Hyundai Tucson: Trailer or vehicle towing - Driving your Hyundai - Hyundai Tucson Owner's ManualHyundai Tucson: Trailer or vehicle towing

If you are considering towing with your car, you should first check with your State's Department of Motor Vehicles to determine their legal requirements. Since laws vary from State to State the requirements for towing trailers, cars, or other types of vehicles or apparatus may differ. Ask your Hyundai dealer for further details before towing.

CAUTION: Do not do any towing with your car during its first 1,200 miles (2,000 km) in order to allow the engine to properly break in. Failure to heed this caution may result in serious engine or transaxle damage.

Trailer Hitches

Select the proper hitch and ball combination, making sure that its location is compatible with that of the trailer or vehicle being towed. Use a quality non-equalizing hitch which distributes the tongue load uniformly throughout the chassis. The hitch should be bolted securely to the car and installed by a qualified technician. DO NOT USE A HITCH DESIGNED FOR TEMPORARY INSTALLATION AND NEVER USE ONE THAT ATTACHES ONLY TO THE BUMPER.

Trailer Brakes

If your trailer is equipped with a braking system, make sure it conforms to federal and/or local regulations and that it is properly installed and operating correctly.

NOTE: If you tow a trailer or vehicle, your car will require more frequent maintenance due to the additional load. See Maintenance Under Severe Usage Conditions".

CAUTION: o Never connect a trailer brake system directly to the vehicle brake system. o 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 across the 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 may proceed once the engine has cooled sufficiently.

Safety Chains

Should the hitch connection between your vehicle and the trailer or vehicle you are towing fail, the trailer or vehicle could wander dangerously across other lanes of traffic and ultimately leave the roadway. To eliminate this potentially dangerous situation, safety chains, attached between your car and the trailer or towed vehicle, are required in most states.

Trailer Weight Limit Trailer Weight Limit

o Keep the tongue load 10% of the total trailer load. o Tongue load / Total trailer weight x 100 = 10% (MAX) o Tongue loads can be increased or decreased by re-distributing the load in the trailer. This can be verified by checking the total weight of the loaded trailer and then checking the load on the tongue.

NOTE: 1. Never load the trailer with more weight in the back than in the front. About 60% of the trailer load should be in the front half on the trailer and the remaining 40% in the rear. 2. The total gross vehicle weight with trailer must not exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) shown on the vehicle identification plate (see page 8- 2). The total gross vehicle weight is the combined weight of the vehicle, driver, all passengers and their luggage, cargo, hitch, trailer tongue load and other optional equipment. 3. The front or rear axle weight must not exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) shown on the vehicle identification plate (see page 8-2). It is possible that your towing package does not exceed the GVWR but exceeds the GAWR. Improper trailer loading and/or too much luggage in the cargo area can overload the rear axle. Redistribute the load and check the axle weight again.

CAUTION: The following specifications are recommended when towing a trailer. The loaded trailer weight cannot safely exceed the values in the chart.

Lbs. (kg)

WARNING:

WARNING: o Improperly loading your vehicle and trailer can seriously affect its steering and braking performance causing a crash which could cause serious injury or death. o Towing a trailer affected vehicle handling and braking. o Drive more slowly when towing a trailer and allow more distance when braking. o Be careful when driving in slippery and windy conditions. o Be careful when turning and while driving up and down hills. o Do not exceed 45 mph or the posted towing speed limit, whichever is lower.

Trailer or Vehicle Towing Tips

1. Before towing, check hitch and safety chain connections as well as proper operation of the trailer running lights, brake lights, and turn signals. 2. Trailer towing requires more fuel than normal conditions. 3. To maintain engine braking efficiency, do not tow a trailer with the transaxle in fifth gear (manual transaxle) or overdrive (automatic transaxle). 4. Always secure items in the trailer to prevent load shift while driving. 5. Check the condition and air pressure of all tires on the trailer and your car. Low tire pressure can seriously affect the handling. Also check the spare tire. 6. The vehicle/trailer combination is more affected by crosswind and buffeting. When being passed by a large vehicle, keep a constant speed and steer straight ahead. If there is too much wind buffeting, slow down to get out of the other vehicle's air turbulence. 7. When parking your car and trailer, especially on a hill, be sure to follow all the normal precautions. Turn your front wheel into the curb, set the parking brake firmly, and put the transaxle in 1st or Reverse (manual) or Park (automatic). In addition, place wheel chocks at each of the trailer's tires. 8. If the trailer has electric brakes, start your vehicle and trailer moving, and then apply the trailer brake controller by hand to be sure the brakes are working. This lets you check your electrical connection at the same time. 9. During your trip, check occasionally to be sure that the load is secure, and that the lights and any trailer brakes are still working. 10.Avoid jerky starts, sudden acceleration or sudden stops. 11.Avoid sharp turns and rapid lane changes. 12.Avoid holding the brake pedal down too long or too frequently. This could cause the brakes to overheat, resulting in reduced braking efficiency. 13.When going down a hill, shift into a lower gear and use the engine braking effect. When ascending a long grade, downshift the transaxle to a lower gear and reduce speed to reduce chances of engine overloading and/or overheating. 14.If you have to stop while going uphill, do not hold the vehicle in place by pressing on the accelerator. This can cause the automatic transaxle to overheat. Use the parking brake or footbrake. 15.If the transaxle shifts frequently while going up a hill, shift down one gear.

NOTE: When towing check transaxle fluid more frequently.

CAUTION: If overheating should occur when towing, (the temperature gauge reads near the red zone), taking the following actions may reduce or eliminate the problem. 1. Turn off the air conditioner. 2. Reduce highway speed. 3. Select a lower gear when going uphill. 4. While in stop and go traffic, place the gear selector in park or neutral and idle the engine at a higher speed.

    Use of lights
    Check your lights regularly for correct operation and always keep them clean. When driving during the day in conditions of poor visibility, it is helpful to drive with headlights on low beam. ...

    Vehicle load limit
    Tire and Loading Information Label Type A Type B Type C The tire label located on the driver's side of the center pillar outer panel gives the original tire size, cold tire pressure ...

    See also:

    Wheel replacement
    When replacing wheels due, for example, to damage, make sure the replacement wheels match the specifications of the wheels that are fitted as standard equipment. Replacement wheels are availabl ...

    Main instrument panel
    Information display and menu controls 1 READ – access to the list of messages and message confirmation. 2 Thumbwheel – browse among menus and options in the list of functions. 3 RESET – ...

    Headlight beam select
    Headlight beam select 1 To select the low beam, put the lever in the neutral position as shown. 2 To select the high beam, push the lever forward while the switch is in the position. Pull it ...