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WARNING
The appropriate loading capacity
of your vehicle can be limited
either by volume capacity (how much
space is available) or by payload
capacity (how much weight the vehicle
should carry). Once you have reached
the maximum payload of your vehicle,
do not add more cargo, even if there
is space available. Overloading or
improperly loading your vehicle can
contribute to loss of vehicle control
and vehicle rollover. Example only:
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Cargo Weight - includes all weight
added to the Base Curb Weight,
including cargo and optional
equipment. When towing, trailer
tongue load or king pin weight is also
part of cargo weight.
GAW (Gross Axle Weight) - is the total
weight placed on each axle (front and
rear) including vehicle curb weight and
all payload. GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) -
is the maximum allowable weight that
can be carried by a single axle (front
or rear). These numbers are shown on
the Safety Compliance Certification
Label. The label shall be affixed to
either the door hinge pillar, door-latch
post, or the door edge that meets the
door-latch post, next to the driver's
seating position.
The total load on
each axle must never exceed its
Gross Axle Weight Rating.
Note: For trailer towing information
refer to the RV and Trailer Towing
Guide available at an authorized
dealer. 216
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GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) - is the
Vehicle Curb Weight, plus cargo, plus
passengers.
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
-
is the maximum allowable weight of
the fully loaded vehicle (including all
options, equipment, passengers and
cargo). It is shown on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label. The label shall be affixed to either the door
hinge pillar, door-latch post, or the
door edge that meets the door-latch
post, next to the driver's seating
position. The Gross Vehicle Weight
must never exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating.
Example only: 217
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WARNING
Exceeding the Safety
Compliance Certification Label
vehicle weight rating limits could result
in substandard vehicle handling or
performance, engine, transmission
and/or structural damage, serious
damage to the vehicle, loss of control
and personal injury. GCW (Gross Combined Weight) - is
the Gross Vehicle Weight plus the
weight of the fully loaded trailer.
GCWR (Gross Combined Weight
Rating) -
is the maximum allowable
weight of the vehicle and the loaded
trailer, including all cargo and
passengers, that the vehicle can
handle without risking damage.
(Important: The towing vehicle ’s
braking system is rated for operation
at Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, not at
Gross Combined Weight Rating.)
Separate functional brakes should be
used for safe control of towed vehicles
and for trailers where the Gross
Combined Weight of the towing
vehicle plus the trailer exceed the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating of the
towing vehicle. The Gross Combined
Weight must never exceed the Gross
Combined Weight Rating. Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight -
is
the highest possible weight of a fully
loaded trailer the vehicle can tow. It
assumes a vehicle with mandatory
options, driver and front passenger
weight (150 pounds [68 kilograms]
each), no cargo weight (internal or
external) and a tongue load of 10–15%
(conventional trailer) or king pin weight
of 15–25% (fifth wheel trailer). Consult
an authorized dealer (or the RV and
Trailer Towing Guide available at an
authorized dealer) for more detailed
information.
Tongue Load or Fifth Wheel King Pin
Weight -
refers to the amount of the
weight that a trailer pushes down on
a trailer hitch.
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GVW
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Examples: For a 5000 pound (2268
kilogram) conventional trailer, multiply
5000 by 0.10 and 0.15 to obtain a
proper tongue load range of 500 to
750 pounds (227 to 340 kilograms).
For an 11500 pound (5216 kilogram)
fifth wheel trailer, multiply by 0.15 and
0.25 to obtain a proper king pin load
range of 1725 to 2875 pounds (782 to
1304 kilograms). WARNINGS
Do not exceed the GVWR or the
GAWR specified on the Safety
Compliance Certification Label. Do not use replacement tires
with lower load carrying
capacities than the original tires
because they may lower the vehicle ’s
GVWR and GAWR limitations.
Replacement tires with a higher limit
than the original tires do not increase
the GVWR and GAWR limitations. 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
kg or XXX lb." 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 kg or XXX lb.
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:
*Suppose your vehicle has a
1400-pound (635-kilogram) cargo and
luggage capacity. You decide to go
golfing. Is there enough load capacity
to carry you, four of your friends and
all the golf bags? You and four friends
average 220 pounds (99 kilograms)
each and the golf bags weigh
approximately 30 pounds (13.5
kilograms) each. The calculation would
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be: 1400 - (5 x 220) - (5 x 30) = 1400 -
1100 - 150 = 150 pounds. Yes, you
have enough load capacity in your
vehicle to transport four friends and
your golf bags. In metric units, the
calculation would be: 635 kilograms -
(5 x 99 kilograms) - (5 x 13.5 kilograms)
= 635 - 495 - 67.5 = 72.5 kilograms.
*Suppose your vehicle has a
1400-pound (635-kilogram) 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 two years.
Measuring the inside of the vehicle
with the rear seat folded down, you
have room for twelve 100-pound
(45-kilogram) bags of cement. Do you
have enough load capacity to
transport the cement to your home?
If you and your friend each weigh 220
pounds (99 kilograms), the calculation
would be: 1400 - (2 x 220) - (12 x 100)
= 1400 - 440 - 1200 = - 240 pounds.
No, you do not have enough cargo
capacity to carry that much weight. In
metric units, the calculation would be:
635 kilograms - (2 x 99 kilograms) -
(12 x 45 kilograms) = 635 - 198 - 540
= -103 kilograms. You will need to
reduce the load weight by at least 240
pounds (104 kilograms). If you remove
three 100-pound (45-kilogram) cement
bags, then the load calculation would
be: 1400 - (2 x 220) - (9 x 100) = 1400
- 440 - 900 = 60 pounds. Now you
have the load capacity to transport the
cement and your friend home. In
metric units, the calculation would be:
635 kilograms - (2 x 99 kilograms) - (9
x 45 kilograms) = 635 - 198 - 405 = 32
kilograms.
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 Safety Compliance
Certification Label. The label shall be
affixed to either the door hinge pillar,
door-latch post, or the door edge that
meets the door-latch post, next to the
driver's seating position.
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TOWING A TRAILER
WARNING
Never tow a trailer with an MKZ
Hybrid. This powertrain is not
designed to tow. TRANSPORTING THE VEHICLE
If you need to have your vehicle towed,
contact a professional towing service or,
if you are a member of a roadside
assistance program, your roadside
assistance service provider. We recommend the use of a wheel lift and
dollies or flatbed equipment to tow your
vehicle. Do not tow with a slingbelt. Ford
Motor Company has not approved a
slingbelt towing procedure. Vehicle
damage may occur if towed incorrectly, or
by any other means.
Ford Motor Company produces a towing
manual for all authorized tow truck
operators. Have your tow truck operator
refer to this manual for proper hook-up
and towing procedures for your vehicle.
The front wheels (drive wheels) must be
on a tow dolly when towing your vehicle
from the rear using wheel lift equipment.
This prevents damage to the transmission.
We recommend placing the rear wheels
on a tow dolly when towing your vehicle
from the front using wheel lift equipment.
This prevents damage to the rear fascia.
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TOWING THE VEHICLE ON FOUR
WHEELS
Emergency Towing
In the event your vehicle becomes
disabled (without access to wheel dollies,
car-hauling trailer, or flatbed transport
vehicle), it can be flat-towed (all wheels on
the ground, regardless of the
powertrain/transmission configuration)
under the following conditions:
•
The vehicle is facing forward so that it
is towed in a forward direction.
• The transmission gear shift lever is
placed in position N. If the transmission
gear shift lever cannot be moved to
position N, it may need to be
overridden. See Automatic
Transmission (page 170).
• Maximum speed is 35 mph (56 km/h).
• Maximum distance is 50 miles (80
kilometers).
Recreational Towing
Note: Put your climate control system in
recirculated air mode to prevent exhaust
fumes from entering the vehicle.
See
Climate Control (page 124).
Follow these guidelines if you have a need
for recreational (RV) towing. An example
of recreational towing would be towing
your vehicle behind a motorhome. These
guidelines are designed to ensure that
your transmission is not damaged. Your vehicle can be towed with all four
wheels on the ground using the Neutral
Tow feature, or with all four wheels off the
ground using a vehicle transport trailer. If
you are using a vehicle transport trailer,
follow the instruction specified by the
equipment provider.
Neutral Tow
If you tow your vehicle with all four wheels
on the ground:
•
Tow only in the forward direction.
• Release the parking brake.
• Place the vehicle in Neutral Tow mode
by doing the following:
•Put the ignition in accessory mode
(ignition on, engine off ).
See
Keyless Starting (page 147).
• Select
Neutral Tow in the
information display.
• When prompted by the information
display, press the brake pedal and
select Neutral on the transmission.
Make sure the parking brake is off.
If done successfully,
Neutral Tow
Engaged appears in the display.
• Shut the ignition off.
See Keyless
Starting (page 147). If the process
is completed successfully, the N
on the transmission slowly blinks
and "Neutral tow engaged"
appears in the information display.
• Do not exceed 70 mph (113 km/h).
• Start the engine and allow it to run for
one minute at the beginning of each
day. With the engine running and your
foot on the brake, shift into position D
and then into position R before shifting
back into position
N.
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