How To Find Towing Capacity Specifications For Your Vehicle

Towing specifications tell you how much weight is safe for your vehicle to haul. It’s not simply a suggestion, it’s a strict rule.

When you exceed the towing capacity, you risk damaging your engine, brakes and transmission, and voiding any manufacturer’s warranty coverage.

Towing specifications provide guidance when you’re trying to figure out what size hitch to buy or when you’re determining whether your boat, trailer or camper is within the weight regulations. As a responsible car owner focused on maintenance and roadway safety, you need to know your vehicle’s towing specifications. Where can you find them?

Look in the Owner’s Manual

The first place to look for details on your specific car is your owner’s manual. Sometimes owners manuals are written in a general sense. They may not include details for your specific model or any add-on packages or upgrades for your specific vehicle.

If the owner’s manual doesn’t outline all the details, call the dealer or mechanic who installed your car’s extra components to get a more accurate picture of your vehicle’s towing specifications.

Check the Label on the Car Door

If the owner’s manual isn’t helping, all vehicles post the necessary information on the car, you just have to know where to look. Open the driver’s side door and check the inside edge, right beneath the latch. There should be a sticker that details all the information you need to know about weight limits. If it’s not there, look on the inside of the driver’s side door jamb.

Besides Towing Capacity, What Do You Need to Know?

When you’re looking at towing specifications, you’re looking for towing capacity. How much weight can this car, truck or SUV safely haul?

But besides this figure, you’re also on the lookout for the gross vehicle weight. That number tells you the total weight of the car when it’s fully loaded with passengers and cargo, and the weight of the trailer tongue if you’re towing anything.

You’ll also need to know the towing capacity of your car’s hitch. Make sure that the weight of the trailer you’re pulling doesn’t exceed the hitch’s capabilities.

Stay on the Conservative Side

It’s not wise to max out your towing capacity. You run the risk of putting your vehicle under extreme stress, especially if you plan on towing on a regular basis over rough terrain or up and down hills. It’s best to stay at 80 percent or less of your car’s maximum towing capacity.

Even when you’re in line with your car’s towing specifications, you should always check to make sure that the engine is well serviced and the brakes are in top working order before you set out with a trailer in tow.

If you run into trouble, remember that you can call Stauffer’s Towing any time of day or night for fast, friendly service, no matter what type of car you drive or what trailer your vehicle is towing. Learn about your car’s towing specifications and increase your safety, and the safety of other motorists as well.