2007 KIA Spectra weight

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Refer to your vehicle's tire and load-
ing information label for specific
information about your vehicle's
capacity weight and seating posi-
tions. The combined weight of the
driver, passengers and cargo should
never exceed your vehicle's capacity
weight.
Vehicle certificationThe vehicle certification label is
located on the driver's door sill.
This label shows the maximum
allowable weight of the fully loaded
vehicle. This is called the GVWR
(Gross Vehicle Weight Rating). The
GVWR includes the weight of the
vehicle, all occupants, fuel and
cargo. This label also tells you the maxi-
mum weight that can be supported
by the front and rear axles, called
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR).
To find out the actual loads on your
front and rear axles, you need to go
to a weigh station and weigh your
vehicle. Your dealer can help you with
this. Be sure to spread out your load
equally on both sides of the center-
line.
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The label will help you decide how
much cargo and installed equipment
your vehicle can carry.
If you carry items inside your vehicle
- like suitcases, tools, packages, or
anything else - they are moving as
fast as the vehicle. If you have to stop
or turn quickly, or if there is a crash,
the items will keep going and can
cause an injury if they strike the driv-
er or a passenger.
WARNING -
Over loading
 Never exceed the GVWR for your vehicle, the GAWR for
either the front or rear axle
and vehicle capacity weight.
Exceeding these ratings can
cause an accident or vehicle
damage. You can calculate the
weight of your load by weigh-
ing the items (or people)
before putting them in the
vehicle. Be careful not to over-
load your vehicle.
 If you overload your vehicle, the tires can suddenly and
without warning fail. The over-
loading can also make your
vehicle unstable and dramati-
cally increase braking dis-
tance. This could cause you to
lose control and crash.
WARNING -
Loose cargo
Items you carry inside your
vehicle can strike and injure
occupants in a sudden stop or
sharp turn, or in a crash.
 Put items in the trunk of your vehicle. Try to spread the
weight evenly.
 Never stack items, like suit- cases, inside the occupant
compartment.
 Do not leave an unsecured child restraint in your vehicle,
since it can injure occupants
in a crash.
 When you carry something inside the vehicle, secure it.
CAUTION
 Overloading your vehicle may cause damage. Repairs wouldnot be covered by your war-ranty. Do not overload yourvehicle.
 Using heavier suspension components to get addeddurability might not changeyour weight ratings. Ask yourdealer to help you load yourvehicle the right way.ignored.

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WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLEThis section will guide you in the
proper loading of your vehicle and/or
trailer, to keep your loaded vehicle
weight within its design rating capa-
bility, with or without a trailer.
Properly loading your vehicle will
provide maximum return of the vehi-
cle design performance. Before load-
ing your vehicle, familiarize yourself
with the following terms for determin-
ing your vehicle's weight ratings, with
or without a trailer, from the vehicle's
specifications and the compliance
label:
Base curb weight
This is the weight of the vehicle
including a full tank of fuel and all
standard equipment. It does not
include passengers, cargo, or option-
al equipment.
Vehicle curb weight
This is the weight of your new vehicle
when you picked it up from your deal-
er plus any aftermarket equipment.
Cargo weight
This figure includes all weight added
to the Base Curb Weight, including
cargo and optional equipment. GAW (Gross axle weight)
This is the total weight placed on
each axle (front and rear) - including
vehicle curb weight and all payload.
GAWR (Gross axle weight rating)This is the maximum allowable
weight that can be carried by a single
axle (front or rear). These numbers
are shown on the vehicle certification
label.
The total load on each axle must
never exceed its GAWR.
GVW (Gross vehicle weight)
This is the Base Curb Weight plus
actual Cargo Weight plus passen-
gers.
GVWR (Gross vehicle weight rating)
This is the maximum allowable
weight of the fully loaded vehicle
(including all options, equipment,
passengers and cargo). The GVWR
is shown on the vehicle certification
label located on the driver’s door sill.
GCW (Gross combined weight)
This is the weight of the loaded vehi-
cle (GVW) plus the weight of the fully
loaded trailer.
GCWR (Gross combined weight
rating)
This is the maximum allowable
weight of the vehicle and the loaded
trailer - including all cargo and pas-
sengers - that the vehicle can handle
without risking damage. (Important :
The towing vehicle's braking system
is rated for operation at GVWR, not
GCWR. Separate functional brakes
should be used for safe control of
towed vehicles and for trailers weigh-
ing an 340kg (750 lbs).) The GCW
must never exceed the GCWR.
Maximum trailer weight
This is the highest possible weight of
a fully loaded trailer the vehicle can
tow. It assumes a vehicle with only
mandatory options, no cargo, and a
driver. The weight of other optional
equipment, passengers and cargo in
your vehicle will reduce the maxi-
mum trailer weight your vehicle can
tow.

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Calculating the load your vehicle
can tow
1. Use the appropriate maximumGCWR chart (in the Weight of the
Trailer section in this chapter) for
your type of drive system and
transmission.
2. Weigh your vehicle.
3. Subtract the weight of your vehicle from the maximum GCWR in the
chart. This is the maximum trailer
weight your vehicle can tow. It
must be below the maximum trail-
er weight shown in the chart. Note
that the maximum trailer weight
your vehicle can tow depends on
the total weight of any cargo, pas-
sengers and available equipment
in the vehicle. To identify what the vehicle trailering
capacity is for your vehicle, you
should read the information in
“Weight of the Trailer” that appears
later in this section. Remember that
trailering is different than just driving
your vehicle by itself. Trailering caus-
es major changes in handling, dura-
bility, and fuel economy. Successful,
safe trailering requires correct equip-
ment, and cautious driving.
WARNING
- Towing a
trailer
If you don't use the correct
equipment or you drive improp-
erly, you can lose control when
you pull a trailer. For example, if
the trailer is too heavy, the
brakes may fail, and would at
least be ineffective to promptly
stop the vehicle. You and your
passenger could be seriously or
fatally injured. We do not recom-
mend towing a trailer. However,
in the event there is a need to
tow a trailer, such as in an emer-
gency, follow all the steps in this
section.
Item Specification
Maximum trailer Without trailer brakes 340 (750)
weight kg (lbs.) With trailer brakes 680 (1500)
TRAILER TOWING
CAUTION
Pulling a trailer improperly can
damage your vehicle and resultin costly repairs not covered byyour warranty.

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This section contains many time-
tested, important trailering tips and
safety rules. Many of these are
important for your safety and that of
your passengers. Please read this
section carefully before you pull a
trailer.
Load-pulling components such as
the engine, transaxle, wheel assem-
blies, and tires are forced to work
harder against the load of the added
weight. The engine is required to
operate at relatively higher speeds
and under greater loads. This addi-
tional burden generates extra heat
which creates more wear in engine,
and a shortened engine life. The trail-
er also adds considerably to wind
resistance, increasing the pulling
requirements.
If you do decide to pull a trailerHere are some important points if
you decide to pull a trailer:
 Consider using a sway control. You
can ask a hitch dealer about sway
control.
 After your odometer indicates 800 km (500 miles) or more, you can
tow a trailer. For the first 800 km
(500 miles) that you tow a trailer,
don’t drive over 80 km/h (50 mph)
and don’t make starts at full throt-
tle. This helps your engine and
other parts of your vehicle “wear” in
at the heavier loads.
 Always drive your vehicle at a mod- erate speed (less than 100 km/h
(60 mph)).
 The important considerations have to do with weight: Weight of the trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be? It
should never weigh more than the
maximum trailer weight with trailer
brakes. But even that can be too
heavy.
If you feel that the trailer is adversely
affecting the movement of your vehi-
cle, reduce your speed, avoid
uneven or winding roads, avoid
roads with steep grades, and/or light-
en your trailer load.

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Weight of the trailer tongue
The tongue load of any trailer is an
important weight to measure
because it affects the total gross
vehicle weight (GVW) of your vehicle
since that is the trailer weight push-
ing down on the hitch on your vehi-
cle. The rest of the trailer weight is
sitting on the trailer's wheels.
The trailer tongue should weigh a
maximum of 10% of the total loaded
trailer weight.
After you've loaded the trailer, go to a
Weigh Station and weigh the trailer
and then the tongue, separately, to
see if the weights are proper. If they
aren’t, you may be able to correct
them simply by moving some items
around in the trailer.
Hitches It's important to have the correct
hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large
trucks going by, and rough roads are
a few reasons why you’ll need the
right hitch. Here are some rules to
follow:
 Do not attach a trailer hitch whichrequires you to alter other parts on
your vehicle.
 Never make a hole in your vehicle to accommodate a hitch.
 The bumpers on your vehicle are not intended for hitches. Do not
attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use
only a frame-mounted hitch that
does not attach to the bumper.
WARNING
- Trailer bal-
ance
 Never load a trailer with more weight in the rear than in the
front. The front should be
loaded with approximately
60% of the total trailer load;
the rear should be loaded with
approximately 40% of the total
trailer load.
 Never exceed the maximum weight limits of the trailer or
trailer towing equipment.
Improper loading can result in
damage to your vehicle and/or
personal injury. Check weights
and loading at a commercial
scale or highway patrol office
equipped with scales.
 An improperly loaded trailer can cause loss of vehicle con-
trol.

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Safety chains You should always attach chains
between your vehicle and your trail-
er. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer so that the
tongue will not drop to the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may
be provided by the hitch manufactur-
er or by the trailer manufacturer.
Follow the manufacturer’s recom-
mendation for attaching safety
chains. Always leave just enough
slack so you can turn with your trail-
er. And, never allow safety chains to
drag on the ground.
Trailer brakes If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum weight for a trailer without
brakes, then the trailer needs its own
brakes. You must consult with a
knowledgeable and reputable trailer
vendor to determine which brake
equipped trailer is right for your
needs. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly.
Driving with a trailer Towing a trailer requires experience.
You must gain that experience slow-
ly and carefully which practicing with
an unloaded or lightly loaded trailer.
Before setting out for the open road,
you must get to know your trailer.
Acquaint yourself with the feel of
handling and braking with the trailer.
And always keep in mind that the
vehicle you are driving is now a good
deal longer and not nearly so
responsive as your vehicle is by
itself.
Before you start, check the trailer
hitch and platform, safety chains,
electrical connector(s), lights, tires
and mirror adjustment. If the trailer
has electric brakes, start your vehicle
and trailer moving and then apply the
trailer brake controller by hand to be
sure the brakes are working. This lets
you check your electrical connection
at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally
to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lights and any trailer
brakes are still working.
WARNING
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolute-
ly certain that you have properly
set up the brake system. This is
not a task for amateurs. Use an
experienced, competent trailer
shop for this work.

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TIRES AND WHEELS Tire care For proper maintenance, safety, and
maximum fuel economy, you must
always maintain recommended tire
inflation pressures and stay within
the load limits and weight distribution
recommended for your vehicle.Recommended cold tire infla-
tion pressures All tire pressures (including the
spare) should be checked every day
when the tires are cold. “Cold Tires”
means the vehicle has not been driv-
en for at least three hours or driven
less than 1.6 km (one mile).
Recommended pressures must be
maintained for the best ride, top vehi-
cle handling, and minimum tire wear. All specifications (sizes and pres-
sures) can be found on a label
attached to the vehicle.
1LDN6001
WARNING -
Tire underin-
flation
Severe underinflation (70 kPa
(10 psi) or more) can lead to
severe heat build-up, causing
blowouts, tread separation and
other tire failures that can result
in the loss of vehicle control
leading to severe injury or
death. This risk is much higher
on hot days and when driving
for protracted periods at high
speeds.
CAUTION
Underinflation also results in excessive wear, poor handlingand reduced fuel economy.Wheel deformation also ispossible. Keep your tire pres-sures at the proper levels. If atire frequently needs refilling,have it checked by anAuthorized Kia Dealer.
Overinflation produces a harsh ride, excessive wear atthe center of the tire tread, anda greater possibility of dam-age from road hazards.