2013 Ford Escape Warranty Supplement Printing 1 - Page 184

Load Carrying WARNING Exceeding the Safety Compliance Certification Label vehicle weight rating limits could result in substandard vehicle handling or performance, engine, transmission and/or structural damage, serious damage to the vehicle, loss of control and personal injury. E142526 GCW (Gross Combined Weight) - is the weight of the loaded vehicle (GVW) plus the weight of the fully loaded trailer GCWR (Gross Combined Weight Rating) -is the maximum allowable weight of the vehicle and the loaded trailer -including all cargo and passengers - that the vehicle can handle without risking damage. (Important: The towing vehicle's braking system is rated for operation at GVWR, not at GCWR.) Separate functional brakes should be used for safe control of towed vehicles and for trailers where the GCW of the towing vehicle plus the trailer exceed the GVWR of the towing vehicle. The GCW must never exceed the GCWR. Maximum Loaded Trailer Weight - is the highest possible weight of a fully loaded trailer the vehicle can tow. It assumes a vehicle with only mandatory options, no cargo (internal or external), a tongue load of 10-15% (conventional trailer) or king pin weight of 15-25% (fifth wheel trailer), and driver only (150 lb. [68 kg]). Consult your authorized dealer (or the RV and Trailer Towing Guide provided by your authorized dealer) for more detailed information. Tongue Load or Fifth Wheel King Pin Weight - refers to the amount of the weight that a trailer pushes down on a trailer hitch. Examples: For a 5000 lb. (2268 kg) conventional trailer, multiply 5000 by 0.10 and 0.15 to obtain a proper tongue load range of 500 to 750 lb. (227 to 340 kg). For an 11500 lb. (5216 kg) fifth wheel trailer, multiply by 0.15 and 0.25 to obtain a proper king pin load range of 1725 to 2875 lb. (782 to 1304 kg). WARNINGS Do not exceed the GVWR or the GAWR specified on the Safety Compliance Certification Label. Do not use replacement tires with lower load carrying capacities than the original tires because they may lower the vehicle's GVWR and GAWR limitations. Replacement tires with a higher limit than the original tires do not increase the GVWR and GAWR limitations. Exceeding any vehicle weight rating limitation could result in serious damage to the vehicle and/or personal injury. 184