Driving with a trailer

Towing a trailer requires a certain amount of experience. Before setting out for the open road, you must get to know your trailer. Acquaint yourself with the feel of handling and braking with the added weight of the trailer. Always keep in mind that the vehicle you are driving is now a lot longer and not nearly as responsive as your vehicle is by itself.

Before you start, check the trailer hitch and platform, safety chains, electrical connector(s), lights, tires, and mirror adjustment. If the trailer has electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving, and then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to make sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your electrical connection at the same time.

During your trip, check occasionally to make sure that the load is secure and that the lights and trailer brakes are still working.

NOTE

When the ambient temperature is lower than 0°C (32°F) and the remaining high voltage battery is low, the power of the vehicle with a trailer can be dropped, causing a trouble in acceleration or drop of the speed when driving hills.

When driving with a trailer, be sure to charge the high voltage battery more than 50% if the ambient temperature is lower than 0°C (32°F).

Following distance

Stay at least twice as far behind the vehicle ahead as you would when driving your vehicle without a trailer. This can help you avoid situations that require heavy braking and sudden turns.

Passing

You will need more passing distance ahead when towing a trailer. Likewise, due to the increased vehicle length, you will need to go much farther beyond the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.

Reversing

Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand. Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move your hand to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your hand to the right. Always reverse slowly and have someone guide you, if possible.

Making turns

When turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. This is to make sure that your trailer does not hit soft shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.

Turn signals when towing a trailer

When you tow a trailer, your vehicle has to have a different turn signal flasher and extra wiring. The green arrows on your instrument cluster will flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change. If properly connected, the trailer lights will also flash to alert other drivers to the fact that you are about to turn, change lanes, or stop.

When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument cluster will flash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind you are seeing your signals when, in fact, they are not. It is important to check occasionally to make sure the trailer bulbs are still working. You must also check the lights every time you disconnect, and then reconnect the wires.

Do not connect a trailer lighting system directly to your vehicle's lighting system. Use only an approved trailer wiring harness.

Seek assistance from a professional workshop for the installation of the wiring harness.

Kia recommends visiting an authorized Kia dealer/service partner.

WARNING

Failure to use an approved trailer wiring harness could result in damage to the vehicle electrical system and/or personal injury.

Driving on grades

Reduce speed before you start down a long or steep downgrade.

On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed to around 70 km/h (45 mph) to reduce the possibility of motor overheating.

CAUTION

  • To prevent motor overheating:

    If you tow a trailer with the maximum gross vehicle weight and maximum trailer weight, it can cause the motor to overheat. When driving in such conditions, stop the vehicle until it cools down. You may proceed once the motor has cooled sufficiently.

    When towing a trailer, your vehicle speed may be much slower than the general flow of traffic, especially when climbing an uphill grade. Use the outer lane when towing a trailer on an uphill grade. Choose your vehicle speed according to the maximum posted speed limit for vehicles with trailers, the steepness of the grade, and your trailer weight.

  • You must decide the driving speed depending on trailer weight and uphill grade to reduce the possibility of motor overheating.

Parking on hills

Generally, if you have a trailer attached to your vehicle, you should not park your vehicle on a hill. Both your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged if they unexpectedly roll down the hill, and people can be seriously or fatally injured.

If you ever need to park your trailer on a hill, however, here is how to do it:

  1. Pull the vehicle into the parking space. Turn the steering wheel in the direction of the curb (right if headed downhill, left if headed up hill. For right-hand drive, left if headed down hill, right if headed up hill).

  2. Engage the parking brake and shut off the vehicle.

  3. Place chocks under the trailer wheels on the downhill side of the wheels.

  4. Start the vehicle, hold the brakes, shift to neutral, release the parking brake, and slowly release the brakes until the trailer chocks absorb the load.

  5. Reapply the brakes, reapply the parking brake.

  6. Shut off the vehicle and release the vehicle brakes but leave the parking brake applied.

WARNING

  • Parking your vehicle on a hill with a trailer attached could cause serious injury or death, should the trailer break loose.

  • It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the parking brake is not firmly set. If you have left the vehicle running, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or others could be seriously or fatally injured.

When you are ready to leave after parking on a hill

  1. Apply your brakes and hold the brake pedal down while:

    • Start your vehicle;

    • Shift into gear; and

    • Release the parking brake.

  2. Slowly remove your foot from the brake pedal.

  3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of the chocks.

  4. Stop and have someone pick up and store the chocks.