luggage compartment cover, or on the top of
the instrument panel.
Transporting
Always remove hard, heavy, or sharp objects
from clothing and bags in the vehicle interior
and stow them securely in the luggage com-
partment.
·
·
Stowing luggage
Always stow all luggage securely in the vehicle
Passengers must never ride in an incorrect seat-
ing position because objects are being trans-
ported in the vehicle.
— Distribute the load in the vehicle and, if applica-
ble, on the roof as evenly as possible.
— Always put luggage and heavy items in the lug-
gage compartment.
Never let anybody sit in a seat that is blocked by
objects being carried in the vehicle.
·
·
— Put heavy objects as far forward as possible in the
luggage compartment and securely latch the rear
seat backrest in the upright position.
Never let anyone ride in the luggage compart-
ment.
— Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating or the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating → page 324, Weights
and axle weights.
WARNING
Transporting heavy objects causes the handling
characteristics of the vehicle to change and in-
creases braking distances. Heavy loads which are
not properly stowed or secured in the vehicle can
lead to a loss of vehicle control and cause serious
personal injury.
— Secure luggage in the luggage compartment us-
ing suitable straps and the tie downs → page 216,
Tie-downs.
— Securely stow small objects as well.
Transporting heavy items causes the handling
characteristics of the vehicle to change by shift-
ing the vehicle's center of gravity.
— Have the headlight range adjusted, if necessary
→ page 112, Lights.
·
— Check the pressure in all 4 tires when the tires are
still cold. Never reduce air pressure in warm tires
to match cold tire inflation pressure. Heed the in-
formation on the tire pressure label → page 276,
Tire inflation pressure.
Always distribute luggage evenly and as low as
·
possible within the vehicle. The vehicle capacity
weight figures apply when the load is distribut-
ed evenly in the vehicle (passengers and lug-
gage).
— Pay especially close attention to your vehicle's
Tire Pressure Monitoring System when driving
with a heavy load → page 260, Tire Pressure Mon-
itoring System (TPMS).
Always stow luggage and heavy items in the
·
luggage compartment as far forward of the rear
axle as possible and secure them with appropri-
ate straps to the tie-downs provided.
WARNING
Secure the load properly to keep it from shift-
ing.
·
Unsecured or incorrectly stowed items can fly
through the vehicle, causing serious personal in-
jury during hard braking or sharp steering or in an
accident. Loose items can also be struck and
thrown through the passenger compartment by
the front airbags if they inflate. To help reduce the
risk of serious personal injury:
Never exceed the vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight
·
Rating or Gross Axle Weight Ratings, which are
printed on the Safety Compliance Certification
Label located on the door jamb of the driver
door. Exceeding the permissible weight can
cause the vehicle to skid and behave differently.
Always stow all objects securely in the vehicle.
Always put luggage and heavy items in the lug-
gage compartment.
·
Always adapt your speed and driving style to
accommodate your payload and its weight dis-
tribution within your vehicle.
·
Always secure objects in the passenger com-
·
Be especially cautious and gentle when step-
ping on the accelerator pedal and avoid sudden
braking and other maneuvers.
·
partment properly with suitable straps so that
they cannot move into the deployment zone of
a side or front airbag during sudden braking, in
a sudden maneuver, or in a collision.
Brake earlier than you would if you were not
driving a loaded vehicle.
·
Always keep storage compartments closed
while driving.
·
Never stow hard, heavy, or sharp objects in the
vehicle's open storage compartments, on the
·
Stowing luggage
213
