How to Confirm Towing Capacity of 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk V6  

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A vehicle has a towing weight capacity that is determined by the auto makers at the time of manufacture based on its frame, engine and drivetrain. A trailer hitch too will have a specific towing capacity (which appears on its safety sticker) that does not change; it is determined by the hitch maker that engineered it. A hitch does not know or care whether you or a factory worker bolted it on, so long as it was installed properly.

That said, other features on a vehicle can affect its towing capacity. This is where things can get murky. There is no set rule of what a "factory tow package" means. In some cases it may mean only that a hitch was bolted on and that a wiring harness was plugged in. Other auto makers may include a transmission cooler, or an oil cooler, or a power steering fluid cooler - or all three! - as part of their "tow package". These cooling components can sometimes provide increased towing capacity so long as all other parts of the car are up to the task.

You can simply check your Jeep owner's manual index under "towing" to find out what its capacity is. Sometimes a manual will list multiple ratings depending on the engine size (a V6 versus a V8) or based on the specific transmission. What your printed manual says is the final word on your particular car. Your manual trumps any verbal information from the dealership.

But if a hitch you purchased says it can tow 3500-lbs of trailer weight, and your car manual says the vehicle can tow 4500-lbs, then you are limited to the lower-rated hitch capacity - the weakest link, as it were. This is always the case when several components make up a system; the lowest-rated item determines overall capacity.

expert reply by: Adam R

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