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 be: 1400 - (5 x 220) - (5 x 30) =
241
MKT (), enUSA, First Printing Load Carrying
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:
Your vehicle may have electrical
items, such as fuses or relays, related
to towing. See Fuses (page 269). Your vehicle's load capacity designation
is by weight, not by volume, so you
cannot necessarily use all available
space when loading a vehicle or trailer.
Towing a trailer places an extra load on
your vehicle's engine, transmission, axle,
brakes, tires and suspension. Inspect
these components periodically during,
and after, any towing operation.
Load Placement
To help minimize how trailer movement
affects your vehicle when driving:
•
Load the heaviest items closest to
the trailer floor.
• Load the heaviest items centered
between 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 ball mount 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 your
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 235).
You can also find information in the
RV
& Trailer Towing Guide available at your
authorized dealer, or online.
243
MKT (), enUSA, First Printing Towing
RV & Trailer Towing Guide Online
http://www.fleet.ford.com/towing-guides/
Website
TRAILER SWAY CONTROL (If Equipped) WARNING
Turning off trailer sway control
increases the risk of loss of vehicle
control, serious injury or death. Ford does
not recommend disabling this feature except
in situations where speed reduction may be
detrimental (such as hill climbing), the driver
has significant trailer towing experience, and
can control trailer sway and maintain safe
operation. Note:
This feature does not prevent trailer
sway, but reduces it when it begins.
Note: This feature cannot stop all trailers
from swaying. Note:
In some cases, if your vehicle speed
is too high, the system may turn on multiple
times, gradually reducing your vehicle speed.
The system applies the brakes to the
individual wheels and reduces engine torque
to aid vehicle stability. If the trailer begins
to sway, the stability control warning lamp
flashes and a message appears in the
information display. See Information
Messages (page 115). Slow your vehicle
down, pull safely to the side of the road and
check for correct load distribution. See Load
Carrying
(page 234).
You can switch this feature off in the
information display. When you switch the
ignition on, the system automatically turns
on. RECOMMENDED TOWING
WEIGHTS
Note:
2.0L front-wheel drive and 3.7L
all-wheel drive applications, available
on Limousine and Livery only, cannot
tow a trailer.
Note: Do not exceed the trailer weight
for your vehicle configuration listed in
the chart below.
Note: Make sure to take into
consideration trailer frontal area. Do not
exceed 20 feet² (1.86 meters²) if your
vehicle can tow a class I trailer or 40
feet² (3.72 meters²) if your vehicle can
tow a class III trailer.
244
MKT (), enUSA, First Printing Towing
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 or III
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. Maximum trailer weight
Maximum GCWR
Powertrain and trailer class
2000 lb (907 kg)
6900 lb (3131 kg)
3.7L TiVCT front-wheel drive, Class I
2000 lb (907 kg)
7200 lb (3267 kg)
3.5L GTDi all-wheel drive, Class I
4500 lb (2042 kg)*
9750 lb (4424 kg)
3.5L GTDi all-wheel drive, Class III
* For towing trailers up to 4500 pounds (2042 kilograms), use a weight-\
carrying hitch and ball, which uniformly spreads the
trailer tongue loads through your vehicle ’s underbody structure.
245
MKT (), enUSA, First Printing Towing
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 235).
Remember to account for the trailer tongue
weight as part of your vehicle load when
calculating the total vehicle weight. Trailer Towing Connector (Vehicles
with a Trailer Towing Package and
7–Pin Connector) When attaching the trailer wiring connector
to your vehicle, only use a proper fitting
connector that works with the vehicle and
trailer functions. Some seven-position
connectors may have the SAE J2863 logo,
which confirms that it is the proper wiring
connector and works correctly with your
vehicle.
Function
Color
Left turn signal and stop lamp
Yellow
Ground (-)
White
Electric brakes
Blue
Right turn signal and stop lamp
Green
Battery (+)
Orange
Running lights
Brown
Reverse lights
Grey
Hitches
Do not use a hitch that either clamps onto
the bumper or attaches to the axle.
246
MKT (), enUSA, First Printing TowingE211391
Distribute the trailer load so 10-15% of the
total trailer weight is on the tongue.
Weight-Distributing Hitch
WARNING
Do not adjust a weight-distributing
hitch to any position where the rear
bumper of the vehicle is higher than it was
before attaching the trailer. Doing so will
defeat the function of the weight-distributing
hitch, which may cause unpredictable
handling, and could result in serious personal
injury. When hooking-up a trailer using a
weight-distributing hitch, always use the
following procedure:
1. Park your vehicle, without the trailer, on
a level surface.
2. Measure the height of the top of your vehicle ’s front wheel opening on the
fender. This is H1.
3. Attach the trailer to your vehicle without
the weight-distributing bars connected. 4. Measure the height of the top of your
vehicle ’s front wheel opening on the
fender a second time. This is H2.
5. Install and adjust the tension in the weight distributing bars so that the height
of the front fender is approximately
halfway between H1 and H2.
6. Check that the trailer is level. If not level,
adjust the ball height accordingly and
repeat Steps 3–6.
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.
Separate functioning brake systems are
required for safe control of towed vehicles
and trailers weighing more than 1500
pounds (680 kilograms) when loaded.
247
MKT (), enUSA, First Printing Towing
Trailer Brake Controller Connector (If
Equipped)
The connector is located under the
instrument panel above the brake pedal. 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.
Before Towing a Trailer
Practice turning, stopping and backing up to
get the feel of your vehicle-trailer
combination before starting on a trip. When
turning, make wider turns so the trailer
wheels clear curbs and other obstacles.When Towing a Trailer
•
Do not drive faster than 70 mph (113
km/h) during the first 500 miles (800
kilometers).
• Do not make full-throttle starts.
• Check your hitch, electrical connections
and trailer wheel lug nuts thoroughly after
you have traveled 50 miles (80
kilometers).
• When stopped in congested or heavy
traffic during hot weather, place the
gearshift in position
P to aid engine and
transmission cooling and to help A/C
performance.
• Turn off the speed control with heavy
loads or in hilly terrain. The speed control
may turn off automatically when you are
towing on long, steep grades.
• Shift to a lower gear when driving down
a long or steep hill. Do not apply the
brakes continuously, as they may
overheat and become less effective.
248
MKT (), enUSA, First Printing TowingE211392
•
If your transmission is equipped with a
Grade Assist or Tow/Haul feature, use
this feature when towing. This provides
engine braking and helps eliminate
excessive transmission shifting for
optimum fuel economy and transmission
cooling.
• Allow more distance for stopping with a
trailer attached. Anticipate stops and
brake gradually.
• Avoid parking on a grade. However, if
you must park on a grade:
1. Turn the steering wheel to point your vehicle tires away from traffic flow.
2. Set your vehicle parking brake.
3. Place the automatic transmission in position P.
4. Place wheel chocks in front and back of the trailer wheels. (Chocks not included
with vehicle.)
Launching or Retrieving a Boat or
Personal Watercraft (PWC)
Note: Disconnect the wiring to the trailer
before
backing the trailer into the water. Note:
Reconnect the wiring to the trailer
after
removing the trailer from the water.
When backing down a ramp during boat
launching or retrieval:
• Do not allow the static water level to rise
above the bottom edge of the rear
bumper.
• Do not allow waves to break higher than
6 inches (15 centimeters) above the
bottom edge of the rear bumper.
Exceeding these limits may allow water to
enter vehicle components:
• Causing internal damage to the
components.
• Affecting driveability, emissions, and
reliability.
Any time the rear axle submerges in water,
replace the rear axle lubricant. Water may
contaminate the rear axle lubricant, which is
not a normal maintenance inspection item
unless there is a possibility of a leak or other
axle repair is required. TRANSPORTING THE VEHICLE
249
MKT (), enUSA, First Printing TowingE143886