This section will guide you in the proper loading of your vehicle and/or trailer, to keep
your loaded vehicle weight within its design rating capability, with or without a trailer.

Properly loading your vehicle will provide maximum return of vehicle design performance.

Before loading your vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms for determining
your vehicle's weight ratings, with or without a trailer, from the vehicle's Safety
Certification Label and Tire and Load Information Label:

WARNING:
Overloaded Vehicle:
Overloading a vehicle is dangerous. The results of overloading can have serious consequences in terms of passenger safety. Too much weight on a vehicle's suspension system can cause spring or shock absorber failure, brake failure, handling or steering problems, irregular tire wear, tire failure or other damage.

Overloading makes a vehicle harder to drive and control. It also increases the distance required for stopping. In cases of serious overloading, brakes can fail completely, particularly on steep grades. The load a tire will carry safely is a combination of the size of the tire, its load range, and corresponding inflation pressure.

Never overload the vehicle and always observe the vehicle's weight ratings from the
vehicle's Safety Certification and Tire and Load Information labels.

Base Curb Weight is the weight of the vehicle including a full tank of fuel and all
standard equipment. It does not include passengers, cargo, or optional equipment.

Vehicle Curb Weight

is the weight of your new vehicle when you picked it up from your
dealer plus any aftermarket equipment.

Payload is the combination weight of cargo and passengers that the vehicle is designed to
carry. The maximum payload for your vehicle can be found on the Tire and Load Information label on the driver's door frame or door pillar. Look for “THE COMBINATION WEIGHT OF OCCUPANTS AND CARGO SHOULD NEVER EXCEED XXX kg or XXX lbs” for your maximum payload. The payload listed on the tire
label is the maximum payload for the vehicle as built by the assembly plant. If any
aftermarket or dealer installed equipment has been installed on the vehicle, the weight of
the equipment must be subtracted from the payload listed on the tire label in order to be
accurate.

SAMPLE

Cargo Weight includes all weight added to the Base Curb Weight, including cargo and
optional equipment. When towing, trailer tongue load or king pin weight is also part of
cargo weight.

The cargo weight limit decreases depending on the number of vehicle occupants. The cargo
weight limit can be calculated by subtracting the total weight of the vehicle occupants from
the “combination weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed” value on the tire
label.

Examples: Based on a single occupant weight of 68 kg (150 lbs), and a value of 385 kg
(849 lbs) for the “combination weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed”:
The cargo weight limit with one occupant is 385 kg (849 lbs) _ 68 kg (150 lbs) = 317 kg
(699 lbs).

The cargo weight limit with two occupants is 385 kg (849 lbs) _ (68 × 2) kg ( (150 × 2)
lbs) = 249 kg (549 lbs).

If the weight of the occupant increases, the cargo weight limit decreases by that much.

GAW (Gross Axle Weight) is the total weight placed on each axle (front and rear) -
including vehicle curb weight and all payload.

GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating) is the maximum allowable weight that can be carried
by a single axle (front or rear). These numbers are shown on the Safety Compliance
Certification Label located on the driver's door frame or door pillar. The total load on
each axle must never exceed its GAWR.

GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight) is the Vehicle Curb Weight + cargo + passengers.

GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) is the maximum allowable weight of the fully loaded vehicle (including all options, equipment, passengers and cargo). The GVWR is
shown on the Safety Compliance Certification Label located on the driver's door frame or door pillar. The GVW must never exceed the GVWR.

SAMPLE

WARNING:
Exceeding Axle Weight Rating Limits: Exceeding the Safety Certification Label axle weight rating limits is dangerous and
could result in death or serious injury as a result of substandard vehicle handling,
performance, engine, transmission and/or structural damage, serious damage to the
vehicle, or loss of control.

Always keep the vehicle within the axle weight rating limits.

Do not taw a trailer with this vehicle: Towing a trailer with this vehicle is dangerous because it has not been designed to
tow a trailer and doing so will affect the drive system which could result in vehicle
damage.

GCW (Gross Combination Weight) is the weight of the loaded vehicle (GVW) plus the
weight of the fully loaded trailer.

GCWR (Gross Combination Weight Rating) is the maximum allowable weight of the vehicle and the loaded trailer - including all cargo and passengers - that the vehicle can
handle without risking damage. (Important: The towing vehicle's braking system is rated
for operation at GVWR, not at GCWR. Separate functional brakes should be used for safe
control of towed vehicles and for trailers weighing more than 1,500 lbs). The GCW must
never exceed the GCWR.

Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight is the highest possible weight of a fully loaded trailer
the vehicle can tow. It assumes a vehicle with only mandatory options, no cargo (internal or
external), a tongue load of 10_15% (conventional trailer) or king pin weight of 15_25%
(fifth-wheel trailer), and driver only (150 lbs). Consult your dealership (or the RVand
Trailer Towing Guide provided by your dealership) for more detailed information.

Tongue Load or Fifth-Wheel King Pin Weight refers to the amount of the weight that a
trailer pushes down on a trailer hitch.

Examples: For a 5000 lb conventional trailer, multiply 5000 by 0.10 and 0.15 to obtain a
proper tongue load range of 500 to 750 lbs. For an 11,500 lb fifth-wheel trailer, multiply by
0.15 and 0.25 to obtain a proper king pin load range of 1,725 to 2,875 lbs.

WARNING:
Exceeding GVWR or GAWR Specifications: Exceeding the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the certification label is dangerous.

Exceeding any vehicle rating limitation could result in a serious accident, injury, or
damage to the vehicle.

Do not use replacement tires with lower load carrying capacities than the originals
because they may lower the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR limitations. Replacement tires with a higher limit than the originals do not increase the GVWR and GAWR limitations.

Never exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the certification label.