WARNING
•It is extremely dangerous to ride in a
cargo area inside a vehicle. In a collision,
people riding in these areas are more
likely to be seriously injured or killed.
•Do not allow people to ride in any area of
vehicle that is not equipped with seats
and seat belts.
•Be sure everyone in your vehicle is in a
seat and using a seat belt properly.
TERMS
It is important to familiarize yourself with the
following terms before loading your vehicle:
•Curb Weight (actual weight of your ve-
hicle) - vehicle weight including: standard
and optional equipment, fluids, emergency
tools, and spare tire assembly. This weight
does not include passengers and cargo.
•GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) - curb weight
plus the combined weight of passengers
and cargo.
•GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) -
maximum total combined weight of the
unloaded vehicle, passengers, luggage,
hitch, trailer tongue load and any other optional equipment. This information is lo-
cated on the F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. label.
•GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) - maxi-
mum weight (load) limit specified for the
front or rear axle. This information is lo-
cated on the F.M.V.S.S./C.M.V.S.S. label.
•GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) -
The maximum total weight rating of the
vehicle, passengers, cargo, and trailer.
•Vehicle Capacity Weight, Load limit, Total
load capacity - maximum total weight limit
specified of the load (passengers and
cargo) for the vehicle. This is the maximum
combined weight of occupants and cargo
that can be loaded into the vehicle. If the
vehicle is used to tow a trailer, the trailer
tongue weight must be included as part of
the cargo load. This information is located
on the Tire and Loading Information label.
•Cargo capacity - permissible weight of
cargo, the weight of total occupants
weight subtracted from the load limit.
VEHICLE LOADING INFORMATION
10-14Technical information
VEHICLE LOAD CAPACITY
Do not exceed the load limit of your vehicle
shown as “The combined weight of occu-
pants and cargo” on the Tire and Loading
Information label. Do not exceed the numberof occupants shown as “Seating Capacity” on
the Tire and Loading Information label.
To get “the combined weight of occupants
and cargo”, add the weight of all occupants,
then add the total luggage weight. Examples
are shown in the illustration.
Steps for determining correct load
limit
1. Locate the statement “The combined
weight of occupants and cargo should
never exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs” 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 lbs.
4. The resulting figure equals the available amount of cargo and luggage load capac-
ity. For example, if the XXX amount equals
1400 lbs. and there will be five 150 lb.
passengers in your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage load capacity
is 650 lbs. (1400 − 750 (5 x 150) = 650
lbs) or 640 − 340 (5 x 70) = 300 kg.)
5. Determine the combined weight of lug- gage and cargo being loaded on the ve-
hicle. That weight may not safely exceed
the available cargo and luggage load ca-
pacity 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 deter-
mine how this reduces the available cargo
and luggage load capacity of your vehicle.
STI0445
Technical information10-15
