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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 longer and not nearly as responsive as your vehicle is by itself.

Before you start, check the trailer towbar and platform, safety chains, electrical connector(s), lights, tyres 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 sudden turns.

Passing

You will 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.

Reversing

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 reverse 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 manoeuvres. 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. As such, 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 wires.

Do not connect a trailer lighting system directly to your vehicle’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. We recommend that you contact an authorised HYUNDAI dealer for assistance.

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 efficiently.

On a long uphill gradient, shift down and reduce your speed to around 70 km/h to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.

If your trailer weighs more than the maximum trailer weight without trailer brakes and you have a 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 your transmission.

To prevent engine and/or transmission overheating:

  • When towing a trailer on steep gradients (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.

  • If you tow a trailer with the maximum gross vehicle weight and maximum trailer weight, it can cause the engine or transmission to overheat. When driving in such conditions, allow the engine to idle until it cools down. You may proceed once the engine or transmission 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 gradient. Use the left hand lane when towing a trailer on an uphill gradient. Choose your vehicle speed according to the maximum posted speed limit for vehicles with trailers, the steepness of the gradient, and your trailer weight.

  • Vehicles equipped with an automatic transmission when towing a trailer on steep gradients, need to be aware that the clutch in the transmission could overheat.

    When the clutch is overheated, the safe protection mode engages. If the safe protection mode engages, the gear position indicator on the cluster blinks with a chime sound.

    At this time, a warning message appears on the cluster and driving may not be smooth.

    If you ignore this warning, the driving condition may become worse.

    To return to normal driving conditions, stop the vehicle on a flat road and apply the parking brake for a few minutes before driving off.

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 kerbs (left if headed down hill, right if headed up hill).

  2. Shift the gear to P (Park) or N (Neutral).

  3. Apply 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 parking brake and slowly release the brakes until the trailer chocks absorb the load.

  6. Reapply the brakes and parking brake.

  7. Shift the vehicle to P (Park) when the vehicle is parked on a uphill gradient and in R (Reverse) on a downhill.

  8. Shut off the vehicle and release the vehicle brakes but apply the parking brake.

To prevent serious or fatal injury:

  • Do not get out of the vehicle without applying the parking brake firmly. If you have left the engine running, the vehicle may move suddenly. You and others could be seriously or fatally injured.

  • Do not apply the accelerator pedal to hold the vehicle on an uphill.

Driving the vehicle after it has been parked on a hill

  1. With the vehicle in P (Park) or N (Neutral), apply your brakes and hold the brake pedal down whilst you:

    • Start your engine

    • Shift into gear

    • 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.