Trailer And Tongue Weight

Always load a trailer with 60% to 65% of the weight in the front of the trailer. This places 10% to 15% of the Gross Trailer Weight (GTW) on the tow hitch of your vehicle. Loads balanced over the wheels or heavier in the rear can cause the trailer to sway severely side-to-side which will cause loss of control of vehicle and trailer.

Failure to load trailers heavier in front is the cause of many trailer collisions.

Consider the following items when computing the weight on the rear axle of the

Consider the following items when computing the weight on the rear axle of the vehicle:

• The trailer tongue weight.

• The weight of any other type of cargo or equipment put in or on your vehicle.

• The weight of the driver and all passengers.

NOTE: Remember that everything put into or on the trailer adds to the load on your vehicle. Also, additional factory-installed options, or authorized dealer-installed options, must be considered as part of the total load on your vehicle. Refer to the “Tire Safety Information/Tire and Loading Information Placard” in “Starting and Operating” for the maximum combined weight of occupants and cargo for your vehicle.

    See also:

    What Causes Corrosion?
    Corrosion is the result of deterioration or removal of paint and protective coatings from your vehicle. The most common causes are: • Road salt, dirt and moisture accumulation. • Stone and gr ...

    Rear Window Defroster
    The rear window defroster button is located on the climate control (Mode) knob. Press this button to turn on the rear window defroster and the heated outside mirrors. An indicator in the butto ...

    Ride & Handling
    Compact crossovers may be car-based, but they don't ride like cars. With this in mind, the Patriot's ride quality is decent — better than the firm-riding Honda CR-V, but not close to the Ford Es ...