Volkswagen PASSAT 2013 Manual page 327

WARNING
Overloading a vehicle can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash or other accident, serious
personal injury, and even death.
Carrying more weight than your vehicle was designed to carry will prevent the vehicle
from handling properly and increase the risk of the loss of vehicle control.
The brakes on a vehicle that has been overloaded may not be able to stop the vehicle in a
safe distance.
Tires on a vehicle that has been overloaded can fail suddenly, including a blowout and
sudden deflation, causing loss of control and a crash.
Always make sure that the total load being transported - including the weight of a trailer
hitch and the tongue weight of a loaded trailer - does not make the vehicle heavier than the
vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
Applicable only in Mexico, the AGCC, and South Korea
Tires and vehicle load limits
Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS
There are limits to the load any vehicle or any tire can carry. A vehicle that is overloaded will not
handle well and is more difficult to stop. Overloading can damage important parts of the vehicle.
Overloading can also lead to blowout, sudden loss of pressure or other tire failure that can cause loss
of control.
Your safety and the safety of your passengers depends on making sure that load limits are not
exceeded. Vehicle load includes everybody and everything in and on the vehicle. These load limits are
technically referred to as the vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR).
The GVWR includes the weight of the basic vehicle, all factory-installed and other accessories, a full
tank of fuel, oil, coolant and other fluids plus maximum load. The maximum load includes the number
of passengers that the vehicle is intended to carry (seating capacity) with an assumed weight of
150 lbs (68 kg) for each passenger at a designated seating position and the total weight of any
luggage in the vehicle. If you tow a trailer, the weight of the trailer hitch and the tongue weight of the
loaded trailer must be included as part of the vehicle weight. At altitudes above 3000 ft (1000 m),
combined towing weight (vehicle plus trailer) must be reduced by 10% for every 3000 ft (1000 m).
The Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) is the maximum load that can be carried at each of the
vehicle's 2 axles (by the front or rear tires). GVWR and GAWR are listed on the safety compliance
label on the driver door jamb. Your vehicle has 5 total seating positions: 2 in the front and 3 in back.
Each seating position has a safety belt. Because there is an upper limit to your vehicle's total weight
(GVWR), the weight of whatever is being carried (including the weight of a trailer hitch and the tongue
weight of the loaded trailer) is also limited. More passengers, or passengers who are heavier than the
assumed 150 lbs (68 kg), mean that less weight can be carried as luggage or other cargo. The tire
pressure label on your Volkswagen also lists the maximum combined weight of all of the occupants
and luggage or other cargo that the vehicle can carry.
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