
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 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
seating position.
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TOWING A TRAILER
WARNINGS
Do not exceed the GVWR or the
GAWR specified on the
certification label. Towing trailers beyond the
maximum recommended gross
trailer weight exceeds the limit of
your vehicle and could result in
engine damage, transmission
damage, structural damage, loss of
vehicle control, vehicle rollover and
personal injury. Note:
There may be electrical items
such as fuses or relays that can affect
trailer towing operation. See Fuses
(page 218).
The load capacity of your vehicle is
designated by weight not volume.
You may not necessarily be able to
use all available space when loading
your vehicle or trailer. Towing a trailer places extra load
on the engine, transmission, axle,
brakes, tires, and suspension.
Inspect these components before,
during and after towing.
Load Placement
To help minimize how trailer
movement affects the vehicle when
driving:
•
Load the heaviest items closest
to the trailer floor.
• Load the heaviest items in the
center of the left and right side
trailer tires. •
Load the heaviest items above
the trailer axles or just slightly
forward toward the trailer
tongue. Do not allow the final
trailer tongue weight to go above
or below 10-15% of the loaded
trailer weight.
• Select a tow bar with the correct
rise or drop. When both the
loaded vehicle and trailer are
connected, the trailer frame
should be level, or slightly angled
down toward the vehicle, when
viewed from the side.
When driving with a trailer or
payload, a slight takeoff vibration or
shudder may be present due to the
increased payload weight.
Additional information regarding
proper trailer loading and setting
your vehicle up for towing is located
in the Load Carrying chapter. See
Load Limit (page 187). You can also
find the information in the
RV &
Trailer Towing Guide, available at
an authorized dealer.
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RECOMMENDED TOWING
WEIGHTS
Note:
Do not exceed the trailer
weight for your vehicle configuration
listed in the chart below.
Note: Be sure to take into
consideration trailer frontal area. Do
not exceed 12 feet 2
(1.11 meters 2
)
trailer frontal area. Note:
For high altitude operation,
reduce the gross combined weight
by 2% per 1000 feet (300 meters)
starting at the 1000 foot (300 meter)
elevation point.
Note: Certain states require electric
trailer brakes for trailers over a
specified weight. Be sure to check
state regulations for this specified
weight. The maximum trailer weights
listed may be limited to this specified
weight, as the vehicle ’s electrical
system may not include the wiring
connector needed to use electric
trailer brakes. Your vehicle may tow a Class I trailer
provided the maximum trailer
weight is less than or equal to the
maximum trailer weight listed for
your vehicle configuration on the
following chart. If your vehicle is
equipped with 3.7L engine, it cannot
tow a trailer. Maximum trailer weight
Powertrain
No trailer towing permitted
3.7L TiVCT front-wheel drive
No trailer towing permitted
3.7L TiVCT all-wheel drive
1000 lb (454 kg)
3.5L GTDI all-wheel drive
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ESSENTIAL TOWING CHECKS
Follow these guidelines for safe towing:
•
Do not tow a trailer until you drive your
vehicle at least 1000 miles (1600
kilometers).
• Consult your local motor vehicle laws for
towing a trailer.
• See the instructions included with towing
accessories for the proper installation
and adjustment specifications.
• Service your vehicle more frequently if
you tow a trailer. See your scheduled
maintenance information.
• If you use a rental trailer, follow the
instructions the rental agency gives you.
You can find information on load
specification terms found on the tire label
and Safety Compliance label as well as
instructions on calculating your vehicle's load
in the Load Carrying chapter. See Load Limit
(page 187).
Remember to account for the trailer tongue
weight as part of your vehicle load when
calculating the total vehicle weight. Hitches
Do not use a hitch that either clamps onto
the bumper or attaches to the axle.
Distribute the trailer load so 10-15% of the
total trailer weight is on the tongue.
Safety Chains
Note:
Never attach safety chains to the
bumper.
Always connect the safety chains to the hook
retainers of your vehicle hitch.
To connect the safety chains, cross them
under the trailer tongue and allow enough
slack for turning tight corners. Do not allow
the chains to drag on the ground.
Trailer Brakes WARNING
Do not connect a trailer's hydraulic
brake system directly to your vehicle's
brake system. Your vehicle may not
have enough braking power and your chances
of having a collision greatly increase. Electric brakes and manual, automatic or
surge-type trailer brakes are safe if you install
them properly and adjust them to the
manufacturer's specifications. The trailer
brakes must meet local and federal
regulations.
The rating for the tow vehicle's braking
system operation is at the gross vehicle
weight rating, not the gross combined
weight rating.
Trailer Lamps
WARNING
Never connect any trailer lamp wiring
to the vehicle's tail lamp wiring; this
may damage the electrical system
resulting in fire. Contact your authorized
dealer as soon as possible for assistance in
proper trailer tow wiring installation.
Additional electrical equipment may be
required. Trailer lamps are required on most towed
vehicles. Make sure all running lights, brake
lights, turn signals and hazard lights are
working.
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BREAKING-IN
You need to break in new tires for
approximately 300 miles (480 kilometers).
During this time, your vehicle may exhibit
some unusual driving characteristics.
Avoid driving too fast during the first 1000
miles (1600 kilometers). Vary your speed
frequently and change up through the gears
early. Do not labor the engine.
Do not tow during the first 1000 miles (1600
kilometers).
ECONOMICAL DRIVING
Fuel economy is affected by several things
such as how you drive, the conditions you
drive under and how you maintain your
vehicle.
There are some things to keep in mind that
may improve your fuel economy:
•
Accelerate and slow down in a smooth,
moderate fashion.
• Drive at steady speeds.
• Anticipate stops; slowing down may
eliminate the need to stop. •
Combine errands and minimize
stop-and-go driving.
•When running errands, go to the
furthest destination first and then
work your way back home.
• Close the windows for high-speed driving.
• Drive at reasonable speeds. (Traveling at
65 mph/105 kph uses about 15% less fuel
than traveling at 75 mph/121 kph).
• Keep the tires properly inflated and use
only the recommended size.
• Use the recommended engine oil.
• Perform all regularly scheduled
maintenance.
There are also some things you may want to
avoid doing because they reduce your fuel
economy:
• Avoid sudden or hard accelerations.
• Avoid revving the engine before turning
off the car.
• Avoid long idle periods.
• Do not warm up your vehicle on cold
mornings.
• Reduce the use of air conditioning and
heat.
• Avoid using speed control in hilly terrain. •
Do not rest your foot on the brake pedal
while driving.
• Avoid carrying unnecessary weight
(approximately 1 mpg [0.4
kilometers/liter] is lost for every 400 lbs
[180 kilograms] of weight carried).
• Avoid adding particular accessories to
your vehicle (e.g. bug deflectors,
rollbars/light bars, running boards, ski
racks).
• Avoid driving with the wheels out of
alignment.
DRIVING THROUGH WATER WARNING
Do not drive through flowing or deep
water as you may lose control of your
vehicle.
Note:
Driving through standing water can
cause vehicle damage.
Note: Engine damage can occur if water
enters the air filter.
Before driving through standing water, check
the depth. Never drive through water that is
higher than the bottom of the front rocker
area of your vehicle.
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Traction AA A B C
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to
this tire is based on
straight-ahead braking traction
tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering,
hydroplaning or peak traction
characteristics. The traction grades, from highest to
lowest are AA, A, B, and C. The
grades represent the tire
’s ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on
specified government test surfaces
of asphalt and concrete. A tire
marked C may have poor traction
performance. Temperature A B C WARNING
The temperature grade for this
tire is established for a tire that
is properly inflated and not
overloaded. Excessive speed,
underinflation, or excessive loading,
either separately or in combination,
can cause heat buildup and possible
tire failure. The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B and C, representing the
tire
’s resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified indoor
laboratory test wheel. Sustained
high temperature can cause the
material of the tire to degenerate
and reduce tire life, and excessive
temperature can lead to sudden tire
failure. The grade C corresponds to
a level of performance which all
passenger car tires must meet under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standard No. 139. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of
performance on the laboratory test
wheel than the minimum required
by law.
Glossary of Tire Terminology
•
Tire label: A label showing the
original equipment tire sizes,
recommended inflation pressure
and the maximum weight the
vehicle can carry.
• Tire Identification Number:
A
number on the sidewall of each
tire providing information about
the tire brand and manufacturing
plant, tire size and date of
manufacture. Also referred to as
DOT code.
• Inflation pressure:
A measure
of the amount of air in a tire.
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Information on P Type Tires
P215/65R15 95H is an example of a
tire size, load index and speed rating.
The definitions of these items are
listed below. (Note that the tire size,
load index and speed rating for your
vehicle may be different from this
example.) A.
P: Indicates a tire, designated by
the Tire and Rim Association, that
may be used for service on cars,
sport utility vehicles, minivans and
light trucks. Note:
If your tire size
does not begin with a letter this may
mean it is designated by either the
European Tire and Rim Technical
Organization or the Japan Tire
Manufacturing Association.
B. 215:
Indicates the nominal width
of the tire in millimeters from
sidewall edge to sidewall edge. In
general, the larger the number, the
wider the tire.
C. 65:
Indicates the aspect ratio
which gives the tire's ratio of height
to width.
D. R:
Indicates a radial type tire.
E. 15:
Indicates the wheel or rim
diameter in inches. If you change
your wheel size, you will have to
purchase new tires to match the
new wheel diameter. F.
95:
Indicates the tire's load index.
It is an index that relates to how
much weight a tire can carry. You
may find this information in your
owner ’s manual. If not, contact a
local tire dealer.
Note: You may not find this
information on all tires because it is
not required by federal law.
G. H:
Indicates the tire's speed
rating. The speed rating denotes the
speed at which a tire is designed to
be driven for extended periods of
time under a standard condition of
load and inflation pressure. The tires
on your vehicle may operate at
different conditions for load and
inflation pressure. These speed
ratings may need to be adjusted for
the difference in conditions. The
ratings range from 81 mph (130
km/h) to 186 mph (299 km/h).
These ratings are listed in the
following chart.
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I
J
KL
M
A
B
CDEFG
E142543

Tire Change Procedure
WARNINGS
When one of the front wheels is off the
ground, the transmission alone will not
prevent the vehicle from moving or
slipping off the jack, even if the transmission
is in park (P). To help prevent the vehicle from
moving when you change a tire, be sure
to place the transmission in park
(P),
set the parking brake and block (in both
directions) the wheel that is diagonally
opposite (other side and end of the vehicle)
to the tire being changed. Never get underneath a vehicle that is
supported only by a jack. If the vehicle
slips off the jack, you or someone else
could be seriously injured. Do not attempt to change a tire on the
side of the vehicle close to moving
traffic. Pull far enough off the road to
avoid the danger of being hit when operating
the jack or changing the wheel. WARNINGS
Always use the jack provided as original
equipment with your vehicle. If using a
jack other than the one provided as
original equipment with your vehicle, make
sure the jack capacity is adequate for the
vehicle weight, including any vehicle cargo
or modifications. 1. Park on a level surface, set the parking
brake and activate the hazard flashers.
2. Place the transmission in park
(P) and
turn the engine off. 3.
Lift the trunk cargo cover, and remove the
wing nut that secures the spare tire by
turning it counterclockwise.
4. Lift and remove the spare tire from the trunk.
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