trailer AUDI A3 CABRIOLET 2016 Owners Manual

Table of content s
Owner' s Lit e rature
About thi s Own er' s Manual ... .. .
C ockpi t ... .. .... ........... .... .. .
Cockpit overview .............. .. .
Controls at a glance ............ ... .. .
Instruments and indicator lights
Instruments .. .. ............. .... .. .
I ndicator lights .... .. ..... ... .. .. .. .
On-Board Diagnostic system (OBD) . ... .
Driver information system ... .. .
Overview ..... .. .............. ... .. .
Operation .... .. ... .. ..... ... .. .. .. .
Efficiency program . ........... .... .. .
Start ing and dr iving ...... .. .. .. .
Opening and closing ............ .
Central locking .... ........... ...... .
Luggage compartment lid ............ .
Power windows 5
6
8
8
8
10
10
12
21
23
23
24
25
27
2 7
27
33
34
Power top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Automatic power top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
W ind deflector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Power top emergency operation . . . . . . . . 40
Lights and Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Exterio r lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
I nterior lighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
V1s1on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
W indshield w ipers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Digita l compass .... .. ..... ... .. .. ...
5 1
Seats and storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
I mportant information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
F ront seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Head restraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Socket... .. .. .. ............. .... .. . 56
Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Luggage compartment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Warm and cold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Climate control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
2
Driving ... .. .. .. .. .. ... . .. .... ... .. 65
Genera l information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Econom ica l and environmenta lly -friendly
driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Start ing and stopping the eng ine
(vehicles with a n ign it io n lock) . . . . . . . . . 68
Start ing and stopping the eng ine
(vehicles with a convenience key) . . . . . . . 70
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
E lectromechanical parking brake . . . . . . . 73
Hill ho ld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Automatic tran smi ssion . . . . . . . . . 76
S tronic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Trailer mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Driving with a trai le r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Trailer mode notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Driver a ssis tance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Ass is t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
E lectronic speed limiter . ... .. .... ... . .
Speed warning system . ............. . . 88
88
Cruise control system .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Audi adaptive cruise contro l . . . . . . . . . . .
90
Audi pre sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Genera l information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Audi pre sense basic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Audi pre sense front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
98
D rive r messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Audi active lane assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Audi s ide assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Audi drive select (drive settings) . . . . . . . . 106
Park ing systems
Genera l information
Rear parking system
109
109
110
Parking system plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110
Rearv iew camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Adjusting the d isplay and the warning
tones ........ ... ..... ........... ...
115
E rror messages .. ... ................ 115
Intelligent T echnology . . . . . . . . . . 116
Electronic stabilization control (ESC) . . . . 116
B rakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
El ectromechanical steering . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

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Stopping /p ark ing
If the selecto r lever is not in the P position when
you open the driver's door, the vehicle could rol l.
I n vehicles with a convenience key*, the message :
Shift to P, v eh icle can roll awa y. Doo rs can be
lo cked onl y i n P
appears. You will also hear a
warning tone.
~ Press and hold the brake pedal¢.&_ .
~ Set the parking brake.
~ Select the P selector lever pos ition.
Stopp ing on an incline
~ Always press the brake peda l to hold the vehi­
cle in place and prevent it from "rolling back"
¢
A -Do not try to prevent the vehicle from
"ro lling back" when a gear is engaged by in­
creasing the engine speed¢@) .
Starting on a n incline in vehicl es w ithout Hill
H old *
~ Set the parking brake.
~ With the driving gear se lected, press the acce l­
erator pedal carefully. The parking brake re­
leases automatically . Requirement: the driver's
door must be closed and the driver's safety belt
must be fastened .
Starting on an incline in vehicle s with Hill
Hold*
~ With the driving gear selected, remove your
foot from the brake pedal and press the accel­
erator pedal¢
page 75, Hill hold.
Under certain c ircumstances, (such as driving in
the mountains or towing a trailer), it may be use­
fu l to sw itch temporari ly to the manua l shift pro­
g ram in orde r to adjust the gears to t he d riving
conditions by hand
¢ page 81 .
When parking on a level surface , simply place the
se lector lever in the P position. On inclines, acti­
vate the parking b rake first and then move the
selecto r lever to the P position
¢ page 73. This
prevents the locking mechanism from being
l oaded too heavi ly and wi ll make it easier to
move the selector lever out of the P position.
Autom atic tran sm iss ion
A WARNING
- The vehicle can roll even when the eng ine is
sw itched off .
- Unintended vehicle movement can lead to
serious injuries .
- Never leave your veh icle w ith the engine
running while in gear. If you must leave
your veh icle when the engine is running, set
the park ing brake and move the selector lev­
er to the P posit ion.
- Power is still transferred to the wheels when the engine is runn ing at idle. To pre­
vent the vehicle from "creeping", yo u must
keep your foot on the b rake when the en­
g ine is r unning and the selector lever is in
the D, Sor R position or " tip tronic" mode is
selected.
- Do not in adver ten tly press the accelerator
pedal when the vehicle is stationary. Other­
wise the vehicle wi ll start to move immedi­
ately, even if the parking brake is set. This
could result in a crash.
- Do not press the acce lerator pedal when
changing the se lector lever position while
the vehicle is stationary and the engine is running.
- Never engage the R or P selector level pos i­
tions while dr iv ing.
It could cause a crash.
- Before driving down a steep slope, reduce your speed and sh ift into a lower gear w ith
"t i ptronic".
- Do not r ide the brakes or press the brake
pedal too often or too long when dr iving
downhill. Constant braking causes the brakes to overheat and substant ially re­
duces bra king performance, increases b rak­
ing d istance or causes comp lete failure of
the brake sys tem.
- I f you must stop on an incline, a lways hold
the vehicle in place w it h the foot brake or
p ar king brake to p reve nt i t from rolling
back.
- Never hold the vehicle on an incline with a
slipp ing clu tc h . The clutch opens automati­
cally when it becomes too hot from the
overload . The
mJ indicator light turns on
79

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Trailer mode Driving with a trailer
General information
Your Audi was designed primarily for passenger
transportation .
If you plan to tow a trailer, please remember that
the additiona l load will affect durability, econo­
my and performance.
T railer tow ing not only p laces more stress on the
vehicle, it a lso calls for more concentration from
the dr iver.
F or this reason, always follow the operating and
driving instructions provided and use common
sense.
Technical requirements
Trailer hitch Use a weight -carrying hitch conforming to the
gross tra iler weig ht. The h itch must be suitab le
for your vehicle and tra iler and must be mo unted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a technically
sound
location . Use on ly a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ba ll mou nt. Always che ck wit h the t rail­
e r hitch manufac turer to make s ure that you are
usi ng the correct hitch .
Do not u se a bumper hitch .
The hitc h must be installed in such a way t hat it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system . No modifications should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and brake systems .
Fr om time to time, chec k that a ll hitc h mount ing
bo lts rema in securely faste ned.
When you are not towing a trailer,
remove the
tra iler hitch ba ll mount . This prevents the hitch
from ca using damage s hou ld your veh icle be
s truck from beh ind
~ ,&. .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking system,
check to be su re that it conforms to all regula­
tions .
Trailer mode
The t rai ler hydra ulic brake sys tem must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydra ulic
bra ke system.
Safety chains
Always use safety ch ains be tween your ve hicle
and the trailer.
Trailer lights
T ra ile r ligh ts must meet all regulations . Be sure
to chec k w it h your Aud i dea le r fo r correct wir ing,
swi tches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unab le to see the traffic behind you us­
i ng the regular outside mir rors, then you
must in­
sta ll extended mirro rs . It i s important that you
always have clear vision to t he rear.
,8. WARNING
Afte r remov ing the tra ile r hi tch , do no t st o re
i t in yo ur vehicle. In ca se of sudden brak ing,
the hitch could fly fo rward and injure you or
your passengers .
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer we ight
A tra iler for your vehicle is lim ited to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution B e sure the load in the tra ile r i s held se curely in
pla ce to p reve nt i t from shifting forward, bac k­
ward or si deways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer~.&.
in Driving instructions on page 86.
Engine cooling system
Towing a tra iler makes the engine work harder. It
is important that the cooling system's perform ­
ance is up to the additional load . Make sure that
the coo ling syst em has enoug h flu id.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of your
vehicle to the cold tire pressure listed under
"Full ..,.
85

Trailer mod e
load" on the la bel located on the driver's side B ­
pillar (visib le when the door is open) . Inflate
tra iler tires to trailer and tire manufacturers'
specif ications.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and t railer lights
are working p roper ly.
Safety chains
Be sure t railer safety chains are properly connect­
ed from the trai le r to the hi tch on the veh icle.
L eave enough sla ck in the cha ins to permi t turn­
ing corners. When yo u install safety chains, ma ke
sure they wi ll not drag on the road when yo u are
driving .
The cha ins s hou ld cross under the trailer tongue
t o prevent it from dropping in case of separation
from the h itch .
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration .
To obtain t he best poss ible handling of vehicle
and traile r, please note the fo llow ing :
.,. Do not tow a loaded trailer when your car itself
is not loaded.
.. Be especi ally ca ref ul when pass ing othe r
vehicles.
.. Observe speed limi ts .
.. Do not d rive at the maximum permissible
speed.
.. Always apply brakes early.
.. Monitor the temperature gauge .
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded t railer w ith an empty car res ults
in a high ly unstable distribution of weight . If this
cannot be avoided, drive at very low speeds on ly
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easie r to operate and cont rol.
This means that the tow vehi cle should be loaded
to the extent possible and permissible, while
keep ing the tra iler as light as possib le under the
circumstances. Whenever possible, transfer
some cargo to the l uggage compartment of the
86
tow veh icle wh ile observing tong ue load require ­
ments and vehicle loading considerations.
Speed
The higher the speed, the mo re diff icu lt i t be­
comes for the driver to con trol the r ig. Do not
drive at t he maxim um permissible speed. Reduce
you r speed even more if load, weather or wind
con dit ions are unfavorab le - partic ularly when
go ing downh ill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the slightest sign of swaying.
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Observe speed limi ts. In some areas, s peeds fo r
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for regular
vehicles .
A lways apply bra kes early. Whe n driving down­
hill, shift in to a lower gea r to use the engine
b raki ng effect to slow the vehi cle. Use of the
brakes alone ca n cause them to over heat and fai l.
Coolant temperature
The coolant temperature gauge 9 page 12 must
be obse rved caref ully. The coolant temperature
c a n incre ase if yo u drive o n long incl ines in a low
gear a t high engine speeds . Red uce your speed
immediately if the LE Ds in the top part of the dis­
play turn on .
Fo r more info rm ation abou t indicator lights, re­
fer to .
¢ page 16 .
A WARNING
-
Anyone not prope rly restrai ned in a moving
vehicle is at a much greate r risk in an acci ­
dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wear ing the restraints provided
by Aud i.
Trailer mode notes
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differen tly when towing a
trailer because o f the additiona l weight and di f­
ferent weight distribution. Safety, performance
and economy will g reatly depend on how caref ul-
l y you load your trai ler and operate you r rig. ..,_

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Before you actually tow your trailer, practice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traff ic. Keep practicing until you have be­
come completely familiar with the way your vehi­
cle-trailer combination behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice.
Backing up with a trailer generally requires steer­
ing action opposite to that when backing up your
vehicle without a trailer.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you. You wi ll need more
room to stop. To compensate for the trailer, you
will need a larger than normal turning radius.
When passing, remember that you cannot accel­
erate as fast as you norma lly would because of
the added load. Make sure you have enough room
to pass. After passing, allow plenty of room for
your trailer before changing lanes again.
Avoid jerky starts, sharp turns or rap id lane
changes.
@ Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during the break-in peri­
od of your vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, your Audi may require
more frequent maintenance due to the ex­
tra load
<=> page 2 53.
Parking on a slope
Do not pork on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot
be avoided, do so only ofter doing the following:
When parking:
.. Apply the foot brake .
.. Have someone pla ce chocks under both the ve­
hicle and the trailer wheels .
.. With chocks in place, slowly release the brakes
until the wheel chocks absorb the load .
.. Turn the wheels towards the curb .
.. Apply the parking brake .
.. Select the P selector lever position.
When restarting after parking :
.. Apply the foot brake.
.. Start the engine .
.. Select the D/S selector lever position.
Trailer mode
.. Release the parking brake and slowly pull out
and away from the wheel chocks.
.. Stop and have someone retrieve the whee l
chocks.
{!) Tips
If you move the selector lever of the automat­
ic transmission to P before applying the park­
ing brake and before blocking the wheels, you
may have to use more force later to move the
lever out of the P posit ion.
87

Assist
General information
Applies to: ve hicles w ith Audi side assis t
®
@
©
Fig. 104 Driving s itu atio ns
I! AU DI
Fig. 105 Rear of the vehicle: pos it ion of the senso rs (exa m·
pie)
Side assist functions at speeds above approxi·
mately 19 mph (30 km/h).
@ Vehicles that are approaching
In certain cases, a vehicle will be classified as
cr itical for a lane change even if it is still some·
what far away . The faster a veh icle approaches,
the sooner the display in the exterior mirror wi ll
turn on .
@ Vehicles traveling with you
Vehicles traveling with you are indicated in the
exterior mirror if they are classified as critical for
a lane change. All vehicles detected by side assist
104
are indicated by the time they enter your "blind
spot", at the latest .
© Vehicles left behind
If you slow ly pass a vehicle that side assist has
de tected (the diffe rence in speed between the
vehicle and your vehicle is less than 9 mph or 15
km/h), the display in the exterior mirror turns on
as soon as the vehicle enters your blind spot.
The display will not turn on if you quickly pass a
vehicle that side ass ist has detected (the differ­
ence in speed between the vehicle and your vehi­
cle is greater than 9 mph or 15 km/h).
Functional limitations
The radar sensors are designed to detect the left
and right adjacent lanes when the road lanes are
the normal width . In some situations, the display
in the exterior mirror may turn on even though
there is no vehicle located in the area that is criti·
cal for a lane c hange. For example:
- If the lanes are narrow or if your are driving on
the edge of your lane . If this is the case, the
system may have detected the vehicle in anoth·
er lane that is
not adjacent to your current lane.
- If you are driving through a curve . Side assist
may react to a vehicle that is one lane over
from the adjacent lane.
- If side assist reacts to other objects (such as
high or disp laced guard rai ls) .
- In poor weather conditions. The side assist
functions are limited.
Do not cover the radar sensors ¢
fig. 105 with
stickers, deposits, bicycle wheels or other ob­
jects, because this will affect the function. Do not
u se side assist when towing a trailer . For infor·
mation on cleaning, refer to ¢
page 224.
A WARNING
-Always pay attention to traffic and to the
area around your veh icle . S ide assist cannot
replace a driver's attention. The driver alone
is always responsible for lane changes and
similar driving maneuvers .
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Parking systems
General information
Applies to: ve hicles with a rea r parking sys te m /pa rking sys­
tem plus/rearv iew camera
Depending on your vehicle's equipment, various
parking aids will help you when parking and ma­
neuvering.
The
rear parking system is an audible parking aid
that warns you of obstacles
behind the vehicle
¢page 110.
The parking system plus assists you when park ­
ing by audibly and visually indicating objects de­
tected
in front of and behind the vehicle
¢page 110.
The rearview camera shows the area behind the
vehicle in the MMI display. This display assists
you when you are cross or parallel parking. The parking system plus functions are also available
¢page 111.
A WARNING ,--
- Always look for traffic and check the area
around your vehicle by looking at it directly
as well. The parking system cannot replace
the driver's attention. The driver is always
responsible when entering or leaving a park­
ing space and during similar maneuvers.
- Please note that some surfaces, such as
clothing, are not detected by the system.
- Sensors and cameras have blind spots in
which people and objects cannot be detect­
ed . Be especially cautious of small children
and animals.
- Always pay attention to the area around the
vehicle -using the rearview mirror, too.
- The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the radiator grille, bumper,
wheel housing and the underbody . The park­
ing system may become impaired as a re­
sult. Have an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility check their
function.
- Make sure the sensors are not obstructed by
stickers, deposits or other materials. If they
are the sensor function could be impaired.
I
Parking systems
For additional information on cleaning, re­
fer to¢
page 224.
@ Note
-Some objects are not detected or displayed
by the system under certain circumstances:
- Objects such as barrier chains, trailer draw
bars, vertical poles or fences
- Objects above the sensors such as wall ex­
tensions
- Objects with specific surfaces or struc­
tures such as chain link fences or powder
snow
- If you continue driving closer to a low-lying
object, it may disappear from the sensor
range . Note that you will no longer be
warned about this obstacle.
- The sensors can be displaced by impacts or
damage to the radiator grille, bumper,
wheel housing and the underbody. The
parking system may become impaired as a
result . Have an authorized Audi dealer or
authorized Audi Service Facility check their
function.
(D Tips
- The system may provide a warning even
though there are no obstacles in the cover­
age area in some situations, such as:
- certain road surfaces or for long grass .
- external ultrasonic sources e.g. from
cleaning vehicles.
- heavy rain, snow, or thick vehicle exhaust.
- We recommend that you practice parking in
a traffic-free location or parking lot to be­
come familiar with the system. When doing
this, there should be good light and weath­
er conditions .
- You can change the volume and pitch of the
signals as well as the display¢
page 115.
-What appears in the MMI display is some­
what time-delayed.
- The sensors must be kept clean and free of
snow and ice for the park assist to operate.
109

Parking system s
General information
Applies to: ve hicles w ith park ing system p lus with rearv iew
camera
F ig . 1 13 Area covered © and area not covered @by the
r earv iew came ra (example)
Fig. 114 Rear lid : locat io n of the rearview camera (exam ·
ple)
0
-8
>
lll
The rearview camera is located above the rear li­
cense plate bracket. Make sure that the lens for
the parking system
c.:> fig. 114 is not covered by
depos its or any other obstructions because th is
can affect the function of the parking system . For
information on cleaning, refer to
c.:> page 224 .
The rearview camera coverage area includes(!)
c.:> fig. 113. Only this area is displayed in the MMI.
Objects that are outside of th is area @are not
displayed .
The accuracy of the orientation lines and b lue
surfaces d iminishes if
D ynamic mode is activated
¢ page 106.
A WARNING
-Always read and follow the applicable warn­
ings
c.:> .&. in General information on
page 109.
- If the posit ion and the installation ang le of
the rearv iew camera was changed, for ex­
ample, after a co llision, do not continue to
112
use the system for safety reasons . Have it
checked by an a uthorized Audi dea ler or au­
thorized Audi Service Fac ility.
- Only use the rearview camera to assist you if
it shows a good, clear picture . For example,
the image may be affected by the sun shin­
ing into the lens, dirt on the lens or if there is a defect.
- Use the rearv iew camera on ly if the luggage
compa rtment lid is completely closed.
If the
luggage compartment lid is open the orien­
tation lines and b lue surfaces are hidden.
Ma ke sure a ny objects you may h ave mo unt­
ed on t he luggage compartment lid do not
b lock the rearview camera .
- The camera lens enlarges and distorts the
fie ld of vision. The object appears both a l­
tered and inaccurate on the screen .
- I n cer tain s itu ations, people or objects in
the display appea r closer or farther away:
- For objects that do not touch the ground,
such as the bumper of a parked vehicle, a
trailer hitch or the rear of a truck . Do not
use the help lines in th is case.
- If driven from a level surface onto an in­ cline, or a downward slope .
- If driven toward protruding objects.
- If the vehicle is carrying too much load in
the rear .
(D Note
-Always read and fo llow the applicable warn­
ings
c.:> (D in General information on
page 109.
- The orange colored orientat ion lines in the
MMI display show the direction of trave l of
the vehicle rear depending on the steering
wheel angle . The front of the vehicle swings
out more than the rear of the veh icle. Main­
tain plen ty of dis tance so tha t your outside
mi rror or a co rne r of your veh icle does not
c o llide wit h any obs tacle s.

Your safety and that of your pas­sengers also depends on making
sure that load limits are not ex­
ceeded. Vehicle load includes ev­
erybody and everything in and on
the vehicle. These load limits are
technically referred to as the vehi­
cle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rat­
ing
("GVWR").
The "GVWR" includes the weight
of the basic vehicle, all factory in­
stalled accessories, a full tank of
fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids
plus maximum load. The maxi­
mum load includes the number of
passengers that the vehicle is in­
tended to carry ("seating capaci­
ty") with an assumed weight of
150 lbs. (68 kg) for each passen­
ger at a designated seating posi­
tion and the total weight of any luggage in the vehicle. If you tow
a trailer, the weight of the trailer
hitch and the tongue weight of
the loaded trailer must be includ­
ed as part of the vehicle load.
The
Gross Axle Weight Rating
("GAWR") is the maximum load
that can be applied at each of the
vehicle's two axles .
; The fact that there is an upper
N
~ limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehi-
o
s: a:,
Tires and wheels
cle Weight Rating means that the
total weight of whatever is being
carried in the vehicle (including
the weight of a trailer hitch and
the tongue weight of the loaded
trailer) is limited. The more pas­
sengers in the vehicle or passen­
gers who are heavier than the
standard weights assumed mean
that less weight can be carried as
luggage.
The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
are listed on the safety compli­
ance sticker label located on the driver's side B-pillar
9page 214,
fig. 170.
A WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause
loss of vehicle control, a crash
or other accident, serious per­
sonal injury, and even death.
-Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry will prevent the vehicle
from handling properly and increase the risk of the loss of
vehicle control.
-The brakes on a vehicle that
has been overloaded may not
be able to stop the vehicle
within a safe distance.
217

Tires and wheels
-Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail sud­
denly, including a blowout and
sudden deflation, causing loss of control and a crash .
-Always make sure that the to­ tal load being transported -
including the weight of a trail­
er hitch and the tongue
weight of a loaded trailer­ does not make the vehicle
heavier than the vehicle's
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
Determining correct load
limit
Use the example below to calcu­
late the total weight of the pas­
sengers and luggage or other
things that you plan to transport
so that you can make sure that
your vehicle will not be overload­ ed .
Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1 . Locate the statement "THE
COMBINED WEIGHT OF OCCU­
PANTS AND CARGO SHOULD
NEVER EXCEED XXX KG OR XXX
LBS"on your vehicle's placard
(tire inflation pressure label)
¢page 214, fig.170.
218
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" kilograms or "XXX"
pounds shown on the sticker
¢page 214, fig. 170.
4. The resulting figure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For ex­
ample, if the "XXX" amount
equals
1400 lbs . and there will
be five
150 lbs. passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lbs.
(1400-750 (5 X 150) = 650
lbs.)
5. Determine the combined
weight of luggage and cargo being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely ex­ ceed the available cargo and luggage load capacity calculat­
ed in Step 4.
6. If your vehicle will be towing a trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your ve­
hicle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces ...