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’ll need more passing distance up ahead when you’re towing a trailer. And, because of the increased vehicle length, you’ll need to go much farther beyond the passed vehicle before you can return to your lane.

Backing up

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 back up slowly and, if possible, have someone guide you.

Making turns

When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than normal. Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders, kerbs, road signs, trees, or other objects. Avoid jerky or sudden manueuvers. 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 panel will flash whenever you signal a turn or lane change. Properly connected, the trailer lights will also flash to alert other drivers you’re about to turn, change lanes, or stop.

When towing a trailer, the green arrows on your instrument panel 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’s important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer bulbs are still working. You must also check the lights every time you disconnect and then reconnect the trailer harness connector.

Do not connect a trailer lighting system directly to your vehicle’s lighting system. Use only a Kia genuine towbar kit.

For installing the wiring harness, we recommend that you contact to an authorised Kia dealer.

WARNING

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

Driving on grades

Reduce the speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you might have to use your brakes so much that they would get hot and no longer operate efficiently.

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.

If your trailer weighs more than the maximum trailer weight without trailer brakes and you have an automatic transmission, you should drive in D (Drive) when towing a trailer.

Operating your vehicle in D (Drive) when towing a trailer will minimise heat build up and extend the life of motor and wheel assembles.

CAUTION

• When towing a trailer on steep grades (in excess of 6%) pay close attention to the cluster warning message to ensure the motor does not overheat. Pull over and stop as soon as it is safe to do so, and allow the motor to idle until it cools down. You may proceed once the motor has cooled sufficiently.

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

Parking on hills

Generally, if you have a trailer attached to your vehicle, you should not park your vehicle on a hill. People can be seriously or fatally injured, and both your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged if it unexpectedly rolls down hill.

WARNING

Parking on a hill

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

However, if you ever have to park your trailer on a hill, here's how to do it:

1. Pull the vehicle into the parking space. Turn the steering wheel in the direction of the kerb (left if headed down hill, left if headed up hill).

2. If the vehicle has an automatic transmission, place the car in P (Park).

3. Set the parking brake and shut off the vehicle.

4. Place chocks under the trailer wheels on the down hill side of the wheels.

5. 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.

6. Reapply the brakes, reapply the parking brake and shift the vehicle to P (Park) for automatic transmission.

7. Shut off the vehicle and release the vehicle brakes but leave the parking brake set.

   

   WARNING

   Parking brake

   It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle if the parking brake is not firmly set.

   If you are EV Ready state, the vehicle can move suddenly. You or others could be seriously or fatally injured.