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2018 Ford Focus Owners Manual - Load Carrying



Load Carrying

Cargo Management System (If Equipped)

The system is located in the floor of the cargo area. Lift the handle to open.

Make sure that the posts are properly latched in the mounting features.

The luggage cover may cause injury in a sudden stop or crash if it is not securely installed.

Do not place any objects on the luggage cover. They may obstruct your vision or strike occupants of

your vehicle in the case of a sudden stop or crash.

You can remove the luggage cover to load tall items in the cargo area.

Note: You must repeat the steps on both sides of your vehicle.

    Open the liftgate and disconnect the tether by pulling it out.
    Rotate the luggage cover upward.
    Tap the bottom of the luggage cover upward near the pivot rod.

Reverse the steps to install the luggage cover.

Vehicle Loading - with and without a Trailer

Before you load your vehicle, become familiar with the

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Payload

PAYLOAD

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When towing, trailer tongue weight or king pin weight is also part of payload.

The appropriate loading capacity of your vehicle can

be limited either by volume capacity (how much space is available) or by payload capacity (how much weight the vehicle should carry). Once you have reached the maximum payload of your vehicle, do not add more cargo, even if there is space available. Overloading or improperly loading your vehicle can contribute to loss of vehicle control and vehicle rollover.

GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating)

GAWR is the maximum allowable weight that a single axle (front or rear) can carry. These numbers are on the Safety Compliance Certification label. The label is located on the door hinge pillar, door-latch post, or the door edge that meets the door-latch post, next to the driver seating position.

The total load on each axle must never exceed its Gross Axle Weight Rating.

GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating)

GVWR is the maximum allowable weight of the fully loaded vehicle. This includes all options, equipment, passengers and cargo. It appears on the Safety Compliance Certification label.

The label is located on the door hinge pillar, door-latch post, or the door edge that meets the

door-latch post, next to the driver seating position.

The gross vehicle weight must never exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.

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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.

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.

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    Locate the statement "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed XXX kg or XXX lb." on your vehicle’s placard.
    Determine the combined weight of the driver and passengers that will be riding in your vehicle.
    Subtract the combined weight of the driver and passengers from XXX kg or XXX lb.
    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.)

    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.
    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

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

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900 = 60 pounds. Now you have the load capacity to transport the

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.

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.

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