2016 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA towing capacity

5-20
OTHER CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
54P00-01E
You can use the roof rails or the roof rack
anchors to attach the optional roof rack
which is available at your SUZUKI dealer.
If you use a roof rack, observe the instruc-
tions and precautions in this section and
provided with the roof rack.
• Check that the roof rack is securely
installed.
• To mount various types of cargo (such
as skis, bicycles, etc.) properly, use suit-
able attachments which are available at
your SUZUKI dealer. Install the attach-
ments properly and securely according
to the instructions provided. Do not
mount cargo directly on the roof panel.
The cargo can damage the roof panel.
• The gross weight of the roof rack plus
cargo must not exceed the loading
capacity.
– Roof rails: 75 kg (165 lbs)
– Roof rack anchors: 50 kg (110 lbs)
Also, do not let the gross vehicle weight
(fully loaded vehicle including driver,
passengers, cargo, roof load and trailer
tongue weight) exceed the Gross Vehi-
cle Weight Rating (GVWR) listed in
“SPECIFICATIONS” section.
• Mount and secure the cargo onto the
roof rack properly according to the
instructions provided. Stow the heaviest
items at the bottom and distribute the
cargo as evenly as possible.
• Do not carry large items that hang over
the bumpers or the sides of the vehicle.Otherwise, these items could block your
view.
• Secure the front and rear ends of long
items such as wood panels and surf-
boards, to both the front and rear of the
vehicle. You should protect the painted
surfaces of the vehicle from scuffing
caused by tie-down ropes.
• Check periodically that the roof rack is
securely installed and free from damage.
• For vehicles with roof rack anchors,
check that the anchors are covered with
the caps when not in use.Frame hooks
Your SUZUKI not recommend you use the
frame hooks for towing another vehicle.
SUZUKI was originally designed to tow
your vehicle on the road emergency tow-
ing.
If your vehicle needs to be towed in an
emergency, refer to “Towing” in “EMER-
GENCY SERVICE” section.
WA R N I N G
• Abrupt maneuvers or failure to
properly secure cargo can allow
the cargo to fly off the vehicle and
hit others, causing personal injury
or property damage.
• Mount cargo securely and avoid
abrupt maneuvers such as jackrab-
bit starts, sharp turns, fast corner-
ing and sudden braking. Check
periodically that cargo is securely
fastened.
• Large, bulky, long or flat items can
affect vehicle aerodynamics or be
caught by the wind, and can reduce
vehicle control resulting in an acci-
dent and personal injury. Drive cau-
tiously at a safely reduced speed
when carrying this type of cargo.
WA R N I N G
Observe the following instructions
when using frame hooks. The towing
hook or vehicle body may break and
cause serious injury or damage.
• Do not use the frame hooks for
towing another vehicle.
• Avoid pulling the vehicle to get out
of severe snowy, muddy or sandy
conditions, sudden starts or erratic
driving maneuvers which could
cause excessive stress on the tow-
ing hook.
In such case, we recommend that
you contact a professional service.

6-1
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
54P00-01E
Vehicle loading
Your vehicle was designed for specific
weight capacities. The weight capacities of
your vehicle are indicated by the Gross
Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the
Permissible maximum Axle Weight (PAW,
front and rear). The GVWR and PAW (front
and rear) are listed in “SPECIFICATIONS”
section.
GVWR – Maximum permissible overall
weight of the fully loaded vehicle (including
all the occupants, accessories and cargo
plus the trailer nose weight if towing a
trailer).
PAW (front and rear) – Maximum permissi-
ble weight on an individual axle.
Actual weight of the loaded vehicle and
actual loads at the front and rear axles can
only be determined by weighing the vehi-
cle. Compare these weights to the GVWR
and PAW (front and rear). If the gross vehi-
cle weight or the load on either axle
exceeds these ratings, you must remove
enough weight to bring the load down to
the rated capacity.
Trailer towing
60A185
While towing a trailer can adversely affect
handling, durability and fuel economy. Your
vehicle can be used to tow a trailer which
does not exceed the towing capacity spec-
ified below:
Maximum towing capacity
(trailer, cargo & tow bar)
M16A engine model
Braked trailer: 1200 kg (2646 lbs)
Unbraked trailer: 400 kg (882 lbs)
D16AA engine model
Braked trailer: 1500 kg (3307 lbs)
Unbraked trailer: 600 kg (1323 lbs)
WA R N I N G
Never overload your vehicle. The
gross vehicle weight (sum of the
weights of the vehicle, all the occu-
pants, accessories, cargo plus trailer
nose weight if towing a trailer) must
never exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR). In addition,
never distribute a load so that the
weight on either the front or rear axle
exceeds the Permissible maximum
Axle Weight (PAW).
WA R N I N G
Always distribute cargo evenly. To
avoid personal injury or damage to
your vehicle, always secure cargo to
prevent it from shifting if the vehicle
moves suddenly. Place heavier
objects on the floor and as far for-
ward in the cargo area as possible.
Never pile cargo higher than the top
of the seat backs.

6-3
VEHICLE LOADING AND TOWING
54P00-01E
Tires
Mirrors
Check if your vehicle’s mirrors meet local
requirements for mirrors used on towing
vehicles. If they do not, you must install the
required mirrors before you tow.
Vehicle/trailer loading
To load your vehicle and trailer properly,
you must know how to measure gross
trailer weight and trailer nose weight.
Gross trailer weight is the weight of the
trailer plus all the cargo in it. You can mea-
sure gross trailer weight by putting the fully
loaded trailer on a vehicle scale.
Nose weight is the downward force
exerted on the tow bar by the trailer cou-pler, with the trailer fully loaded and the
coupler at its normal towing height. This
weight can be measured using a bathroom
scale.
The weight of your loaded trailer (gross
trailer weight) should never exceed towing
capacity.
Distribute cargo in your trailer so that nose
weight is about 10% of gross trailer weight,
but does not exceed the maximum vertical
load on trailer hitch point. You should mea-
sure gross trailer weight and nose weight
before towing to check that your load is
properly distributed.
Additional trailer towing warnings
WA R N I N G
When towing a trailer, it is very
important for your vehicle and trailer
to have properly inflated tires. Your
vehicle’s tires should be inflated to
the pressures listed on your vehicles
tire information label. If laden pres-
sures are listed on the label, the tires
should be inflated to the laden pres-
sures. Inflate trailer tires according to
the specifications provided by the
trailer manufacturer.
WA R N I N G
Improper weight distribution of your
trailer may result in poor vehicle han-
dling and swaying of the trailer.
Always check that trailer nose weight
is about 10% of gross trailer weight,
but does not exceed the maximum
vertical load on trailer hitch point.
Also check that the cargo is properly
secured. Failure to observe this
requirement may result in an acci-
dent.
WA R N I N G
Never overload cargo on your trailer
or your vehicle. Gross trailer weight
must never exceed towing capacity.
Gross vehicle weight (sum of the
weights of the vehicle, all the occu-
pants, accessories including tow
bars and a trailer hitch, cargo and
trailer nose weight) must never
exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rat-
ing (GVWR) listed in “SPECIFICA-
TIONS” section.
WA R N I N G
Connect trailer lights and hook up
safety chains every time you tow.
NOTICE
Because towing a trailer puts addi-
tional stress on your vehicle, more
frequent maintenance will be
required than under normal driving
conditions. Follow the schedule in
“Maintenance recommended under
severe driving conditions”.