towing capacity LINCOLN AVIATOR 2003 Owners Manual

system gets wet, your engine may stall. Water may also enter your
engine’s air intake and severely damage your engine.
If driving through deepor standing water is unavoidable, proceed very
slowly. Never drive through water that is higher than the bottom of the
hubs (for trucks) or the bottom of the wheel rims (for cars).
Once through the water, always try the brakes. Wet brakes do not stop
the vehicle as effectively as dry brakes. Drying can be improved by
moving your vehicle slowly while applying light pressure on the brake
pedal.
Driving through deep water where the transmission vent tube is
submerged may allow water into the transmission and cause
internal transmission damage. Have the fluid checked and, if
water is found, replace the fluid.
VEHICLE LOADING
Before loading a vehicle, familiarize yourself with the following terms:
•Base Curb Weight:Weight of the vehicle including any standard
equipment, fluids, lubricants, etc. It does not include occupants or
aftermarket equipment.
•Payload:Combined maximum allowable weight of cargo, occupants
and optional equipment. The payload equals the gross vehicle weight
rating minus the weight of your vehicle.
•GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight):Base curb weight plus payload
weight. The GVW is not a limit or a specification.
•GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating):Maximum permissible total
weight of the base vehicle, occupants, optional equipment and cargo.
The GVWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on the Safety
Certification Label on the driver’s door pillar.
•GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating):Carrying capacity for each axle
system. The GAWR is specific to each vehicle and is listed on the
Safety Certification Label on the driver’s door pillar.
•GCW (Gross Combined Weight):The combined weight of the
towing vehicle (including occupants and cargo) and the loaded trailer.
•GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating):Maximum permissible
combined weight of towing vehicle (including occupants and cargo)
and the loaded trailer.
•Maximum Trailer Weight Rating:Maximum weight of a trailer the
vehicle is permitted to tow. The maximum trailer weight rating is
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191

determined by subtracting the vehicle curb weight for each
engine/transmission combination, any required option weight for trailer
towing and the weight of the driver from the GCWR for the towing
vehicle.
•Maximum Trailer Weight:Maximum weight of a trailer the loaded
vehicle (including occupants and cargo) is permitted to tow. It is
determined by subtracting the weight of the loaded trailer towing
vehicle from the GCWR for the towing vehicle.
•Trailer Weight Range:Specified weight range that the trailer must
fall within that ranges from zero to the maximum trailer weight rating.
Remember to figure in the tongue load of your loaded trailer when
figuring the total weight.
Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the
certification label.
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.
The Safety Certification Label, found on the driver’s door pillar, lists
several important vehicle weight rating limitations. Before adding any
additional equipment, refer to these limitations. If you are adding weight
to the front of your vehicle, (potentially including weight added to the
cab), the weight added should not exceed the front gross axle weight
rating (FGAWR). Additional frontal weight may be added to the front
axle reserve capacity provided you limit your payload in other ways (i.e.
restrict the number of occupants or amount of cargo carried).
Always ensure that the weight of occupants, cargo and equipment being
carried is within the weight limitations that have been established for
your vehicle including both gross vehicle weight and front and rear gross
axle weight rating limits. Under no circumstance should these limitations
be exceeded.
Exceeding any vehicle weight rating limitation could result in
serious damage to the vehicle loss of vehicle control, vehicle
rollover, and/or personal injury.
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192

GAWR ......................................191
GVWR ......................................191
trailer towing ..........................191
Loading instructions .................193
Locks
childproof
................................103
doors
........................................103
Lubricant specifications
...273, 275
Lumbar support, seats
.............122
M
Manual transmission
fluid capacities
........................270
lubricant specifications
..........275
Message center
...........................86
english/metric button
...............90
system check button
................90
warning messages
.....................92
Mirrors
...................................67, 73
fold away
...................................75
heated
........................................74
programmable memory
..........105
side view mirrors
(power)
...............................73, 75
Moon roof
....................................68
Motorcraft parts
................259, 270
O
Octane rating
............................258
Odometer
.....................................16
Oil (see Engine oil)
..................245
Overdrive
.....................................98P
Panic alarm feature, remote
entry system ..............................105
Parking brake ............................169
Parts (see Motorcraft parts) ....270
Pedals (see Power adjustable
foot pedals) .................................76
Power adjustable foot pedals .....76
Power distribution box
(see Fuses) ...............................206
Power door locks ......................103
Power mirrors .............................73
Power point .................................69
Power steering ..........................173
fluid, checking and adding ....264
fluid, refill capacity ................270
fluid, specifications .........273, 275
Power Windows ...........................70
Preparing to drive
your vehicle ...............................173
R
Radio ......................................18, 27
Radio reception ...........................39
Rear Park Assist .......................179
Rear window defroster ...............49
Relays ................................202, 210
Remote entry system .......103, 105
illuminated entry ....................109
locking/unlocking
doors ........................103–104, 108
opening the trunk ...................105
panic alarm .............................105
replacement/additional
transmitters .............................107
Index
285