cle are indicated on the certification
label which can be found on the driver’s
door B‑pillar.
For more information, see “Loading the
vehicle” (Y page 133).
The handling characteristics of a fully
loaded vehicle depend greatly on the load
distribution. It is therefore recommended
to load the vehicle with the heaviest items
being placed towards the front of the vehi-
cle.
Please pay attention to and comply with the
following instructions when loading the
vehicle and transporting cargo:
R Always place items being carried
against seat backrests, and fasten them
as securely as possible.
R The heaviest portion of the cargo should
always be kept as low as possible against
seat backrests.
R Do not stack loads higher than the top
edge of the head restraints.
R Make sure no luggage/cargo items can get
above or next to the driver’s and/or
passenger seat into the passenger com-
partment.
R Make sure luggage/cargo is properly
secured.
R Always use, if so equipped, cargo net*
when transporting cargo.
Do not carry any unnecessary weight in the
vehicle. This increases vehicle weight,
which results in increased energy con-
sumption. Useful features
Sun visors
The sun visors protect you from sun glare
while driving. Glare through the windshield
X
Swing sun visor 0043down.
Glare through a side window X
Swing sun visor 0043down.
X Disengage sun visor 0043from mount-
ing 0044.
X Pivot sun visor 0043to the side. Sun screen*
The sun screen provides protection from
sun rays and from heat generated by the
panorama roof*.
The sun screen can be adjusted to any
desired position. X
Opening or closing: Move sun screen0043
forward or backward using the handle. Useful features
109>> Controls.
* optional Z
ride comfort, wear unevenly, increase
stopping distance, and result in sudden
deflation (blowout) because they are more
likely to become punctured or damaged by
road debris, potholes etc.
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the
Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver’s door B‑pillar. Overloading the
tires can overheat them, possibly causing
a blowout. Overloading the tires can also
result in handling or steering problems, or
brake failure.
Your vehicle is equipped with the Tire and
Loading Information placard located on
the driver’s door B‑pillar (Y page 134).
The tire inflation pressure should be
checked regularly. Only adjust the tire
inflation pressure on cold tires. The tires
can be considered cold if the vehicle has
been parked for at least 3 hours or driven
less than 1 mile (1.6 km). Depending on the
ambient temperature, the driving speed
and the tire load, the tire temperature
changes. When the tire temperature
changes by 18¦ (10¥), the tire inflation
pressure will change by approximately
10 kpa (0.1 bar, 1.5 psi). Keep this in mind
when checking tire inflation pressure on
warm tires and adjust the tire pressure
only if the tire inflation pressure is too
low for the current operating conditions.
If you check the tire inflation pressure
when the tires are warm, the reading will
be higher than the cold reading. This is
normal. Do not let air out to match the
specified cold tire inflation pressure.
Otherwise, the tire will be underinflated.
Follow recommended cold tire inflation
pressures listed on Tire and Loading
Information placard on the driver’s door
B‑pillar.
Keeping the tires properly inflated pro-
vides the best handling, tread life and rid-
ing comfort. In addition to the Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard on the driver’s door B‑pil-
lar, also consult the tire inflation pres-
sure label (if available) on the inside of
the filler flap for any additional informa-
tion pertaining to special driving situa-
tions. For more information, see “Impor-
tant notes on tire inflation pressure”
(Y
page 129).
i Data shown on Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard example are for illus-
tration purposes only. Tire data are spe-
cific to each vehicle and may vary from
data shown in the following illustration.
Refer to Tire and Loading Information
placard on vehicle for actual data spe-
cific to your vehicle. The Tire and Loading Information placard
lists the recommended cold tire inflation
pressures
0043for maximum loaded vehicle
weight. The tire inflation pressures listed
apply to the tires installed as original
equipment.
Important notes on tire inflation pres-
sure G
WARNING
If the tire inflation pressure drops repeat-
edly, check the tires for punctures from
foreign objects and/or whether air is leak-
ing from the valves or from around the rim.
Tire temperature and tire inflation pres-
sure are also increased while driving, Tires and wheels
129>> Operation. Z
X
Press Restarting TPMS button 0043.
The combination low tire pressure/TPMS
malfunction telltale in the instrument
cluster (Y page 23) flashes for approx-
imately 5 seconds and then goes out.
After driving a few minutes the system
verifies that the current tire inflation
pressures are within the system’s speci-
fied range. Afterwards the current tire
inflation pressures are accepted as refer-
ence pressures and then monitored. Maximum tire inflation pressure
G
WARNING
Never exceed the max. tire inflation pres-
sure. Follow recommended tire inflation
pressures.
Do not underinflate tires. Underinflated
tires wear excessively and/or unevenly,
adversely affect handling and energy con-
sumption, and are more likely to fail from
being overheated.
Do not overinflate tires. Overinflated
tires can adversely affect handling and
ride comfort, wear unevenly, increase
stopping distance, and result in sudden
deflation (blowout) because they are more
likely to become punctured or damaged by
road debris, potholes etc. i
For illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires are specific to each vehicle
and may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
This is the maximum permissible tire
inflation pressure 0043for the tire.
Always follow the recommended tire infla-
tion pressure (Y page 128) for proper tire
inflation. Loading the vehicle
Two labels on your vehicle show how much
weight it may properly carry.
1) The Tire and Loading Information plac- ard can be found on the driver’s door
B‑pillar. This placard tells you impor-
tant information about the number of
people that can be in the vehicle and
the total weight that can be carried in
the vehicle. It also contains informa-
tion on the proper size and recom-
mended tire inflation pressures for the
original equipment tires on your vehi-
cle.
2) The certification label, also found on the driver’s door B‑pillar, tells you
about the gross weight capacity of your
vehicle, called the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). The GVWR
includes the weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, automotive fluids and
cargo. The certification label also
tells you about the front and rear axle
weight capacity, called the Gross Axle Tires and wheels
133>> Operation. Z
Weight Rating (GAWR). The GAWR is the
total allowable weight that can be car-
ried by a single axle (front or rear).
Never exceed the GVWR or GAWR for
either the front axle or rear axle.
0043
Driver’s door B‑pillar
Following is a discussion on how to work
with the information contained on the Tire
and Loading Information placard with
regards to loading your vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information G
WARNING
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the
Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver’s door B‑pillar. Overloading the
tires can overheat them, possibly causing
a blowout. Overloading the tires can also
result in handling or steering problems, or
brake failure.
Tire and Loading Information placard
i Data shown on Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard example are for illus-
tration purposes only. Load limit data
are specific to each vehicle and may vary
from data shown in the following illus-
tration. Refer to Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard on vehicle for actual data
specific to your vehicle. The Tire and Loading Information placard
showing load limit information 0043is
located on the driver’s door B‑pillar
(Y page 134).
X Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXXX kg or XXXX lbs.” on the
Tire and Loading Information placard.
The combined weight of all occupants and
cargo/luggage should never exceed the
weight referenced in that statement.
Seating capacity The seating capacity gives you important
information on the number of occupants
that can be in the vehicle. The Tire and
Loading Information placard showing
seating capacity 0043is located on the
driver’s door B‑pillar (Y page 134).
i Data shown on Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard example are for illus-
tration purposes only. Seating capacity
data are specific to each vehicle and may
vary from data shown in the following 134
Tires and wheels>> Operation.
illustration. Refer to Tire and Loading
Information placard on vehicle for
actual data specific to your vehicle.
Steps for determining correct load limit
The following steps have been developed as
required of all manufacturers under
Title 49, Code of U.S. Federal Regulations,
Part 575 pursuant to the “National Traffic
and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966”.
X Step 1: Locate the statement “The com-
bined weight of occupants and cargo
should never exceed XXXX kg or
XXXX lbs.” on your vehicle’s Tire and
Loading Information placard.
X Step 2: Determine the combined weight of
the driver and passenger that will be
riding in your vehicle.
X Step 3: Subtract the combined weight of
the driver and passenger from XXXX kilo-
grams or XXXX lbs.
X Step 4: The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and luggage
load capacity. For example, if the “XXXX”
amount equals 540 lbs and there will be
one 150 lbs passenger in your vehicle, the
amount of available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 390 lbs
(540 lbs - 150 lbs = 390 lbs).
X Step 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.
i The maximum cargo compartment load
is 110 lbs (50 kg).
The following table shows examples on how
to calculate total and cargo load capaci-
ties with varying seating configurations
and number and size of occupants. The fol-
lowing examples use a load limit of 540 lbs.
This is for illustration purposes only .
Make sure you are using the actual load
limit for your vehicle stated on the vehi-
cle’s Tire and Loading Information placard
(Y page 134). The higher the weight of all occupants, the
less cargo and luggage load capacity is
available. Tires and wheels
135>> Operation. Z
Examples for steps 1 to 3
Example 1 Example 2
Step 1 Combined weight limit of occu-
pants and cargo from Tire and Load-
ing Information placard
540 lbs 540 lbs
Step 2 Number of occupants (driver and
passenger)
2 1
Occupants weight
Occupant 1: 150 lbs
Occupant 2: 180 lbs Occupant 1: 150 lbs
Combined weight of all occupants
330 lbs 150 lbs
Step 3 Available cargo weight (total load
limit from Tire and Loading Infor-
mation placard minus combined
weight of all occupants)
540 lbs - 330 lbs =
210 lbs 540 lbs - 150 lbs =
390 lbs
Certification label
Even after careful determination of the
combined weight of all occupants and cargo
as to not exceed the permissible load
limit, you must make sure your vehicle
never exceeds the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR) and the Gross Axle Weight
Rating (GAWR) for either the front or rear
axle. You can obtain the GVWR and GAWR
from the certification label. The certifi-
cation label can be found on the driver’s
door B‑pillar, see “Technical data”
(Y
page 214).
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) means:
The total weight of the vehicle, all occu-
pants, and all cargo must never exceed the
GVWR.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) means:
The total allowable weight that can be car-
ried by a single axle (front or rear).
To assure that your vehicle does not exceed
the maximum permissible weight limits
(GVWR and GAWR for front and rear axle),
have the loaded vehicle (including driver,
passenger, and all cargo) weighed on a
suitable commercial scale. Maximum tire load
G
WARNING
Do not overload the tires by exceeding the
specified load limit as indicated on the
Tire and Loading Information placard on
the driver’s door B‑pillar. Overloading the
tires can overheat them, possibly causing
a blowout. Overloading the tires can also
result in handling or steering problems, or
brake failure. i
For illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires are specific to each vehicle
and may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
The maximum tire load 0043is the maximum
weight the tires are designed to support. 136
Tires and wheels>> Operation.
The TIN is a unique identifier which facil-
itates efforts by tire manufactures to
notify purchasers in recall situations or
other safety matters concerning tires and
gives purchasers the means to easily iden-
tify such tires.
The TIN is comprised of “Manufacturer’s
identification mark” 0044, “Tire size”0087,
“Tire type code” 0085, and “Date of manufac-
ture” 0083.
i For illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires are specific to each vehicle
and may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
DOT (Department of Transportation) Tire branding symbol
0043which denotes the
tire meets requirements of the U.S. Depart-
ment of Transportation.
Manufacturer’s identification mark Manufacturer’s identification mark
0044
denotes the tire manufacturer.
New tires have a mark with two symbols.
Retreaded tires have a mark with four sym-
bols. For more information on retreaded
tires (Y page 127).
Tire size Code
0087indicates the tire size. Tire type code Tire type code
0085may, at the option of the
manufacturer, be used as a descriptive
code for identifying significant charac-
teristics of the tire.
Date of manufacture Date of manufacture
0083identifies the week
and year of manufacture.
The first two figures identify the week,
starting with “01” to represent the first
full week of the calendar year. The second
two figures represent the year.
For example, “3202” represents the 32nd
week of 2002. Tire ply material
i
For illustration purposes only. Actual
data on tires are specific to each vehicle
and may vary from data shown in above
illustration.
This marking tells you about the type of
cord and number of plies in the side-
wall 0043and under the tread 0044. Tire and loading terminology
Accessory weight The combined weight (in excess of those
standard items which may be replaced) of
transmission, power steering, power
brakes, power windows, power seats, radio, Tires and wheels
143>> Operation. Z
and heater, to the extent that these items
are available as factory-installed equip-
ment (whether installed or not).
Air pressure The amount of air inside the tire pressing
outward on each square inch of the tire. Air
pressure is expressed in pounds per square
inch (psi), or kilopascal (kPa) or bars.
Aspect ratio Dimensional relationship between tire
section height and section width expressed
in percentage.
Bar Another metric unit for air pressure. There
are 14.5038 pounds per square inch (psi) to
1 bar; there are 100 kilopascals (kPa) to
1 bar.
Bead The tire bead contains steel wires wrapped
by steel cords that hold the tire onto the
rim.
Cold tire inflation pressure Tire inflation pressure when your vehicle
has been sitting for at least 3 hours or
driven no more than 1 mile (1.6 km).
Curb weight The weight of a motor vehicle with standard
equipment including the maximum capa-
city of fuel, oil, and coolant, and, if so
equipped, air conditioning and additional
optional equipment, but without passen-
gers and cargo.
DOT (Department of Transportation) A tire branding symbol which denotes the
tire meets requirements of the U.S. Depart-
ment of Transportation. GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) The GAWR is the maximum permissible axle
weight. The gross vehicle weight on each
axle must never exceed the GAWR for the
front and rear axle indicated on the cer-
tification label located on the driver’s
door B‑pillar.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) The GVW comprises the weight of the vehi-
cle including fuel, tools, installed acces-
sories, passengers and cargo. The GVW must
never exceed the GVWR indicated on the
certification label located on the driver’s
door B‑pillar.
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
This is the maximum permissible vehicle
weight of the fully loaded vehicle (weight
of the vehicle including all options, pas-
sengers, fuel, and cargo. It is indicated on
certification label located on the driver’s
door B‑pillar.
Kilopascal (kPa)
The metric unit for air pressure. There are
6.9 kPa to 1 psi; another metric unit for air
pressure is bars. There are 100 kilopas-
cals (kPa) to 1 bar.
Maximum load rating The maximum load in kilograms and pounds
that can be carried by the tire.
Maximum loaded vehicle weight
The sum of curb weight, accessory weight,
total load limit and production options
weight.
Maximum permissible tire inflation
pressure
This number is the greatest amount of air
pressure that should ever be put in the tire.144
Tires and wheels>> Operation.