Exceeding any vehicle weight rating limitation could result in
serious damage to the vehicle and/or personal injury.
Steps for determining the correct load limit:
1. Locate the statement“The combined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX pounds”on your vehicle’s placard.
2. Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will
be riding in your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from XXX
kilograms or XXX pounds.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity. For example, if the“XXX”amount equals 1,400 lb. and
there will be five 150 lb. passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity is 650 lb. (1400–750 (5 x
150) = 650 lb.).
5. Determine the combined weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on
the vehicle. That weight may not safely exceed the available cargo and
luggage load capacity calculated in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer will be
transferred to your vehicle. Consult this manual to determine how this
reduces the available cargo and luggage load capacity of your vehicle.
The following gives you a few examples on how to calculate the available
amount of cargo and luggage load capacity:
•An example for your vehicle with 1400 lb. (636 kg) of cargo and
luggage capacity. You decide to go golfing. You and your friends
average 220 lb. (100 kg) each and the golf bags weigh approximately
30 lb. (14 kg) each. Is there enough load capacity to carry you, 4 of
your friends and all the golf bags? The calculation would be: 1400–(5
x 220)–(5 x 30) = 1400–1100–150 = 150 lb. Metric conversion;
636 kg–(5 x 100)–(5 x 14) = 636–570 = 66 kg. Yes, you have
enough load capacity in your vehicle to transport 4 of your friends and
golf bags.
•Another example for your vehicle with 1400 lb. (636 kg) of cargo and
luggage capacity. You and one of your friends decide to pick up
cement from the local home improvement store to finish that patio
you have been planning for the past 2 years. Measuring the inside of
the vehicle with the rear seat folded down, you have room for 12-100
lb. (45 kg) bags of cement. Do you have enough load capacity to
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transport the cement to your home? If you and your friend each
weighed 220 lb. (100 kg), the calculation would be: 1400–(2 x 220)–
(12 x 100) = 1400–440–1200 =–40 lb. Metric conversion; 636 kg–
(2 x 100)–(12 x 45) = 636–200–540 =–104 kg. No, you do not
have enough cargo capacity to carry that much weight. You will need
to reduce the load weight by at least 240 lb. (104 kg). If you remove
3-100 lb. (45 kg) cement bags, then the load calculation would be:
1400–(2 x 220)–(9 x 100) = 1400–440–900 = 60 lb. Metric
conversion; 636 kg–(2 x 100)–(9 x 45) = 636–200–405 = 31 kg.
Now you have the load capacity to transport the cement and your friend
home.
The above calculations also assume that the loads are positioned in your
vehicle in a manner that does not overload the Front or the Rear Gross
Axle Weight Rating specified for your vehicle on the Certification label
found on the driver’s door.
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 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 can 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.
TRAILER TOWING
Your vehicle may tow a class I, II, III or IV 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.
If your vehicle is not equipped with a heavy-duty trailer towing package,
the maximum weight your vehicle can tow is limited to 5,000 lb.
(2,268 kg)
Your vehicle’s load capacity is designated by weight, not by volume, so
you cannot necessarily use all available space when loading a vehicle.
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