Available Methods to Determine a Vehicle's Trailer Towing Capacity
Question:
I am looking at buying one of your hitches for a 2014 BMW X1. In your video, you stated to check the owners manual for towing capacities. I cannot find the value in my owners manual. Do you know, off-hand, what the tow capacity of a 2014 BMW X1 Drive 28i is? Thank you for your time.
asked by: Brandon C
Expert Reply:
Within the 2014 BMW X1 model range there are two 28i sub-models, the sDrive28i and the xDrive28i.
On the BMW U.S. website I found an online edition of the owners manuals. The manuals for both the sDrive28i and the xDrive28i indicate nothing at all about trailer towing capacity! No mention of trailer towing is made, only details about towing the vehicle when it is disabled. It is not uncommon for some auto owner's manuals to be a bit evasive and sketchy about their position on towing with their vehicle, but it is rare for the subject to be omitted completely.
The fact that BMW documentation does not expressly prohibit towing a trailer suggests that the vehicle may have some safe towing capacity but that BMW does not want to encourage towing at all, so they simply skip the subject entirely.
The best suggestion I can make is to visit or call your local BMW dealership with your X1's VIN. This allows lookup of the specific equipment installed on the car and might enable the dealer to provide you with a towing capacity figure. If it were my Bimmer I would request that information in writing before towing any trailer.
If you cannot get help from the dealer you can do a calculation based on the weight capacity data typically listed on a sticker or plate attached to the vehicle in the door jamb on the drivers side door. To use this data to determine the towing capacity of the vehicle, you will need to find the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), which is the curb weight of the vehicle plus the weight of passengers, cargo and gas; and the Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCVR) which is the maximum amount that your vehicle plus a trailer can weigh. If you subtract the GVW from the GCVR, the result will be a close approximation of the maximum trailer weight your vehicle can safely tow. If your door jamb plate does not provide this specific weight data then your only option is the dealer.
Please note that this calculation method is a general process that can be applied to any vehicle and the resulting figure may not be considered valid by BMW.
Product Page this Question was Asked From
Curt Trailer Hitch Receiver - Custom Fit - Class III - 2"
- Trailer Hitch
- Custom Fit Hitch
- Class III
- 250 lbs TW
- 2500 lbs GTW
- 2 Inch Hitch
- Concealed Cross Tube
- CURT
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