Ford Transit Connect (2018 year). Manual — part 39

Safety Compliance Certification Label
Example:

E198828

WARNING

Exceeding the Safety
Compliance Certification

label vehicle weight limits can
adversely affect the performance
and handling of your vehicle,
cause vehicle damage and can
result in the loss of control of your
vehicle, serious personal injury or
death.

Maximum Loaded Trailer
Weight

Maximum loaded trailer weight is
the highest possible weight of a
fully loaded trailer the vehicle can
tow. Consult an authorized dealer
(or the RV and Trailer Towing
Guide available at an authorized
dealer) for more detailed
information.

GCWR (Gross Combined
Weight Rating)

GCWR 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 Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating, not at Gross
Combined Weight Rating.)
Separate functional brakes should
be used for safe control of towed
vehicles and for trailers where the
Gross Combined Weight of the
towing vehicle plus the trailer
exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating of the towing vehicle.

The gross combined weight must
never exceed the Gross Combined
Weight Rating.

Note: For trailer towing
information refer to the RV and
Trailer Towing Guide available at
an authorized dealer.

WARNINGS

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 original tires
because they may lower your
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 can adversely affect

the performance and handling of
your vehicle, cause vehicle
damage and can result in the loss
of control of your vehicle, serious
personal injury or death.

Steps for determining the
correct load limit:

1. Locate the statement "The

combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never exceed
XXX kg or XXX lb." on your
vehicle’s placard.

2. Determine the combined

weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.

3. Subtract the combined weight

of the driver and passengers
from XXX kg or XXX lb.

4. The resulting figure equals the

available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For
example, if the “XXX” amount
equals 1,400 lb. and there will
be five 150 lb. passengers in
your vehicle, the amount of
available cargo and luggage
load capacity is 650 lb.
(1400-750 (5 x 150) = 650 lb.)

5. Determine the combined

weight of luggage and cargo
being loaded on the vehicle.
That weight may not safely
exceed the available cargo and
luggage load capacity
calculated in Step 4.

6. If your vehicle will be towing a

trailer, load from your trailer
will be transferred to your
vehicle. Consult this manual to
determine how this reduces the
available cargo and luggage
load capacity of your vehicle.

Helpful examples for calculating
the available amount of cargo
and luggage load capacity

Suppose your vehicle has a
1400-pound (635-kilogram) cargo
and luggage capacity. You decide
to go golfing. Is there enough load
capacity to carry you, four of your
friends and all the golf bags? You
and four friends average 220
pounds (99 kilograms) each and
the golf bags weigh approximately
30 pounds (13.5 kilograms) each.
The calculation would be: 1400 -
(5 x 220) - (5 x 30) = 1400 - 1100
- 150 = 150 pounds. Yes, you have
enough load capacity in your
vehicle to transport four friends
and your golf bags. In metric units,
the calculation would be: 635
kilograms - (5 x 99 kilograms) -
(5 x 13.5 kilograms) = 635 - 495 -
67.5 = 72.5 kilograms.

Suppose your vehicle has a
1400-pound (635-kilogram) cargo
and luggage capacity. You and
one of your friends decide to pick
up cement from the local home
improvement store to finish that
patio you have been planning for
the past two years. Measuring the
inside of the vehicle with the rear
seat folded down, you have room
for twelve 100-pound
(45-kilogram) bags of cement. Do
you have enough load capacity to
transport the cement to your
home? If you and your friend each
weigh 220 pounds (99 kilograms),
the calculation would be: 1400 -
(2 x 220) - (12 x 100) = 1400 - 440

- 1200 = - 240 pounds. No, you do
not have enough cargo capacity
to carry that much weight. In
metric units, the calculation would
be: 635 kilograms - (2 x 99
kilograms) - (12 x 45 kilograms) =
635 - 198 - 540 = -103 kilograms.
You will need to reduce the load
weight by at least 240 pounds
(104 kilograms). If you remove
three 100-pound (45-kilogram)
cement bags, then the load
calculation would be:1400 - (2 x
220) - (9 x 100) = 1400 - 440 -
900 = 60 pounds. Now you have
the load capacity to transport the
cement and your friend home. In
metric units, the calculation would
be: 635 kilograms - (2 x 99
kilograms) - (9 x 45 kilograms) =
635 - 198 - 405 = 32 kilograms.

The above calculations also
assume that the loads are
positioned in your vehicle in a
manner that does not overload
the front or the rear gross axle
weight rating specified for your
vehicle on the Safety Compliance
Certification label.

Special Loading Instructions
for Owners of Pick-up Trucks
and Utility-type Vehicles

WARNING

When loading the roof racks,
we recommend you evenly

distribute the load, as well as
maintain a low center of gravity.
Loaded vehicles, with higher
centers of gravity, may handle
differently than unloaded vehicles.
Take extra precautions, such as
slower speeds and increased
stopping distance, when driving a
heavily loaded vehicle.

TOWING A TRAILER

WARNINGS

Towing trailers beyond the
maximum recommended

gross trailer weight exceeds the
limit of your vehicle and could
result in engine damage,
transmission damage, structural
damage, loss of vehicle control,
vehicle rollover and personal
injury.

Do not exceed the GVWR or
the GAWR specified on the

certification label.

Note: See Recommended
Towing Weights (page 163).

Your vehicle may have electrical
items, such as fuses or relays,
related to towing. See Fuses

(page 185).

Your vehicle's load capacity
designation is by weight, not by
volume, so you cannot necessarily
use all available space when
loading a vehicle or trailer.

Towing a trailer places an extra
load on your vehicle's engine,
transmission, axle, brakes, tires
and suspension. Inspect these
components periodically during,
and after, any towing operation.

Load Placement

To help minimize how trailer
movement affects your vehicle
when driving:
•

Load the heaviest items closest
to the trailer floor.

•

Load the heaviest items
centered between the left and
right side trailer tires.

•

Load the heaviest items above
the trailer axles or just slightly
forward toward the trailer
tongue. Do not allow the final
trailer tongue weight to go
above or below 10-15% of the
loaded trailer weight.

•

Select a ball mount with the
correct rise or drop and load
capacity. When both the
loaded vehicle and trailer are
connected, the trailer frame
should be level, or slightly
angled down toward your
vehicle, when viewed from the
side.

When driving with a trailer or
payload, a slight takeoff vibration
or shudder may be present due to
the increased payload weight.
Additional information regarding
proper trailer loading and setting
your vehicle up for towing is
located in another chapter of this
manual. See Load Limit (page
156).

You can also find information in
the RV & Trailer Towing Guide
available at your authorized
dealer, or online.