2005 Ford Focus Owner Guide 4th Printing - Page 125

Tires, Wheels and Loading • If possible, avoid fully loading your vehicle. • Remove the tire chains when they are no longer needed. Do not use tire chains on dry roads. • The suspension insulation and bumpers will help prevent vehicle damage. Do not remove these components from your vehicle when using snow tires and chains. VEHICLE LOADING - WITH AND WITHOUT A TRAILER 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 Compliance Certification Label: 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 authorized dealer plus any aftermarket equipment. 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. 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 125 2005 Focus (foc) Owners Guide (post-2002-fmt) USA (fus)