Get Driving your vehicle -> Trailer towing Guide for Hyundai I30 4 Door Third Generation (2016-2026)

Driving your vehicle

TRAILER TOWING

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This section contains many time-tested,

important trailering tips and safety rules.

Many of these are important for your

safety and that of your passengers.

Please read this section carefully before

you pull a trailer.

CAUTION

If you are considering towing with your

car, you should first check with your

country's Department of Motor Vehicles

to determine their legal requirements.

Since laws vary the requirements for tow-

ing trailers, cars, or other types of vehi-

cles or apparatus may differ. Ask an

authorised HYUNDAI dealer for further

details before towing.

Pulling a trailer improperly can

damage your vehicle and result in

costly repairs not covered by your

warranty. To pull a trailer correctly,

follow the advice in this section.

Load-pulling components such as the

engine, transaxle, wheel assemblies, and

tyres are forced to work harder against

the load of the added weight. The engine

is required to operate at relatively higher

speeds and under greater loads. This

additional burden generates extra heat.

The trailer also adds considerably to

wind resistance, increasing the pulling

requirements.

Your vehicle can tow a trailer. To identify

what the vehicle trailering capacity is for

your vehicle, you should read the infor-

mation in “Weight of the trailer” that

appears later in this section.

WARNING - Towing a trail-

er

If you don't use the correct equip-

ment and drive improperly, you can

lose control when you pull a trailer.

For example, if the trailer is too

heavy, the brakes may not work

well - or even at all. You and your

passengers could be seriously or

fatally injured. Pull a trailer only if

you have followed all the steps in

this section.

Remember that trailering is different than

just driving your vehicle by itself.

Trailering means changes in handling,

durability, and fuel economy. Successful,

safe trailering requires correct equip-

ment, and it has to be used properly.

WARNING - Weight limits

Before towing, make sure the total

trailer weight, gross combination

weight, gross vehicle weight, gross

axle weight and trailer tongue load

are all within the limits.

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Driving your vehicle

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Towbars

Safety chains

Trailer brakes

It's important to have the correct towbar

equipment. Crosswinds, large trucks

going by, and rough roads are a few rea-

sons why you’ll need the right towbar.

Here are some rules to follow:

• Will you have to make any holes in the

body of your vehicle when you install a

trailer towbar? If you do, then be sure

to seal the holes later when you

remove the towbar.

You should always attach chains

between your vehicle and your trailer.

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 towbar.

Instructions about safety chains may be

provided by the towbar manufacturer or

by the 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.

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.

If you don’t seal them, deadly carbon

monoxide (CO) from your exhaust can

get into your vehicle, as well as dirt and

water.

• Don’t tap into your vehicle's brake sys-

tem.

• The bumpers on your vehicle are not

intended for towbars. Do not attach

rental towbars or other bumper-type

towbars to them. Use only a frame-

mounted towbar that does not attach to

the bumper.

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.

✽

We

NOTICE

recommend

only

genuine

HYUNDAI towbars (the towbars are

made and tested in Australia/NZ for

local conditions).

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Driving your vehicle

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Passing

Turn signals when towing a trailer

Driving with a trailer

You’ll need more passing distance up

ahead when you’re towing a trailer. Due

to the increased vehicle length, you’ll

need to go much farther beyond the

passed vehicle before you can return to

your lane.

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.

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 towbar

and platform, safety chains, electrical

connector(s), lights, tyres 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.

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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.

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Do not connect a trailer lighting system

directly to your vehicle’s lighting system.

Use only an approved trailer wiring har-

ness.

An authorised HYUNDAI dealer can

assist you in installing the wiring harness.

Making turns

During your trip, check occasionally to be

sure that the load is secure, and that the

lights and any trailer brakes are still work-

ing.

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.

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Following distance

WARNING

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.

Failure to use an approved trailer

wiring harness could result in dam-

age to the vehicle electrical system

and/or personal injury.

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Driving on grades

Parking on hills

If the needle of the coolant tem-

perature gauge moves across the

dial towards “H” or “130°C” (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 driving speed

depending on trailer weight and

uphill grade to reduce the possi-

bility of engine and transaxle

overheating.

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 (45

mph) to reduce the possibility of engine

and transaxle overheating.

If your trailer weighs more than the max-

imum trailer weight without trailer brakes

and you have an automatic transaxle,

you should drive in D (Drive) when tow-

ing a trailer.

Operating your vehicle in D (Drive) when

towing a trailer will minimise heat build up

and extend the life of your transaxle.

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 unex-

pectedly roll down hill.

WARNING - Parking on a

hill

Parking your vehicle on a hill with a

trailer attached could cause seri-

ous injury or death, should the trail-

er break loose.

✽

NOTICE - For petrol engine

(2.0l) and diesel engine (1.6l) with

Automatic Transaxle

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 (right if headed down hill,

left if headed up hill).

2. If the vehicle has a manual transaxle,

place the car in neutral. If the vehicle

has an automatic transaxle, place the

car in P (Park).

3. Set the hand brake and shut off the

vehicle.

If you tow a trailer on steep grades(in

excess of 12%) at a speed over 30 km/h

with the maximum gross vehicle weight

and the maximum trailer weight, it can

cause the engine or transaxle to over-

heat. When driving in such conditions,

allow the engine to idle until it cools

down. You may proceed once when the

engine or transaxle has cooled suffi-

ciently.

CAUTION

• 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 over-

heat.

(Continued)

4. Place chocks under the trailer wheels

on the down hill side of the wheels.

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Driving your vehicle

5. Start the vehicle, hold the brakes, shift

to neutral, release the hand brake and

slowly release the brakes until the trail-

er chocks absorb the load.

6. Reapply the brakes, reapply the hand

brake and shift the vehicle to R

(Reverse) for manual transaxle or P

(Park) for automatic transaxle.

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.

CAUTION

• Due to higher load during trailer

usage, overheating might occur

in hot days or during uphill driv-

ing. If the coolant gauge indicates

over-heating, switch off the A/C

and stop the vehicle in a safe area

to cool down the engine.

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7. Shut off the vehicle and release the

vehicle brakes but leave the hand

brake set.

Maintenance when trailer towing

Your vehicle will need service more often

• When towing check transaxle

fluid more frequently.

• If your vehicle is not equipped

with the air conditioner, you

should install a condenser fan to

improve engine performance

when towing a trailer.

when you regularly pull

a

trailer.

Important items to pay particular atten-

tion to include engine oil, automatic

transaxle fluid, axle lubricant and cooling

system fluid. Brake condition is another

important item to frequently check. Each

item is covered in this manual, 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.

WARNING - hand brake

It can be dangerous to get out of

your vehicle if the hand brake is not

firmly set.

If you have left the engine running,

the vehicle can move suddenly.You

or others could be seriously or

fatally injured.

Don’t forget to also maintain your trailer

and towbar. 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 towbar nuts

and bolts should be tight.

When you are ready to leave after park-

ing on a hill

1. With the manual transaxle in Neutral

or automatic transaxle in P (Park),

apply your brakes and hold the brake

pedal down while you:

• Start your engine;

• Shift into gear; and

• Release the hand brake.

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Petrol Engine

Diesel Engine

1.6 Engine

If you do decide to pull a trailer

Here are some important points if you

decide to pull a trailer:

Engine

1.6 Engine

2.0 Engine

Item

• Consider using a sway control.You can

ask a towbar dealer about sway con-

trol.

• 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

run in. Failure to heed this caution may

result in serious engine or transaxle

damage.

• When towing a trailer, be sure to con-

sult an authorised HYUNDAI 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 (60

mph)).

Maximum

trailer

Without brake

System

500

(1102)

1100

(1102)

1200

(1102)

1200

weight

kg (Ibs.)

With brake

System

(2425)

(2645)

Maximum permissible

static vertical load on

the coupling device

75

(165)

kg (Ibs.)

Recommended distance

from rear wheel centre

to coupling point

mm (Inch)

5 Door : 820 (32.3)

Wagon : 1000 (39.4)

• On a long uphill grade, do not exceed

70 km/h (45 mph) or the posted towing

speed limit, whichever is lower.

• The chart contains important consider-

ations that have to do with weight:

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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 kerb weight of the vehicle,

any cargo you may carry in it, and the

people who will be riding in the vehicle.

And if you will tow a trailer, you must add

the tongue load to the GVW because

your vehicle will also be carrying that

weight.

Tongue Load

Total Trailer Weight

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Gross Axle Weight Gross Vehicle Weight

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The trailer tongue should weigh 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.

Tongue loads can be increased or

decreased by redistributing the load in

the trailer. This can be verified by check-

ing the total weight of the loaded trailer

and then checking the load on the

tongue.

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Weight of the trailer

WARNING - Trailer

How heavy can a trailer safely be? It

should never weigh more than the maxi-

mum 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.

• 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.

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(Continued)

• 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 -> Trailer towing for Your Hyundai I30 4 Door Third Generation (2016-2026)

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