Vehicle Weight

This chapter will help you load your vehicle and/or trailer correctly, to keep your loaded vehicle weight within the designed load capacity, with or without a trailer. Proper loading of your vehicle ensures maximum performance of the vehicle's design. Before loading your vehicle, review the following terms to determine your vehicle's weight ratings, with or without a trailer, from the vehicle specifications and the certification label:

Base Curb Weight

This is the weight of the vehicle including a full fuel tank and all standard equipment. It does not include passengers, cargo, or optional equipment.

Vehicle Curb Weight

This is the weight of your new vehicle when you took delivery from your dealer, plus any aftermarket equipment.

Cargo Weight

This figure includes all added weight to the base curb weight, including cargo and optional equipment.

GAW (Gross Axle Weight)

This is the total weight carried by each axle (front and rear), including the curb weight of the vehicle and all payload.

GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)

This is the maximum permissible weight that a single axle (front or rear) can carry. These figures are shown on the certification label. The total load on each axle must never exceed its GAWR.

GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight)

This is the base curb weight plus the actual weight of cargo plus passengers.

GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)

This is the maximum permissible weight of the fully loaded vehicle (including all options, equipment, passengers and cargo). The GVWR is shown on the Certification label located on the driver's door pillar.