weight Mercury Villager 1998 Owner's Manuals

Safety Seats for Children
Use a safety seat that is recommended for the size and weight of
the child. Always follow the safety seat manufacturer's
instructions when installing and using the safety seat.
Ford recommends the use of a child safety seat having a top
tether strap. Install the child safety seat in a seating position which
is capable of providing a tether anchorage. For more
information on top tether straps seeAttaching Safety Seats With
Tether Strapsin this chapter.
When installing a child safety seat, be sure to use the correct
safety belt buckle for that seating position, make sure the tongue
is securely fastened in the buckle and there is tension in the
belt. For a shoulder/lap belt combination with a sliding tongue,
make sure the retractor is in the automatic locking mode. For
more information, seeUsing the Automatic Locking Mode Retractor
to Secure a Child Safety Seatlater in this chapter.
All child restraint systems are designed to be secured in vehicle
seats by lap belts or by the lap portion of a lap-shoulder belt.
Seating and Safety Restraints
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Built-In Child Seats (If equipped)
The optional second row bench seat includes two built-in child
seats. These child restraints are to be used only by children who:
mare at least one year old
AND
mweigh between 10 and 27 kilograms (22 and 60 pounds)
AND
mwhose shoulders are below the shoulder harness slots
Children not meeting these requirements should be restrained
in an approved aftermarket child safety seat. Follow the specific
manufacturer's instructions for weight and height restrictions.
Children must be properly buckled before riding in the vehicle. It
is the law in every state and province. These child seats
conform to all Federal/Canadian motor vehicle safety standards.
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Driving Through Water
Do not drive quickly through standing water, especially if the
depth is unknown. Traction or brake capability may be limited and
if the ignition system gets wet, your engine may stall. Water
may also enter your engine's air intake and cause severe damage
to your engine.
If driving through deep or standing water is unavoidable,
proceed very slowly. Never drive through water that is higher
than the bottom of wheel rims.
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 With a Heavy Load
The Safety Compliance Certification Label, located on the driver's
door pillar, provides important information regarding the
weight limits your vehicle can safely carry or tow. The total
weight of your vehicle, including the weight of the passengers
and cargo, should never be more than the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating (GVWR). Also, the weight that your vehicle carries on
the front axle and rear axle should never be more than the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) for the respective axle.
The load capacities of your vehicle's tires affect the GVWR or
GAWR limitations. Using replacement tires with a higher weight
limit than the originals does not increase GVWR or GAWR.
Using lower capacity replacement tires may lower GVWR and
GAWR limitations.
WARNING
Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the
Safety Compliance Certification Label.
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Vehicle/Trailer Loads
Your vehicle may tow a Class I trailer up to 2,000 lbs. (907 kg)
provided the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) is less than the GVWR
shown on the Safety Compliance Certification Label. With the
optional trailer tow package, your vehicle can tow a trailer up to
3,500 lbs. (1,588 kg).
Trailer Towing (may require trailer tow option package)
Towing a trailer puts an additional load on your vehicle's
engine, transaxle, axle, brakes, tires and suspension. Always use
the proper equipment for the type of trailer you tow.
mStay within the load limits when you tow.
mCarefully and thoroughly prepare your vehicle for towing,
making sure to use and install the proper equipment. See
Preparing to Towin this section.
mUse extra caution when driving your vehicle while you tow.
SeeDriving While You Towin this section.
mService your vehicle more frequently if you tow a trailer. See
Servicing Your Vehicle if You Towin this section.
Do not tow a trailer until your vehicle has been driven at least
500 miles (800 km).
Vehicle Loading Information
Your vehicle's load capacity is designated by weight, not volume,
so you cannot necessarily use all the available space.
Maximum safe vehicle weights as well as tire sizes, wheel sizes
and inflation pressures are specified for your vehicle at the
assembly plant on the Safety Compliance Certification Label. The
certification label is located on the pillar in the driver's door
opening.
Driving
227

Each additional item of equipment affects how much cargo a
vehicle can carry. If a vehicle is overloaded, performance will suffer
and service concerns may arise.
The following is a typical example of a Safety Compliance
Certification Label and an explanation of how this information
should be used:
NOTE: The vehicle must not be loaded to both the front and rear
GAWR because the GVWR will be exceeded. The
GAWR of the front and rear axles exceed the GVWR
when added together.
There are no numbers on the sample Safety Compliance
Certification Label shown. Refer to the actual numbers on your
vehicle's Safety Compliance Certification Label.
Understanding Loading Information
There are five terms that are used to describe a vehicle's ability
to carry a load:
mBase Curb Weight
The Safety Compliance Certification Label
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mPayload
mGVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)
mGVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)
mGAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)
mGCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating)
Base Curb Weight
The base curb weight is the weight of the vehicle including fuel,
coolants, lubricants, emergency tools and spare wheel and
tire. It also includes any equipment that is standard. It does not
include passengers, cargo or optional equipment installed by
factory, dealer, aftermarket supplier or customer.
Payload
Maximum payload is the combined, maximum allowable weight
of cargo, occupants and optional equipment that the vehicle is
designed to carry. It is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating minus the
base curb weight.
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
The Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) is the total weight of the
passengers, cargo and all equipment.
It is important to remember that GVW is not a limit or a
specification, but actual weight. If a customer loads the vehicle
and weighs it, that's the GVW at that moment. If the customer adds
on more cargo and weighs it again, the GVW will increase.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
To avoid overloading your vehicle, never exceed the specified
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating for your Villager. The GVWR is the
maximumallowableweight of the vehicle when fully loaded
including passengers, cargo and all equipment.
Driving
229

Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
Your Safety Compliance Certification Label not only gives the
GVWR, it also gives the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) which
is the maximum weight allowed on each axle system.
The rating is based on the carrying capacity of the weakest axle
and suspension component as well as other factors. This is
why it is so important to observe vehicle loading ratings.
Overloading a vehicle places severe stress on components and can
lead to shortened vehicle life or vehicle damage.
The weakest link in the suspension system defines the GAWR,
and may be the tires. Tires are rated to carry a specific maximum
load at a specific tire pressure.
When passenger car tires are installed on light trucks and
multipurpose passenger vehicles, they are rated at a 10% lower
load carrying capacity due to the differences in vehicle usages.
With the tires inflated to the specified pressure, the total weight of
your vehicle must not exceed the GVWR and GAWR specified
on the Safety Compliance Certification Label. This includes full fuel
tank(s), vehicle equipment, and occupants, as well as the cargo
load.
Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR)
The GCWR is the maximum allowable weight of the towing
vehicle and the loaded trailer (including all cargo and passengers).
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Calculating the Payload for Your Vehicle
To know how much weight your vehicle can carry:
1. Obtain the GVWR and GAWR from your Safety Compliance
Certification Label.
2. Fill the fuel tank.
3. Weigh your vehicle without cargo.
4. Subtract vehicle actual weight from the GVWR to find out
how much more weight your vehicle can carry.
5. Weigh the vehicle again once it is loaded to make sure that the
GVWR and front and rear GAWR's are not exceeded.
Safety Compliance Certification Label location
Driving
231

Load Calculation Ð Trailers
The trailer towing table shows the maximum allowable trailer
weight and maximum GCWR for vehicles with and without the
trailer towing package.
For a particular vehicle, the allowable trailer weight may be
lower depending upon the vehicle's actual gross vehicle weight.
(GVW is the weight of the vehicle including passengers,
equipment, cargo.)
You must determine the appropriate trailer weight for your
vehicle at its particular GVW while adhering to GVWR, GAWR,
GCWR and maximum trailer weight ratings.
mFill the fuel tank.
mLoad the vehicle as it would be loaded when towing a trailer
(including cargo, trailer hitch, etc.).
mWeigh the vehicle to determine its GVW. Do not exceed
GVWR and GAWR.
mObtain the appropriate GCWR from the trailer towing table.
mSubtract the loaded vehicle weight (GVW) from the GCWR. This
is the maximum trailer weight your vehicle can pull given its
particular GVW.
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Trailer towing table
If your vehicle exceeds the GVWR, remove cargo from your vehicle
accordingly. If your vehicle exceeds either GAWR, shift the
load or remove cargo accordingly.
To determine actual GCW, weigh the total vehicle and trailer and
also weigh the trailer separately to verify its weight.
Trailers
Towing a trailer safely means having the proper weight on the
tongue (usually 10-15% of the trailer weight).
WARNING
Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the
Safety Compliance Certification Label.
WARNING
Towing trailers beyond the maximum recommended gross
trailer weight exceeds the limit of the vehicle and could
result in engine damage, transaxle damage, structural
damage, loss of control, and personal injury.
Driving
233