tow KIA MOHAVE 2014 Owner's Guide
[x] Cancel search | Manufacturer: KIA, Model Year: 2014, Model line: MOHAVE, Model: KIA MOHAVE 2014Pages: 417, PDF Size: 38.72 MB
Page 301 of 417

Driving your vehicle
60
5
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a braking
system, make sure it conforms to your
country’s regulations and that it is prop-
erly installed and operating correctly.
If your trailer weighs more than the max-
imum trailer weight without trailer brakes
loaded, then it needs its own brakes and
they must be adequate. Be sure to read
and follow the instructions for the trailer
brakes so you’ll be able to install, adjust
and maintain them properly.
Do not tap into your vehicle's brake
system. 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. And always
keep in mind that the vehicle you are
driving is now a good deal longer and not
nearly so 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 mov-
ing and then apply the trailer brake con-
troller by hand to be sure the brakes are
working. This lets you check your electri-
cal connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to be
sure that the load is secure, and that the
lights and trailer brakes are still working.Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the vehi-
cle 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.WARNING
- Trailer brakes
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolutely
certain that you have properly set
up the brake system. This is not a
task for amateurs. Use an experi-
enced, competent trailer shop for
this work.
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561
Driving your vehicle
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 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 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 trail-
er bulbs are still working. You must also
check the lights every time you discon-
nect 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.
An authorized Kia dealer can assist you
in installing the wiring harness.
Driving on grades
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 hot and no longer
operate efficiently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed to around 70 km/h (45mph) to reduce the possibility of engine
and transmission overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than the max-
imum trailer weight without trailer brakes
and you have an automatic transmission,
you should drive in D (Drive) when tow-
ing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive) when
towing a trailer will minimize heat build up
and extend the life of your transmission.
WARNING
Failure to use an approved trailer wiring harness could result in dam-
age to the vehicle electrical system
and/or personal injury.
CAUTION
When towing a trailer on steep grades (in excess of 6%) pay
close attention to the engine coolant temperature gauge toensure the engine does not over-heat. If the needle of the coolant
temperature gauge moves acrossthe dial 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 mayproceed once the engine hascooled sufficiently.
You must decide the driving speed depending on trailerweight and uphill grade to reduce the possibility of engine andtransmission overheating.
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563
Driving your vehicle
Maintenance when trailer towing
Your vehicle will need service more often
when you regularly pull a trailer.
Important items to pay particular atten-tion to include engine oil, automatic
transmission fluid, mission lubricant and
cooling system fluid. Brake condition is
another important item to frequently
check. Each item is covered in this man-
ual, and the Index will help you find them
quickly. If you’re trailering, it’s a good idea
to review these sections before you start
your trip.
Don’t forget to also maintain your trailer
and hitch. Follow the maintenance
schedule 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 nutsand bolts should be tight.If you do decide to pull a trailer
Here are some important points if you
decide to pull a trailer:
Consider using a sway control. You can
ask a hitch dealer about sway control.
Do not do any towing with your car dur- ing its first 2,000 km (1,200 miles) in
order to allow the engine to properly
break in. Failure to heed this caution
may result in serious engine or trans-
mission damage.
When towing a trailer, be sure to con- sult an authorized Kia dealer for further
information on additional requirements
such as a towing kit, etc.
Always drive your vehicle at a moder- ate speed (less than 100 km/h / 60mph).
On a long uphill grade, do not exceed 70 km/h (45 mph) or the posted towing
speed limit, whichever is lower.CAUTION
Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occurin hot days or during uphill driv-ing. If the coolant gauge indicatesover-heating, switch off the A/C
and stop the vehicle in a safe area to cool down the engine.
When towing, check the transmis- sion fluid more frequently.
If your vehicle is not equipped with an air conditioner, youshould install a condenser fan to improve engine performancewhen towing a trailer.
Page 305 of 417

Driving your vehicle
64
5
Weight of the trailer
What is the maximum safe weight of a
trailer? It should never weigh more than
the maximum trailer weight with trailer
brakes. But even that can be too heavy.
It depends on how you plan to use your
trailer. For example, speed, altitude, road
grades, outside temperature and how
often your vehicle is used to pull a trailer
are all important. The ideal trailer weight
can also depend on any special equip-
ment that you have on your vehicle.
Weight of the trailer tongue
The tongue load of any trailer is an
important weight to measure because it
affects the total gross vehicle weight
(GVW) of your vehicle. This weight
includes the curb weight of the vehicle,
any cargo you may carry in it, and the
people who will be riding in the vehicle.
And if you tow a trailer, you must add the
tongue load to the GVW because your
vehicle will also be carrying that weight. The trailer tongue should weigh a maxi-
mum of 10% of the total loaded trailer
weight, within the limits of the maximum
trailer tongue load permissible. After
you've loaded your trailer, weigh the trailer
and then the tongue, separately, to see if
the weights are proper. If they aren’t, you
may be able to correct them simply by
moving some items around in the trailer.
C190E01JM
Tongue Load Total Trailer Weight
C190E02JM
Gross Axle WeightGross Vehicle WeightWARNING -
Trailer
Never load a trailer with more weight in the rear than in the
front. The front should be loaded
with approximately 60% of the
total trailer load; the rear should
be loaded with approximately 40%of the total trailer load.
Never exceed the maximum weight limits of the trailer or trail-
er towing equipment. Improper
loading can result in damage to
your vehicle and/or personal
injury. Check weights and loading
at a commercial scale or highway
patrol office equipped with scales.
An improperly loaded trailer can cause loss of vehicle control.
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Driving your vehicle
Service connector for towing
brake controller (if equipped)
1 : Trailer brake (blue)
2 : Battery(+) (black)
3 : Stop light (red)
4 : Ground(-) (white)A service connector is equipped in your
vehicle for the towing brake controller as
shown. Link the connector to the towing
brake controller with the sub wire har-
ness stored in the glove box. The detailed
explanation of the sub wire harness cir-
cuit is shown in the picture. Be sure to
position the towing brake controller
where it does not interfere with the driver
from operating the pedal.
We recommend that the sub wire har-
ness be stored in the glove box when it is
not in use.
Trailer light connector (if equipped)
Your vehicle is equipped with a wire har-
ness stored in the rear end underbody.
Use it to connect and operate the trailer
lights. However, the trailer lights must
comply with federal, state/provincial and
local regulations. See your local recre-
ational vehicle dealer or rental agency for
the correct type of wiring and relays for
your trailer. Check for correct operation of
the turn signals, tail, back-up and stop
lights each time you hitch up. Direct splic-
ing may damage your vehicle's electrical
system and cause a malfunction of your
lights.
OHM068032N
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6
Road warning / 6-2
In case of an emergency while driving / 6-2
If the engine will not start / 6-3
Emergency starting / 6-4
If the engine overheats / 6-6
If you have a flat tire / 6-7
Towing / 6-16
Emergency commodity / 6-20
What to do in an emergency
Page 311 of 417

What to do in an emergency
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6
EMERGENCY STARTING
F040000AUN
Connect cables in numerical order and
disconnect in reverse order. F040100BHM
Jump starting
Jump starting can be dangerous if done
incorrectly. Therefore, to avoid harm to
yourself or damage to your vehicle or
battery, follow the jump starting proce-
dures. If in doubt, we strongly recom-
mend that you have a competent techni-
cian or towing service jump start your
vehicle.
CAUTION
Use only a 12-volt jumper system.
You can damage a 12-volt starting
motor, ignition system, and otherelectrical parts beyond repair by use of a 24-volt power supply (eithertwo 12-volt batteries in series or a24-volt motor generator set).
WARNING - Battery
• Keep all flames or sparks away from the battery. The battery pro-
duces hydrogen gas which may
explode if exposed to flame orsparks.
If these instructions are not fol-
lowed exactly, serious personal
injury and damage to the vehicle
may occur! If you are not sure
how to follow this procedure,
seek qualified assistance.
Automobile batteries contain sul-
furic acid. This is poisonous and
highly corrosive. When jump
starting, wear protective glasses
and be careful not to get acid on
yourself, your clothing or on the
vehicle.
Do not attempt to jump start the vehicle if the discharged battery
is frozen or if the electrolyte level
is low; the battery may rupture or
explode.
Do not allow the (+) and (-) jumper cables to touch. It maycause sparks.
The battery may rupture or explode when you jump start with
a low or frozen battery.
WARNING - Battery
Never attempt to check the elec-
trolyte level of the battery as this
may cause the battery to rupture or
explode causing serious injury.
1VQA4001
Discharged battery
Jumper Cables
Booster
battery
(-)
(+)
(+)(-)
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65
What to do in an emergency
F040101AHM
Jump starting procedure
1. Make sure the booster battery is 12-volt and that its negative terminal is
grounded.
2. If the booster battery is in another vehicle, do not allow the vehicles tocome in contact.
3. Turn off all unnecessary electrical loads.
4. Connect the jumper cables in the exact sequence shown in the illustration.First connect one end of a jumper
cable to the positive terminal of the
discharged battery (1), then connect
the other end to the positive terminal
on the booster battery (2).
Proceed to connect one end of the
other jumper cable to the negative ter-
minal of the booster battery (3), then
the other end to a solid, stationary,
metallic point (for example, the engine
lifting bracket) away from the battery
(4). Do not connect it to or near any
part that moves when the engine is
cranked. Do not allow the jumper cables to con-
tact anything except the correct bat-
tery terminals or the correct ground.
Do not lean over the battery when
making connections.
5. Start the engine of the vehicle with the booster battery and let it run at 2,000
rpm, then start the engine of the vehi-
cle with the discharged battery.
If the cause of your battery discharging is
not apparent, you should have your vehi-
cle checked by an authorized Kia dealer.
F040200AHM-EU
Push-starting
Vehicles equipped with automatic trans-
mission cannot be push-started.
Follow the directions in this section for
jump-starting.
CAUTION - Battery cables
Do not connect the jumper cable
from the negative terminal of thebooster battery to the negative ter- minal of the discharged battery.
This can cause the discharged bat- tery to overheat and crack, releas-ing battery acid.WARNING
Never tow a vehicle to start it
because the sudden surge forward
when the engine starts could cause
a collision with the tow vehicle.
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What to do in an emergency
IF YOU HAVE A FLAT TIRE
F070100AEN
Jack and tools
The jack, jack handle, wheel lug nut wrench are stored in the luggage
compartment. Pull up the luggage
box cover to reach this equipment.
(1) Jack handle
(2) Jack
(3) Wheel lug nut wrench F070101CHM
Jacking instructions
The jack is provided for emergency
tire changing only.
To prevent the jack from “rattling”
while the vehicle is in motion, store it
properly.
Follow jacking instructions to reduce
the possibility of personal injury.
OHM069002
WARNING
- Changing tires
Never attempt vehicle repairs in the traffic lanes of a public
road or highway.
Always move the vehicle com- pletely off the road and onto
the shoulder before trying to
change a tire. The jack should
be used on a firm level
ground. If you cannot find a
firm, level place off the road,
call a towing service company
for assistance.
(Continued)
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What to do in an emergency
Do not take this vehicle through anautomatic car wash while the com- pact spare tire is installed.
Do not use tire chains on the com- pact spare tire. Because of the
smaller size, a tire chain will not fit
properly. This could damage the
vehicle and result in loss of thechain.
Do not use the compact spare tire on any other vehicle because thistire 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 sizeand design, mounted on the samewheel. The compact spare tire should not
be used on any other wheels, nor
should standard tires, snow tires,
wheel covers or trim rings be used
with the compact spare wheel. Ifsuch use is attempted, damage tothese items or other car compo-
nents may occur.
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.