trailer AUDI A3 SEDAN 2017 Owners Manual

Table of content s
About this Owne r's Manual . .. .. .
6
Cockpi t ... .. ............... .... .. . 8
Cockpit overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Controls at a glance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Instrument cluster . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Mu ltifunction steering wheel plus . . . . . . 13
Mu ltifunction steering wheel . . . . . . . . . . 16
Driver information system . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
On Board Diagnostic System (OBD) . . . . . 23
Indicato r lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Start ing and dr iving . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Opening and closing . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Central lock ing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
L uggage compartment lid . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Ch ild safety lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Power w indows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Panorama glass roof . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Power top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Automatic power top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 4
Wind deflector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Power top emergency operation . . . . . . . . 48
Lights and Vision .. ..... ... .. .. .. .
Exterior lighting ... .. ...... ... .. .. .. .
Interior lighting ... ........... .... .. .
V1s1on ... .. .. ... ............ .... .. .
W indshield wipers ............... ... .
Dig ital compass ........... ...... ... . 51
5 1
54
55
57
59
Seats and storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
General information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Front seats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
H ead restra ints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
So ckets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
S to ring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
L uggage compar tment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
R oof rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Warm and cold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Climate control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
General in formation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Steering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
2
Starting and stopping the eng ine
(vehicles with an ignition lock) . . . . . . . . . 77
Start ing and stopping the eng ine
(vehicles with conven ience key) . . . . . . . . 78
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Start ing the engine whe n there is a
malfunction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Start/Stop system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
El ectromechanical parking brake . . . . . . . 83
Start ing from a stop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8S
Automa tic transmission . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8S
e-tron ...... .. .. .. .. .. ........... .. 94
P lu g- in hybrid drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Re fueling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . lOS
Charging . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Charging at pub lic charging stations . . . . 108
Charging the battery with the Aud i e-tron
charg ing system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Ind icator lights and messages ......... 117
Charg ing unit cover emergency release . . 118
Climate contro l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Cleaning/ma intenance information 119
Trailer towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
D rivi ng with a tra ile r .. ... ........... .
T ra ile r t owing information .......... . .
D . . nver assi
stance .. ... ... .... ... . .
Assis tance systems ............ . .
El ectron ic speed limite r ............. . .
Speed warning system ... .. .. .... ... . . 120
1 2 1
123
123
1 23
123
Cruise control system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123
Lap timer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Audi adaptive cruise contro l . . . . . . . . . . . 126
Distance disp lay and distance warning . . . 132
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Audi pre sense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133
Audi pre sense basic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Audi pre sense front . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Audi active lane assist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Audi s ide ass ist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Audi drive select . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Parking systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Genera l information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Parking system plus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147

Driving
"'To start driving and release the parking brake
automatically, press the accelerator pedal as
usual.
In addition to releasing the parking brake auto­
matically, other convenience and safety functions
are available when you start driving
¢ page 85,
Starting from a stop.
Preventing the automatic parking brake
release
The vehicle could begin rolling unintentionally,
dep ending on the hill or if towing a trailer.
"'To prevent the parking brake from releasing au­
tomatically, pull and hold
the®> switch and
press the accelerator pedal. The parking brake
remains set and prevents the vehicle from roll­
ing backward.
"'You can release the(®) switch again once you
are sure that you are giving enough driving
force to the wheels by pressing the accelerator pedal.
Emergency braking function
You can use the emergency braking function in an emergency situation, or if the standard brake op­
eration malfunctions or is disabled .
"'Pull and hold the(®) switch.
"' As soon as you release the ®> switch or acceler-
ate, the braking stops .
Pulling and holding
the®> switch while driving
the vehicle activates the emergency braking func­
tion . The vehicle is braked at all four wheels by
activating the hydraulic brake system. The brak­ ing effect is similar to heavy
braking ¢,&. .
To reduce the risk of activating the emergency
braking by mistake, a warning tone (bu zzer)
sounds when
the(®) switch is pulled. Emergency
braking stops as soon as
the(®) switch is released
or the accelerator pedal is pressed .
Parking
"' Press the brake pedal to stop the vehicle.
"'Pull the®> switch to set the parking brake.
"'Place the selector lever in the P position.
"'Turn the engine off ¢,&. .
84
"'Turn the steering wheel when parking on in­
clines so that the wheels will roll into the curb
if the vehicle starts moving.
A WARNING
- Do not press the accelerator pedal inadver­
tently if a gear is selected when the vehicle
is stationary and the engine is running . Oth ­
erwise, the vehicle will start to move imme­
diately and this could result in an accident.
- Emergency braking should only be used in
an emergency, when the normal brake pedal has failed or the brake pedal is obstructed.
During emergency braking, your vehicle will
brake similar to heavy braking. ESC and the
associated components (ABS, ASR, EDL)
cannot overcome the laws of physics. In cor­
ners and when road or weather conditions
are bad, a full brake application can cause
the vehicle to skid or the rear end to swerve,
which increases the risk of an accident.
- If the power supply fails, you cannot set the
parking brake if it is released . In this case,
park the vehicle on level ground and secure
it by placing the selector lever in the P posi­
tion. See an authorized Audi dealer or au­
thorized Audi Service Facility for assistance.
-Always take the vehicle key with you when
leaving your vehicle, even for a short period
of time . This applies particularly when chil­
dren remain in the vehicle. Otherwise chil­
dren could start the engine, release the
parking brake or operate electrical equip­
ment such as power windows, which in­
creases the risk of an accident.
- No one should remain in the vehicle when it
is locked - especially children. Locked doors
make it more difficult for emergency work­
ers to get into the vehicle, which puts lives
at risk .
(D Tips
When stopping at a traffic signal or stopping
in city traffic, you can set the parking brake
manually . The vehicle does not have to be
held with the brake pedal. The parking brake
eliminates the tendency to creep when a se­ lector lever position is engaged . As soon as

Trailer towing
Trailer towing
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 additional load will affect durability, econo­
my and performance.
Trailer towing not on ly places more stress on the
ve hicle, it also ca lls 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 weight. The hitch must be suitab le
for your veh icle and tra iler and must be mounted
securely on the vehicle's chassis at a technically
sound
locat ion . Use on ly a trailer hitch with a re­
movable ba ll mount . Always che ck with the t rail ­
er hitch man ufac tur er to make s ure t hat you are
using the co rrect hi tc h.
Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way that it
does not interfere with the impact -absorbing
bumper system. No mod ificat ions should be
made to the vehicle exhaust and b rake systems .
Fr om t ime to t ime, che ck tha t all hitch mo unti ng
bol ts rem ain securely f aste ned.
W hen you are not tow ing a tra iler, remove the
tra ile r hitc h ba ll mount . This prevents the hit ch
from caus ing damage s hou ld your veh icle be
s truck from be hind
c> ,&. .
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak ing system,
check to be su re that it conforms to all regula­
tions .
120
The t rai ler hydraulic bra ke system must not be
directly connected to the vehicle's hydraulic
bra ke system.
Safety chains
A lways use s afety chains between you r vehi cle
and t he tra ile r.
Trailer lights
Traile r lights must meet all regula tions . B e s ure
to check w ith your Aud i dea le r fo r cor rect wir ing,
switches and relays .
Mirrors
If you are unable to see t he traffic behind you us­
i ng t he regular outs ide mir rors, then yo u
must in­
stall extended mirro rs . It is impo rtant that you
always have clear vision to the rear.
&, WARNING
Afte r remov ing the tr ailer hi tch, do not s to re
i t i n yo ur vehicle. In case o f su d den braking,
the hitch could fly fo rwa rd and injure you or
your passengers .
Operating instructions
Maximum trailer weight
A tra iler f or yo ur vehicle is lim ite d to a typical
class 1 or class 2 trailer.
Trailer load distribution
Be sure the load in the t rai le r i s he ld se curely in
pla ce to p revent i t from shi fting forward, bac k­
ward or si deways.
Never allow a passenger to ride in a trailer c> &.
in Driving instructions on page 121.
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 tha t
the coo ling system has enoug h flu id.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inf late the tires of your
vehicle to the tire pressure listed under "Full load" on the label
c> page 336. Inflate trailer

CXl CXl .... N ,.__
N .... 0 N > 00
tires to trailer and tire manufacturers' specifica­
tions.
Lights
Check to make sure both vehicle and trailer lights
are working p roperly.
Safety chains
Be sure trailer safety chains are properly connect ­
ed from the tra iler to the hitch on the vehicle.
Leave enough slack in the chains to permit turn­
in g corners . When you install safety cha ins, ma ke
sure they w ill not drag on the road when yo u are
driving .
The chains shou ld cross under the trailer tongue
to prevent it from dropping in case of separat ion
from the hitch.
Driving instructions
Driving with a trailer always requires extra care
and consideration.
Weight distribution
Towing a loaded trailer w ith an empty car results
in a highly unstable distribution of weight . If this
cannot be avo ided, drive at very low speeds only
to avoid the risk of losing steering control.
A "balanced" rig is easier to operate and control.
This means that the tow vehicle should be loaded
to the extent possible and permissible, while
keep ing the tra iler as light as possib le under the
circumstances. Whenever possib le, t ransfer
some cargo to the luggage compartment of the
tow vehicle whi le observing tongue load require­
ments and vehicle loading considerations .
Speed
The higher the speed, the more difficult it be­
comes for the driver to control the rig. Do not
drive at the maximum permissible speed. Reduce
your speed even more if load, weather or wind
conditions are unfavorable
-particu larly when
going downhill.
Reduce vehicle speed
immediately if the trailer
shows the s lightest sign of swaying .
Do not try
to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Tra iler towing
Observe speed limits. In some a reas, speeds for
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for regular
vehicles .
Always apply brakes early. When driving down­
hill, shift into a lower gear to use the engine
braking effect to slow the vehicle. Use of the
brakes alone can cause them to overheat and fa il.
Coolant temperature
T he coo lant tempe rature gauge ~ page 11 must
be observed carefully . The coolant temperature
can increase if you drive on long inclines in a low
gear at high engine speeds. Reduce your speed
immediately if the LEDs in the top part of the dis­
play turn on.
For more information about indicator lights, re­
fer
to . ~page 28.
A WARNING ,-
Anyone not properly restrained in a moving
vehicle is at a much greater risk in an acci­
dent. Never let anyone ride in your car who is
not properly wearing the restraints provided
by Aud i.
Trailer towing
information
Important to know
Your vehicle handles differently when towing a
trailer because of the addit ional weight and dif­
ferent weight distribution . Safety, performance
and economy will g reatly depend on how careful­
ly you load your trailer and operate yo ur rig.
Before you actually tow your trailer, pract ice
turning, stopping and backing up in an area away
from traffic. Keep practic ing until you have be­
come complete ly familiar w ith the way your vehi­
cle-trailer combination behaves and responds.
Backing up is difficult and requires practice.
Backing up with a t railer genera lly requires steer ­
i ng action opposite to that when backing up your
vehicle without a tra iler.
Maintain a greater distance between your vehicle
and the one in front of you. You will need more
.,,.
121

Trailer towing
room to stop . To compensate fo r the trai ler, you
will need a larger than normal turning radius.
When pass ing, remembe r that you cannot accel­
erate as fast as you norma lly would because of
the added load. Make s ure yo u have eno ugh room
to pass . After passing, allow plenty of room for
your tra ile r before chang ing lanes again.
Avoid jer ky s tar ts, sharp turns or rap id lane
changes .
{D) Tips
- Do not tow a trailer during t he b reak-in per i­
od of yo ur vehicle.
- If you tow a trailer, your Aud i may require
more frequent m ain tenance d ue to the ex­
tra load
r:!) page 3 78.
Parking on a slope
Do not park on a slope with a trailer. If it cannot
be avoided, do so only
a~er doing the following:
When parking:
.,. Apply the foot b rake .
.. Have someone place chocks under both t he ve­
hicle and the trai le r wheels .
.. With chocks i n place, slowly release the brakes
u nt il the whee l cho cks absorb the load .
.. T urn the wheels towards the curb .
.. Apply the parking brake .
.. Select the P selector lever position.
When restarting after parking:
.,. Apply the foo t bra ke .
.. Start the engi ne .
.. Se lect the D/S selector lever position .
.. Release the parking brake and slowly pull out
and away from the wheel chocks .
.. Stop and have someone retrieve the wheel
chocks.
(D Tips
If you move the se lector lever of the a utomat­
ic transm ission to P before apply ing t he park­
ing brake and before block ing the wheels, you
may have to use more fo rce later to move the
lever ou t of the P position .
122

@ Tips
-You can cance l the automatic brake activa­
tion w ith increasing bra king fo rce if you ap­
ply the brakes y ourse lf or accelerate cons id­
erab ly.
- In some sit uations, rea r cross-traffic assist
may warn yo u even if there is no cross traffic
i n a cr itical a rea , for examp le w hen back ing
i nto a parki ng space or ma neuver ing.
- The rea r cross-traffic ass ist also switches off
whe n you switch off the ESC.
- The rea r cross traffic assist switches on and
off thro ugh the pa rking aid
qpage 146.
- The system is not available when towin g a
trailer.
Messages
A ppl ies to: ve hicles with Audi side assist
If t he side assist switches off automatically, a
message appea rs in the ins trumen t clus ter dis ­
pl ay.
@j Aud i side assist: System fault!
The system can not guarantee that it wi ll detect
ve hicles co rrectly and it has switched off. The
sensors have been moved o r are faulty. Have t he
system checked by an authorized Audi dea ler or
author ized Audi Service Facility soon .
@j Audi side assist: currently unavailable. No
sensor vision
@j Audi side assist: currently unavailable. Sen­
sor vision restricted due to surroundings . See
owner 's manual
The radar senso r vis io n i s im paire d. Do not cove r
the area i n front of t he senso rs with bike wheels,
stickers, dirt o r othe r objects. C lean the area in
fron t of t he senso rs, if necessary
q page 140,
fig. 147.
@j Audi side assist: currently unavailable
S ide assis t cann ot be swi tched o n at thi s time be­
c a use t here is a mal func tion (fo r ex amp le, the
~ ba ttery ch arge level may be too low) .
....
~ @j Audi side assist: unavailable in towing mode
....
~ @j Audi side assist: unavailable in towing mode
00
Assistance systems
Sid e ass ist swi tches off automatically a fter a
s h ort time when a factory -insta lled tra ile r h itch
i s connected to the e lectrica l connecto r on the
t railer . T here is no gua rantee the system will
switch off when using a retrofitted trailer h itch.
Do not use side assist when tow ing a trailer .
Ill Rear parking aid : obstacle detection restrict­
ed
T he rea r cross -tra ffic ass is t is not available. Ei­
t h er th e ESC is sw itched off, or the rada r senso rs
may be cove red by a bike rack, st icke rs, leaves,
snow o r other objects. Switch the ESC on, or
clean the area in front of the senso rs if necessa ry
q page 140, fig . 147. If t his message continues
to be displayed , dr ive immed ia tely to a n author­
iz ed Audi dea ler or author ized Audi S ervic e Facili­
ty to ha ve the m alfunc tion re paire d.
Audi drive select
Introduction
Applies to : vehicles wit h Audi drive se lec t
Audi dr ive select makes it poss ible to experience
diffe rent types of vehicle settings in one vehicle.
T he dr iver can select from three modes,
Comfort ,
Auto
and Dynamic , using t he r:;~, bu tton in the
c en te r c onsole o r by usin g the Info ta in m ent sys­
te m. T hi s a llow s yo u t o swi tch between a sporty
and a com fo rt ab le driv ing mode, fo r ex am ple. In
t h e
Individual* mode , the settin gs ca n be adjus t­
ed to yo ur persona l preferences . T his makes it
p oss ible to com bine settings such as a spo rty en­
gine setting with light steer ing.
Description
App lies to : vehicles wi th Audi drive se lect
The veh icle set up i n eac h mode depends on the
vehicle's features. However, the eng ine a nd
stee ring are always affec ted .
Engine and automatic transmission
Depend ing on the mode, the engine an d auto­
matic transm ission* respond more q uickly o r in a
more ba la nced manner to acce lerato r pedal
movements . In the sporty dynam ic mode, th e
t ransm iss io n shifts at higher spe ed ranges .
..,.
143

Parking systems
Parking systems
General information
A ppl ies to: ve hicles w ith parking system plus/rearview cam ­
era
Depending on your vehicle's equipment , various
parking aids will help you when parking and ma­
neuvering.
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 147.
The rearview camera shows the area behind the
vehicle in the Infotainment system display. This display assists you when you are cross or parallel parking. The parking system plus functions are
also available ¢
page 148.
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 -us ing 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 be impaired as a result.
Have an authorized Audi dealer or author­
ized Audi Service Facility check their func­
tion .
(D 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
146
-objects above the sensors such as wall ex­
tensions
-objects with certain surfaces or structures
such as chain link fences or powder snow
-If you continue driving closer to a low ob­
ject, it may disappear from the sensor range. Note that you will no longer be
warned about this obstacle.
-Keep enough distance from the curb to re­
duce the risk of damage to the rims.
(D Tips
-T he 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 when there is tall
grass .
-external ultrasonic sources such as from
cleaning vehicles.
-in heavy rain, snow, or thick vehicle ex­
haust.
-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 shou ld be good light and weath­
er conditions.
-You can change the volume and pitch of the
signals as well as the display¢
page 150.
-What appears in the infotainment display is
somewhat time-delayed .
-The sensors must be kept clean and free of
snow and ice for the parking aid to operate .

Navigation
Alternative routes
Applies to: ve hicles w ith navigation sys tem
F ig. 191 Alternat ive ro ute disp lay in t he overv iew map
Requirement : a destination must be entered and
the route guidance must be started.
.. P ress the I N AV/MAPI button repeated ly un til
the
Enter destination menu is displayed
r=;, page 2 00, fig. 185 .
.. Select : right contro l button > Navigat ion set-
t ings > Show alternative routes .
Three routes are shown in the overview map
¢fig. 191.
.. Select and confirm the desired route that yo u
would like to use for route guidance.
Up to three route suggestions and their proper­
ties are displayed on the overview map when the
function is switched
on~ r=;, fig. 191.
I f available, the following information will ap­
pear on the route s uggestions:
- Ro ute type
(fast @, fast a lter nat ive @, eco­
nomic
r oute @)
-Dista nce to the des tin ation and t he ca lculated
a rrival time
- T raffic congestion along t he ro ute including
t ime delays
The route that was calculated according to the
ro ute criteria you selected is show n on the over­
view map . The special p rope rt ies of t he ro ute are
al so
displayed @¢ fig. 191 and given as a spo­
ken message .
Using the contro l knob, you can se lect the possi­
b le rou ting for the alte rnative routes and show
t hem on m ap Selec t and confi rm the desire d
route tha t you woul d like to use for route guid­
ance .
208
Additional settings
Navigation settings
App lies to: vehicles with navigation sys te m
.. Press the I NAV/MAPI b utton repeatedly u nti l
t he
Enter de stinat ion me nu i s displaye d
¢page 200, fig.18 5 .
.. Sele ct: right con trol b utton> Navigat ion set-
tings .
Depend ing o n the selected fu nction, the follow­
i ng settings c an be sele cte d:
Show alternative routes
Up to three suggested routes a re shown o n the
map when th is fu nction is sw itched
on~
r=;, page 208, Alternative routes.
Low fuel warning
A message is d is p layed if the fuel gauge goes be­
low the rese rve marking when this function is
swi tched
on~ -Confirming this message displays
a list of gas stations in the a rea . When a gas sta­
t ion is se lected, route guida nce from the cur rent
vehicle position is c alcula ted.
Trailer mode*
Tra ile r mode is switched off at the factory .
When the funct ion is switched
on ~-the max i­
mum perm itted speed for vehicles with trailers is
incorporated into the route guidance and the cal­
cu lated arriva l t ime is adjusted accord ingly . Trai l­
er mode is displayed using symbols
-r.'11 in the s ide
m enu on the map .
Personal route assistance*
Personal route assistance is switc hed off at the
factory.
You r trips a re recorded and destinations are sug­
gested by the MMI when th is function is sw itched
o n ~ r=;, page 206.
Notificat ion when nearby*
The no tifica tion when nearby is switched off at
the factory .
The M MI no tifies you w hen y ou are a pproachi ng
selected points of interest w hen th is fu nction is
...

Wheels
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 limit to your vehicle's Gross Vehi­
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
340
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
c::> page 336,
fig. 280.
A WARNING
=
Overloading a vehicle can cause
loss of vehicle control, a crash
or other accident, serious per­
sonal injury, and even death.
-Carry ing 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.
-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
-.,.

CX> CX> ... N .... N ... 0 N > a:,
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 336, fig. 280.
2. Determine the combined
weight of the driver and pas­
sengers that will be riding in
your vehicle.
3. Subtract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from
"XXX" kilograms or "XXX"
Wheels
pounds shown on the sticker
¢ page 336, fig. 280.
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.)
S. 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
the available cargo and lug­
gage load capacity of your vehi­
cle.
.,.Check the tire sidewall
(¢page 328, fig . 278) to deter­
mine the designated load rating
for a specific tire.
341