Turbo Diesel Owner's
Guide Supplementfor diesel engine towing information.
Your vehicle may tow a class I, II or III trailer provided the maximum
trailer weight is less than or equal to the maximum trailer weight listed
for your engine and rear axle ratio on the following charts.
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer Weights
EngineRear
axle
ratioMaximum
GCWR - kg
(lbs.)Trailer weight
range - kg
(lbs.)
(0-Maximum)Maximum
frontal area of
trailer - m
2
(ft2)
Regular Van E-150
4.2L 3.554 536
(10 000)2 313 (5 100) 5.52 (60)
4.6L 3.555 216
(11 500)2 993 (6 600) 5.52 (60)
5.4L 3.555 443
(12 000)3 130 (6 900) 5.52 (60)
Regular Van E-250
4.2L 3.734 763
(10 500)2 359 (5 200) 5.52 (60)
5.4L 3.735 897
(13 000)3 402 (7 500) 5.52 (60)
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GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer Weights
EngineRear
axle
ratioMaximum
GCWR - kg
(lbs.)Trailer weight
range - kg
(lbs.)
(0-Maximum)Maximum
frontal area of
trailer - m
2
(ft2)
Regular Van E-250 HD (3 901 kg [8 600 lb.]-3 924 kg [8 650 lb.]
GVW)
4.2L 4.094 990
(11 000)2 586 (5 700) 5.52 (60)
5.4L 3.735 897
(13 000)3 402 (7 500) 5.52 (60)
Super Van E-250
4.2L 3.734 763
(10 500)2 313 (5 100) 5.52 (60)
5.4L 3.735 897
(13 000)3 357 (7 400) 5.52 (60)
Super Van E-250 HD (3 901 kg [8 600 lb.]-3 924 kg [8 650 lb.]
GVW)
4.2L 4.094 990
(11 000)2 540 (5 600) 5.52 (60)
5.4L 3.735 897
(13 000)3 356 (7 400) 5.52 (60)
Regular Van E-350
5.4L 3.555 443
(12 000)2 948 (6 500) 5.52 (60)
5.4L 4.105 897
(13 000)3 402 (7 500) 5.52 (60)
6.8L 3.736 804
(15 000)4 218 (9 300) 5.52 (60)
6.8L 4.108 392
(18 500)4 536 (10 000) 5.52 (60)
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GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer Weights
EngineRear
axle
ratioMaximum
GCWR - kg
(lbs.)Trailer weight
range - kg
(lbs.)
(0-Maximum)Maximum
frontal area of
trailer - m
2
(ft2)
Super Van E-350
5.4L 3.555 443
(12 000)2 858 (6 300) 5.52 (60)
5.4L 4.105 897
(13 000)3 311 (7 300) 5.52 (60)
6.8L 3.736 804
(15 000)4 173 (9 200) 5.52 (60)
6.8L 4.108 392
(18 500)4 536 (10 000) 5.52 (60)
E-150 8 passenger Wagon
4.2L 3.554 536
(10 000)2 132 (4 700) 5.52 (60)
4.6L 3.555 216
(11 500)2 767 (6 100) 5.52 (60)
5.4L 3.555 443
(12 000)2 948 (6 500) 5.52 (60)
E-350 7 passenger Wagon
5.4L 3.735 443
(12 000)2 812 (6 200) 5.52 (60)
6.8L 3.736 804
(15 000)3 992 (8 800) 5.52 (60)
6.8L 4.108 392
(18 500)4 536 (10 000) 5.52 (60)
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GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer Weights
EngineRear
axle
ratioMaximum
GCWR - kg
(lbs.)Trailer weight
range - kg
(lbs.)
(0-Maximum)Maximum
frontal area of
trailer - m
2
(ft2)
E-350 8 passenger Wagon
5.4L 3.735 443
(12 000)2 858 (6 300) 5.52 (60)
6.8L 3.736 804
(15 000)4 037 (8 900) 5.52 (60)
6.8L 4.108 392
(18 500)4 536 (10 000) 5.52 (60)
E-350 12 passenger Wagon
5.4L 3.555 443
(12 000)2 722 (6 000) 5.52 (60)
5.4L 4.105 897
(13 000)3 175 (7 000) 5.52 (60)
5.4L 3.735 443
(12 000)2 812 (6 200) 5.52 (60)
6.8L 3.736 804
(15 000)4 037 (8 900) 5.52 (60)
6.8L 4.108 392
(18 500)4 536 (10 000) 5.52 (60)
Super E-350 15 passenger Wagon
5.4L 3.555 443
(12 000)2 586 (5 700) 5.52 (60)
5.4L 4.105 897
(13 000)3 039 (6 700) 5.52 (60)
6.8L 3.736 804
(15 000)3 901 (8 600) 5.52 (60)
6.8L 4.108 392
(18 500)4 536 (10 000) 5.52 (60)
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GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)/Trailer Weights
EngineRear
axle
ratioMaximum
GCWR - kg
(lbs.)Trailer weight
range - kg
(lbs.)
(0-Maximum)Maximum
frontal area of
trailer - m
2
(ft2)
E-350 Cutaway (dual rear wheel)
5.4L 4.105 897
(13 000)* 5.52 (60)
6.8L 4.108 392
(18 500)* 5.52 (60)
E-450 Cutaway (dual rear wheel)
6.8L 4.639 072
(20 000)* 5.52 (60)
E-250/350 Stripped Chassis (single rear wheel-124(wheelbase
for E-250 only)
4.2L 4.094 990
(11 000)1 090 (2 400) 5.52 (60)
5.4L 4.105 897
(13 000)1 542 (3 400) 5.52 (60)
E-350 Stripped Chassis (dual rear wheel)
5.4L 4.105 897
(13 000)1 361 (3 000) 5.52 (60)
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