Ford Escape 2013 Owner's Manual page 184

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.
Load Carrying
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).
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.
personal injury.
184
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
Exceeding any vehicle weight rating
limitation could result in serious
damage to the vehicle and/or