2004 Dodge Dakota Owner's Manual - Page 191

STARTING AND OPERATING 191 VEHICLE LOADING Certification Label As required by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Regulations, your vehicle has a certification label affixed to the driver's side door or pillar. Hour of manufacture. The bar code that appears on the bottom of the label is your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) The GVWR is the total permissible weight of your vehicle including driver, passengers, vehicle, options, and cargo. The label also specifies maximum capacities of front and rear axle systems. Total load must be limited so that GVWR is not exceeded. Payload The payload of a vehicle is defined as the allowable load weight a truck can carry including the weight of the driver, all passengers, options, and cargo. Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) The GAWR is the maximum permissible load on the front and rear axles. The load must be distributed in the cargo area so that the GAWR of each axle is not exceeded. 5 This label contains the month and year of manufacture, Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) front and rear, and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). A Month-Day-Hour (MDH) number is included on this label and shows the Month, Day, and Each axle GAWR is determined by the component in the system with the lowest load carrying capacity (axle, springs, tires, or wheels).