Vehicle loading
Properly loading your vehicle will provide maximum return of vehicle design performance.
Before loading your vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms for determining your vehicle's weight
ratings, with or without a trailer, from the vehicle's Federal/Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards
(FMVSS/CMVSS) label, and the vehicle's tire information placard:
Curb weight
The weight of the vehicle including a full tank of fuel and all standard equipment. It does not include passengers,
cargo, or optional equipment.
Capacity weight
All weight added to the curb weight, including cargo and optional equipment. When towing, trailer hitch tongue load
is also part of cargo weight.
NOTE
For trailer towing information, please refer to the section "Towing a trailer" on page 155
.
Permissible axle weight
The maximum allowable weight that can be carried by a single axle (front or rear). These numbers are shown on the
Federal/Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS/CMVSS) label. The total load on each axle must never
exceed its maximum permissible weight.
Gross vehicle weight (GVW)
The vehicle's curb weight + cargo + passengers.
NOTE
The location of the various labels in your vehicle can be found on page 252.
A table listing important weight limits for your vehicle can be found on page 255.
Steps for Determining 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 1400 lbs. and there will be five 150 lb. passengers in your vehicle, the amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 650 lbs. (1400-750 (5 x 150) = 650 lbs.)
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
1 to determine how this reduces the available
1See "Towing a trailer" on page 155.
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