Tire Loading And Tire
Pressure
Tire And Loading Information
Placard Location
NOTE: The proper cold tire in-
flation pressure is listed on the
driver’s side B-Pillar or the rear
edge of the driver's side door.Tire And Loading Information
Placard
This placard tells you important
information about the:
1) number of people that can be
carried in the vehicle
2) total weight your vehicle can
carry
3) tire size designed for your ve-
hicle
4) cold tire inflation pressures for
the front, rear, and spare tires.
Loading
The vehicle maximum load on the tire
must not exceed the load carrying ca-
pacity of the tire on your vehicle. You
will not exceed the tire's load carrying
capacity if you adhere to the loading
conditions, tire size, and cold tire in-
flation pressures specified on the Tire
and Loading Information placard and
in the “Vehicle Loading” section of
this manual. NOTE:
Under a maximum loaded
vehicle condition, gross axle weight
ratings (GAWRs) for the front and
rear axles must not be exceeded.
For further information on GAWRs,
vehicle loading, and trailer towing,
refer to “Vehicle Loading” in this
section.
To determine the maximum loading
conditions of your vehicle, locate the
statement “The combined weight of
occupants and cargo should never ex-
ceed XXX lbs or XXX kg” on the Tire
and Loading Information placard.
The combined weight of occupants,
cargo/luggage and trailer tongue
weight (if applicable) should never
exceed the weight referenced here.
Tire Placard Location
225
Steps For Determining Correct
Load Limit
1. Locate the statement “The com-
bined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXX lbs or
XXX kg” 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 lbs or XXX kg.
4. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and lug-
gage load capacity. For example, if
“XXX” amount equals 1,400 lbs
(635 kg) and there will be five 150 lb
(68 kg) passengers in your vehicle,
the amount of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is 650 lbs
(295 kg) (since 5 x 150 = 750, and
1400 – 750 = 650 lbs [295 kg]).5. Determine the combined weight of
luggage and cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and lug-
gage 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 lug-
gage load capacity of your vehicle.
NOTE:
The following table shows ex-
amples on how to calculate total
load, cargo/luggage, and towing
capacities of your vehicle with
varying seating configurations
and number and size of occu-
pants. This table is for illustration
purposes only and may not be ac-
curate for the seating and load
carry capacity of your vehicle. For the following example, the
combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
865 lbs (392 kg).
226
EMERGENCY FUEL
FILLER DOOR RELEASE
If you are unable to open the fuel filler
door, use the fuel filler door emer-
gency release.
1. Open the trunk.
2. Remove the access cover (located
on the left side inner trim panel).
3. Pull the release cable.TRAILER TOWING
In this section you will find safety tips
and information on limits to the type
of towing you can reasonably do with
your vehicle. Before towing a trailer,
carefully review this information to
tow your load as efficiently and safely
as possible.
To maintain warranty coverage, fol-
low the requirements and recommen-
dations in this manual concerning
vehicles used for trailer towing.
COMMON TOWING
DEFINITIONS
The following trailer towing related
definitions will assist you in under-
standing the following information:
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR)
The GVWR is the total allowable
weight of your vehicle. This includes
driver, passengers, cargo and tongue
weight. The total load must be limited
so that you do not exceed the GVWR.
Refer to “Vehicle Loading/Vehicle
Certification Label” in “Starting and
Operating” for further information.Gross Trailer Weight (GTW)
The GTW is the weight of the trailer
plus the weight of all cargo, consum-
ables and equipment (permanent or
temporary) loaded in or on the trailer
in its "loaded and ready for opera-
tion" condition. The recommended
way to measure GTW is to put your
fully loaded trailer on a vehicle scale.
The entire weight of the trailer must
be supported by the scale.
Gross Combination Weight Rating
(GCWR)
The GCWR is the total permissible
weight of your vehicle and trailer
when weighed in combination.
NOTE:
The GCWR rating in-
cludes a 68 kg allowance for the
presence of a driver.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
The GAWR is the maximum capacity
of the front and rear axles. Distribute
the load over the front and rear axles
evenly. Make sure that you do not
exceed either front or rear GAWR.
Access CoverRelease Cable
242
Refer to “Vehicle Loading/Vehicle
Certification Label” in “Starting and
Operating” for further information.WARNING!
It is important that you do not ex-
ceed the maximum front or rear
GAWR. A dangerous driving condi-
tion can result if either rating is
exceeded. You could lose control of
the vehicle and have a collision.
Tongue Weight (TW)
The tongue weight is the downward
force exerted on the hitch ball by the
trailer. In most cases, it should not be
less than 7% or more than 10% of the
trailer load. Tongue weight must not
exceed the lesser of either the hitch
certification rating, or the trailer
tongue chassis rating. It should never
be less than 4% of the trailer load, and
not less than 25 kg. You must consider
tongue load as part of the load on your
vehicle and its GAWR. Frontal Area
The frontal area is the maximum
height multiplied by the maximum
width of the front of a trailer.
Trailer Sway Control
The trailer sway control can be a me-
chanical telescoping link that can be
installed between the hitch receiver
and the trailer tongue that typically
provides adjustable friction associ-
ated with the telescoping motion to
dampen any unwanted trailer sway-
ing motions while traveling.
If equipped, the electronic Trailer
Sway Control (TSC) recognizes a
swaying trailer and automatically ap-
plies individual wheel brakes and/or
reduces engine power to attempt to
eliminate the trailer sway.
Weight-Carrying Hitch
A weight-carrying hitch supports the
trailer tongue weight, just as if it were
luggage located at a hitch ball or some
other connecting point of the vehicle.
These kinds of hitches are the mostpopular on the market today and they
are commonly used to tow small- and
medium-sized trailers.
Weight-Distributing Hitch
A weight-distributing system works
by applying leverage through spring
(load) bars. They are typically used
for heavier loads to distribute trailer
tongue weight to the tow vehicle's
front axle and the trailer axle(s).
When used in accordance with the
manufacturer's directions, it provides
for a more level ride, offering more
consistent steering and brake control
thereby enhancing towing safety. The
addition of a friction / hydraulic sway
control also dampens sway caused by
traffic and crosswinds and contrib-
utes positively to tow vehicle and
trailer stability. Trailer sway control
and a weight distributing (load equal-
izing) hitch are recommended for
heavier Tongue Weights (TW) and
may be required depending on vehicle
and trailer configuration / loading to
comply with Gross Axle Weight Rat-
ing (GAWR) requirements.
243
TRAILER TOWING WEIGHTS (MAXIMUM TRAILER WEIGHT RATINGS)
The following chart provides the maximum trailer weight ratings towable for your given drivetrain.
Engine/TransmissionFrontal AreaMax. GTW
(Gross Trailer Wt.) Max. Tongue Wt.
(See Note)
3.6L Automatic 2.04 sq m 1 725 kg86 kg
3.0L Diesel Automatic 2.97 sq m 1 996 kg100 kg
Refer to local laws for maximum trailer towing speeds
NOTE: The trailer tongue weight must be considered as part of the combined weight of occupants and cargo,
and it should never exceed the weight referenced on the “Tire and Loading Information” placard. Refer to
“Tire Safety Information” in “Starting and Operating” for further information.
TRAILER AND TONGUE
WEIGHT
Always load a trailer with 60% to
65% of the weight in the front of the
trailer. This places 5% of the Gross
Trailer Weight (GTW) on the tow
hitch of your vehicle. Loads balanced
over the wheels or heavier in the rear
can cause the trailer to sway severely
side to side which will cause loss of
control of the vehicle and trailer. Fail-
ure to load trailers heavier in front is
the cause of many trailer collisions.
Never exceed the maximum tongue
weight stamped on your bumper or
trailer hitch. Consider the following items when
computing the weight on the rear axle
of the vehicle:
The tongue weight of the trailer.
The weight of any other type of
cargo or equipment put in or on
your vehicle. The weight of the driver and all
passengers.
NOTE: Remember that every-
thing put into or on the trailer adds
to the load on your vehicle. Also,
additional factory-installed op-
tions or dealer-installed options
must be considered as part of the
total load on your vehicle. Refer to
the “Tire and Loading Informa-
tion” placard for the maximum
combined weight of occupants and
cargo for your vehicle.
245
TOWING REQUIREMENTS
To promote proper break-in of your
new vehicle drivetrain components
the following guidelines are recom-
mended:CAUTION!
Do not tow a trailer at all duringthe first 805 km the new vehicle is
driven. The engine, axle or other
parts could be damaged.
Then, during the first 805 km
that a trailer is towed, do not
drive over 80 km/h and do not
make starts at full throttle. This
helps the engine and other parts
of the vehicle wear in at the
heavier loads.WARNING!
Improper towing can lead to an in-
jury collision. Follow these guide-
lines to make your trailer towing as
safe as possible:
(Continued)
WARNING!(Continued)
Make certain that the load is se- cured in the trailer and it will not
shift during travel. When traile-
ring cargo that is not fully se-
cured, dynamic load shifts can
occur that may be difficult for the
driver to control. You could lose
control of your vehicle and have a
collision.
When hauling cargo or towing a trailer, do not overload your ve-
hicle or trailer. Overloading can
cause a loss of control, poor per-
formance, or damage to brakes,
axle, engine, transmission, steer-
ing, suspension, chassis structure,
or tires.
Safety chains must always be used
between your vehicle and trailer.
Always connect the chains to the
frame or hook retainers of the ve-
hicle hitch. Cross the chains under
the trailer tongue and allow
enough slack for turning corners.
(Continued)
WARNING! (Continued)
Vehicles with trailers should not be parked on a grade. When
parking, apply the parking brake
on the tow vehicle. Put the tow
vehicle automatic transmission in
PARK. Always, block or "chock"
the trailer wheels.
GCWR must not be exceeded.
Total weight must be distrib-
uted between the tow vehicle
and the trailer such that the
following four ratings are not
exceeded:
1. Max loading as defined on the
“Tire and Loading Information”
placard.
2. GTW
3. GAWR
4.
Tongue weight rating for the
trailer hitch utilized. (This re-
quirement may limit the ability to
always achieve the 10% to 15%
range of tongue weight as a per-
centage of total trailer weight.)
246
Towing Requirements – Tires
– Do not attempt to tow a trailerwhile using a compact spare tire.
– Proper tire inflation pressures are essential to the safe and satisfactory
operation of your vehicle. Refer to
“Tires – General Information” in
“Starting and Operating” for infor-
mation on tire pressures and for
proper tire inflation procedures.
–Check the trailer tires for proper tire
inflation pressures before trailer
usage.– Check for signs of tire wear or vis- ible tire damage before towing a
trailer. Refer to “Tires – General
Information” in “Starting and Op-
erating” for information on tread
wear indicators and for the proper
inspection procedure.
– When replacing tires, refer to “Tires – General Information” in “Start-
ing and Operating” for information
on replacement tires and for the
proper tire replacement proce-
dures. Replacing tires with a higher
load carrying capacity will not in-
crease the vehicle's GVWR and
GAWR limits. Towing Requirements – Trailer
Brakes
– Do
notinterconnect the hydraulic
brake system or vacuum system of
your vehicle with that of the trailer.
This could cause inadequate brak-
ing and possible personal injury.
–
An electronically actuated trailer
brake controller is required when
towing a trailer with electronically
actuated brakes. When towing a
trailer equipped with a hydraulic
surge actuated brake system, an
electronic brake controller is not
required.–Trailer brakes are recommended for
trailers over 454 kg and required for
trailers in excess of 907 kg.CAUTION!
If the trailer weighs more than
454 kg loaded, it should have its
own brakes, and they should be of
adequate capacity. Failure to do
this could lead to accelerated brake
wear, higher brake pedal effort, and
longer stopping distances.
WARNING!
Do not connect trailer brakes to your vehicle's hydraulic brake
lines. It can overload your brake
system and cause it to fail. You
might not have brakes when you
need them and could have a col-
lision.
Towing any trailer will increase
your stopping distance. When
towing, you should allow for addi-
tional space between your vehicle
and the vehicle in front of you.
Failure to do so could result in a
collision.
Towing Requirements – Trailer
Lights And Wiring
Whenever you pull a trailer, regard-
less of the trailer size, stoplights and
turn signals on the trailer are required
for motoring safety.
The Trailer Tow Package may include
a 7-pin or a 13-pin wiring harness.
Use a factory approved trailer harness
and connector.
247
Pin
Number Function Wire
Color
5 Right Rear Position,
Side Marker
Lights, and
Rear Regis-
tration Plate
Illumination
Device. b Brown
6 Stoplights Red
7 Left Rear Position,
Side Marker
Lights, and
Rear Regis-
tration Plate
Illumination
Device. b Black
8 Reverse lights Red/ Black
9
Permanent
Power Supply
(+12V)
Brown/
White
10
Power Supply
Controlled
by Ignition
Switch (+12V)
Red
Pin
Number Function Wire
Color
11 a Return for Contact
(Pin) 10 White
12 Reserve for Future Allo-
cation Red/
Blue
13 a Return for Contact
(Pin) 9 White
Note: The allocation pin 12 has
been changed from “Coding for
coupled Trailer” to “Reserve for
Future Allocation.”
a The three return circuits shall not
be connected electrically in the
trailer.
b The rear position registration
plate illumination device shall be
connected such that no light of the
device has a common connection
with both pins 5 and 7. TOWING TIPS
Before setting out on a trip, practice
turning, stopping, and backing up the
trailer in an area located away from
heavy traffic.
Automatic Transmission
The DRIVE range can be selected
when towing. The transmission con-
trols include an adaptive drive strat-
egy to avoid frequent shifting when
towing. However, if frequent shifting
does occur while in DRIVE, use
the AutoStick® shift control (for
versions/markets, where provided) to
manually select a lower gear.
NOTE: Selecting a lower gear
while operating the vehicle under
heavy loading conditions will im-
prove performance and extend
transmission life by reducing ex-
cessive shifting and heat buildup.
This action will also provide better
engine braking.
249