trailer Hyundai Sonata 2014 User Guide

5-79
Driving your vehicle
5
Trailer towing equipment
Hitches
Information
• The mounting hole for hitches are
located on both sides of the under-
body behind the rear tires.
• Install a trailer after removing the
under cover on the left side of the
vehicle. After using the trailer, rein-
stall the under cover to its original
position.
It's important to have the correct
hitch equipment. Crosswinds, large
trucks going by, and rough roads are
a few reasons why you’ll need the
right hitch. Here are some rules to
follow:
•Do you have to make any holes in
the body of your vehicle when you
install a trailer hitch? If you do, then
be sure to seal the holes later
when you remove the hitch. If you
don’t seal them, carbon monoxide
(CO) from your exhaust can get
into your vehicle, as well as dirt
and water.
•The bumpers on your vehicle are
not intended for hitches. Do not
attach rental hitches or other
bumper-type hitches to them. Use
only a frame-mounted hitch that
does not attach to the bumper.
•A HYUNDAI trailer hitch accessory
is available at an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer.
Safety chains
Yo u s h o u l d a l w a y s a t t a c h c h a i n s
between your vehicle and your trail-
er. Cross the safety chains under the
tongue of the trailer so that the
tongue will not drop to the road if it
becomes separated from the hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may
be provided by the hitch manufactur-
er or trailer manufacturer. Follow the
manufacturer’s recommendation for
attaching safety chains. Always leave
just enough slack so you can turn
with your trailer. And, never allow
safety chains to drag on the ground.
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OLF054999L

5-80
Driving your vehicle
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak-
ing system, make sure it conforms
your country’s regulations and that it
is properly installed and operating
correctly.
If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum trailer weight without trail-
er brakes loaded, then it needs its
own brakes and they must be ade-
quate. Be sure to read and follow the
instructions for the trailer brakes so
you’ll be able to install, adjust and
maintain them properly. Be sure not
to tap into your vehicle's brake sys-
tem.
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 your-
self with the feel of handling and
braking with the added weight of the
trailer. And always keep in mind that
the vehicle you are driving is now
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 brakes.
During your trip, occasionally check
to be sure that the load is secure,
and that the lights and trailer brakes
are still working.
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 sud-
den turns.
Passing
Yo u w i l l n e e d m o r e p a s s i n g d i s t a n c e
up ahead when you’re towing a trail-
er. 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.
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolute-
ly certain that you have proper-
ly set up the brake system. This
is not a task for amateurs. Use
an experienced, competent
trailer shop for this work.
WARNING

5-81
Driving your vehicle
5
Backing up
Hold the bottom of the steering
wheel with one hand. Then, to move
the trailer to the left, 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 possi-
ble, 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, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or sud-
den maneuvers. Signal well in
advance.
Turn signals
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 dis-
connect and then reconnect the
wires.
Do not connect a trailer lighting
system directly to your vehi-
cle’s lighting system. Use an
approved trailer wiring harness.
Failure to do so could result in
damage to the vehicle electrical
system and/or personal injury.
Consult an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer for assistance.
WARNING

5-82
Driving your vehicle
Driving on hills
Reduce 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
overheated and may not operate effi-
ciently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down
and reduce your speed to around 70
km/h (45 mph) to reduce the possi-
bility of engine and transaxle over-
heating.
If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum trailer weight without trail-
er brakes and you have an automat-
ic transaxle , you should drive in D
(Drive) when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive)
when towing a trailer will minimize
heat build-up and extend the life of
your transaxle.
To p r e v e n t e n g i n e a n d / o r
transaxle overheating:
•When towing a trailer on steep
grades (in excess of 6%) pay
close attention to the engine
coolant temperature gauge to
ensure the engine does not
overheat. If the needle of the
coolant temperature gauge
moves towards “H” (HOT), pull
over and stop as soon as it is
safe to do so, and allow the
engine to idle until it cools
down. You may proceed once the
engine has cooled sufficiently.
•You must decide your vehicle
speed according to trailer
weight and uphill grade.
Parking on hills
Generally, if you have a trailer
attached to your vehicle, you should
not park your vehicle on a hill.
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 curb (right if head-
ed down hill, left if headed up hill).
2. Shift the vehicle to P (Park, for
automatic transaxle vehicle) or
neutral (for manual transaxle vehi-
cle).
3. Set the parking brake and shut off
the vehicle.
4. Place wheel 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 park-
ing brake and slowly release the
brakes until the trailer chocks
absorb the load.
NOTICE

5-83
Driving your vehicle
5
6. Reapply the brakes and parking
brakes.
7. Move the shift lever to P (Park, for
automatic transaxle vehicle) or 1st
gear when the vehicle is parked
on a uphill grade and in R
(Reverse) on a downhill (for man-
ual transaxle vehicle).
8. Shut off the vehicle and release
the vehicle brakes but leave the
parking brake set.
Ready to leave after parking on
a hill
1. With the shift lever to P (Park, for
automatic transaxle vehicle) or
neutral (for manual transaxle vehi-
cle), apply your brakes and hold
the brake pedal down while you:
• Start your engine;
• 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.
Maintenance when towing a
trailer
Yo u r v e h i c l e w i l l n e e d s e r v i c e m o r e
often when you regularly pull a trail-
er. Important items to pay particular
attention to include engine oil, auto-
matic transaxle fluid, axle lubricant
and cooling system fluid. Brake con-
dition is another important item to
frequently check. If you’re trailering,
it’s a good idea to review these items
before you start your trip. Don’t forget
to also maintain your trailer and
hitch. Follow the maintenance sched-
ule that accompanied your trailer and
check it periodically. Preferably, con-
duct the check at the start of each
day’s driving. Most importantly, all
hitch nuts and bolts should be tight.
To p r e v e n t s e r i o u s o r f a t a l
injury:
Do not get out of the vehicle
without the parking brake firmly
set. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You and others could
be seriously or fatally injured.
WARNING

5-84
Driving your vehicle
To prevent vehicle damage:
•Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occur
on hot days or during uphill driv-
ing. If the coolant gauge indi-
cates over-heating, switch off
the air conditioner and stop the
vehicle in a safe area to cool
down the engine.
•When towing check automatic
transaxle fluid more frequently.
•If your vehicle is not equipped
with an air conditioner, you
should install a condenser fan
to improve engine performance
when towing a trailer.
NOTICE

6-16
What to do in an emergency
When driving with the compact spare
tire mounted to your vehicle:
•Check the tire pressure after
installing the compact spare tire.
The compact spare tire should be
inflated to 420 kPa (60 psi).
•Do not take this vehicle through an
automatic car wash while the com-
pact spare tire is installed.
•Do not use the compact spare tire
on any other vehicle because this
tire has been designed especially
for your vehicle.
•The compact spare tire’s tread life
is shorter than a regular tire.
Inspect your compact spare tire
regularly and replace worn com-
pact spare tires with the same size
and design, mounted on the same
wheel.
•Do not use more than one compact
spare tire at a time.
•Do not tow a trailer while the com-
pact spare tire is installed.
When the original tire and wheel
are repaired and reinstalled on the
vehicle, the lug nut torque must be
set correctly. The correct lug nut
tightening torque is 9-11 kg.m (65-
79 lb.ft).
NOTICE
To prevent damaging the com-
pact spare tire and your vehicle:
•Drive slowly enough for the
road conditions to avoid all
hazards, such as a potholes
or debris.
•Avoid driving over obstacles.
The compact spare tire diame-
ter is smaller than the diame-
ter of a conventional tire and
reduces the ground clearance
approximately 25 mm (1 inch).
•Do not use tire chains on the
compact spare tire. Because
of the smaller size, a tire chain
will not fit properly.
•Do not use the compact spare
tire on any other wheels, nor
should standard tires, snow
tires, wheel covers or trim
rings be used with the com-
pact spare wheel.
CAUTION

Maintenance
7-16
Severe driving conditions
A:Repeatedly driving short distance of less than 5 miles (8 km)
in normal temperature or less than 10 miles (16 km) in freez-
ing temperature
B:Extensive engine idling or low speed driving for long dis-
tances
C:Driving on rough, dusty, muddy, unpaved, graveled or salt
spread roads
D:Driving in areas using salt or other corrosive materials or in
ver y cold weather
E:Driving in sandy areas
F:Driving in heavy traffic area over 32°C (90°F)
G:Driving on uphill, downhill, or mountain roads repeatedly
H:Towing a trailer, or using a camper or roof rack
I:Driving for patrol car, taxi, commercial car or vehicle towing
J:Driving over 140 km/h (87 mile/h)
K:Driving over 170 km/h (106 mile/h)
L:Frequently driving in stop-and-go conditions and under
15,000 km per year.
Maintenance itemMaintenance
operationMaintenance intervalsDriving condition
Driveshaft and bootsIInspect more frequently
depending on the conditionC, D, E, F, G, H, I
Manual transaxle fluid (if equipped)REvery 120,000 km (80,000 miles)C, F, G, I, K
Automatic transaxle fluid (if equipped)REvery 90,000 km (60,000 miles)A, C, F, G, I
Climate control air filter (if equipped)RReplace more frequently
depending on the conditionC, E

Maintenance
7-22
Severe driving conditions
A:Repeatedly driving short distance of less than 5 miles (8 km)
in normal temperature or less than 10 miles (16 km) in freez-
ing temperature
B:Extensive engine idling or low speed driving for long distances
C:Driving on rough, dusty, muddy, unpaved, graveled or salt
spread roads
D:Driving in areas using salt or other corrosive materials or in
ver y cold weather
E:Driving in sandy areas
F:Driving in heavy traffic area over 32°C (90°F)
G:Driving on uphill, downhill, or mountain roads repeatedly
H:Towing a trailer, or using a camper or roof rack
I:Driving for patrol car, taxi, commercial car or vehicle towing
J:Driving over 140 km/h (87 mile/h)
K:Driving over 170 km/h (106 mile/h)
L:Frequently driving in stop-and-go conditions
Maintenance itemMaintenance
operationMaintenance intervalsDriving condition
Disc brakes and pads, calipers and rotorsIInspect more frequently
depending on the conditionC, D, E, G, H
Par king brakeIInspect more frequently
depending on the conditionC, D, G, H
Driveshaft and bootsIInspect more frequently
depending on the conditionC, D, E, F, G, H, I
Manual transaxle fluid (if equipped)REvery 120,000 km (80,000 miles)C, F, G, I, K
Automatic transaxle fluid (if equipped)REvery 100,000 km (62,000 miles)A, C, F, G, I
Climate control air filter (if equipped)RReplace more frequently
depending on the conditionC, E