2014 Hyundai Sonata tow

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Driving your vehicle
5
If you are still stuck after rocking
the vehicle a few times, have the
vehicle pulled out by a tow vehicle
to avoid engine overheating, pos-
sible damage to the transaxle, and
tire damage. See “Towing” in
chapter 6.
To p r e v e n t d a m a g e t o t h e
transaxle, turn OFF the ESC prior
to rocking the vehicle.
Smooth cornering
Avoid braking or gear changing in
corners, especially when roads are
wet. Ideally, corners should always
be taken under gentle acceleration.
Driving at night
Night driving presents more hazards
than driving in the daylight. Here are
some important tips to remember:
•Slow down and keep more dis-
tance between you and other vehi-
cles, as it may be more difficult to
see at night, especially in areas
where there may not be any street
lights.
•Adjust your mirrors to reduce the
glare from other driver's head-
lamps.
•Keep your headlamps clean and
properly aimed. Dirty or improperly
aimed headlamps will make it
much more difficult to see at night.
•Avoid staring directly at the head-
lamps of oncoming vehicles. You
could be temporarily blinded, and it
will take several seconds for your
eyes to readjust to the darkness.
NOTICE

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Driving your vehicle
5
Snow or icy conditions
Yo u n e e d t o k e e p s u f f i c i e n t d i s t a n c e
between your vehicle and the vehicle
in front of you.
Apply the brakes gently. Speeding,
rapid acceleration, sudden brake
applications, and sharp turns are
potentially very hazardous practices.
During deceleration, use engine
braking to the fullest extent. Sudden
brake applications on snowy or icy
roads may cause skids to occur.
To drive your vehicle in deep snow, it
may be necessary to use snow tires
or to install tire chains on your tires.
Always carry emergency equipment.
Some of the items you may want to
carry include tire chains, tow straps
or chains, a flashlight, emergency
flares, sand, a shovel, jumper cables,
a window scraper, gloves, ground
cloth, coveralls, a blanket, etc.
Snow tiresIf you mount snow tires on your vehi-
cle, make sure to use radial tires of
the same size and load range as the
original tires. Mount snow tires on all
four wheels to balance your vehicle’s
handling in all weather conditions.
The traction provided by snow tires
on dry roads may not be as high as
your vehicle's original equipment
tires. Check with the tire dealer for
maximum speed recommendations.
Information
Do not install studded tires without
first checking local and municipal reg-
ulations for possible restrictions
against their use.
i
WINTER DRIVING
Snow tires should be equivalent
in size and type to the vehicle's
standard tires. Otherwise, the
safety and handling of your
vehicle may be adversely affect-
ed.
WARNING

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Driving your vehicle
5
Don't let your parking brake freeze
Under some conditions your parking
brake can freeze in the engaged
position. This is most likely to hap-
pen when there is an accumulation
of snow or ice around or near the
rear brakes or if the brakes are wet.
If there is a risk the parking brake
may freeze, apply it only temporarily
while you put the shift lever in P
(automatic transaxle) or in first or
reverse gear (manual transaxle) and
block the rear wheels so the vehicle
cannot roll. Then release the parking
brake.
Don't let ice and snow accumulate
underneath
Under some conditions, snow and
ice can build up under the fenders
and interfere with the steering. When
driving in severe winter conditions
where this may happen, you should
periodically check underneath the
vehicle to be sure the movement of
the front wheels and the steering
components is not obstructed.
Carry emergency equipment
Depending on the severity of the
weather, you should carry appropri-
ate emergency equipment. Some of
the items you may want to carry
include tire chains, tow straps or
chains, flashlight, emergency flares,
sand, shovel, jumper cables, window
scraper, gloves, ground cloth, cover-
alls, blanket, etc.
Don't place foreign objects or
materials in the engine compart-
ment
Placement of foreign object or mate-
rials which prevent cooling of the
engine, in the engine compartment,
may cause a failure or combustion.
The manufacturer is not responsible
for the damage caused by such
placement.

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Driving your vehicle
If you are considering to tow with
your vehicle, you should first check
with your country's Department of
Motor Vehicles to determine legal
requirements. Since laws vary the
requirements for towing trailers, cars,
or other types of vehicles or appara-
tus may differ. Ask an authorized
HYUNDAI dealer for further details
before towing.
Remember that trailering is different
than just driving your vehicle by itself.
Trailering means changes in han-
dling, durability, and fuel economy.
Successful, safe trailering requires
correct equipment, and it has to be
used properly. Damage to your vehi-
cle caused by improper trailer towing
is not covered by your vehicle manu-
facturer’s warranty.
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.
Information - For Europe
• The technically permissible maxi-
mum load on the rear axle(s) may be
exceeded by not more than 15 %
and the technically permissible
maximum laden mass of the vehicle
may be exceeded by not more than
10% or 100 kg (220.4 lbs), whichev-
er value is lower. In this case, do not
exceed 100 km/h (62.1 mph) for
vehicle of category M1 or 80 km/h
(49.7 mph) for vehicle of category
N1.
• When a vehicle of category M1 is
towing a trailer, the additional load
imposed at the trailer coupling
device may cause the tire maximum
load ratings to be exceeded, but not
by more than 15%. In this case, do
not exceed 100 km/h (62.1 mph) and
increase the tire inflation pressure
by at least 0.2 bar.
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TRAILER TOWING (FOR EUROPE)
Take the following precautions:
•If you don't use the correct
equipment and/or drive
improperly, you can lose con-
trol of the vehicle when you
are pulling a trailer. For exam-
ple, if the trailer is too heavy,
the braking performance may
be reduced. You and your pas-
sengers could be seriously or
fatally injured. Pull a trailer
only if you have followed all
the steps in this section.
•Before towing, make sure the
total trailer weight, GCW
(Gross Combination Weight),
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight),
GAW (Gross Axle Weight ) and
trailer tongue load are all with-
in the limits.
WARNING

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Driving your vehicle
5
If you 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 trailer hitch dealer about
sway control.
•Do not do any towing with your
vehicle during 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 transaxle dam-
age.
•When towing a trailer, be sure to
consult an authorized HYUNDAI
dealer for further information on
additional requirements such as a
towing kit, etc.
•Always drive your vehicle at a mod-
erate speed (less than 100 km/h
(60 mph)) or posted towing speed
limit.
•On a long uphill grade, do not
exceed 70 km/h (45 mph) or the
posted towing speed limit,
whichever is lower.
•Carefully observe the weight and
load limits provided in the following
pages.
Trailer weight
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
equipment that you have on your
vehicle.
Tongue load
The tongue load is an important
weight to measure because it affects
the total Gross Vehicle Weight
(GVW) of your vehicle. The trailer
tongue should weigh a maximum of
10% of the total loaded trailer weight,
within the limits of the maximum trail-
er 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 mov-
ing some items around in the trailer.
OLMB053047
Tongue LoadTotal Trailer Weight
OLMB053048
Gross Axle WeightGross Vehicle Weight

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Driving your vehicle
Take the following precautions:
•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
trailer towing equipment.
Improper loading can result in
damage to your vehicle and/or
personal injury. Check
weights and loading at a com-
mercial scale or highway
patrol office equipped with
scales.
WARNING
M/T : Manual transaxle
A/T : Automatic transaxle
Engine
Item
Gasoline Engine
2.0L MPI2.4L MPI2.4L GDI
M/T A/TA/TA/T
Maximum trailer
weight
kg (Ibs.)
Without brake
System
650
(1433)
400
(882)
400
(882)
400
(882)
With brake
System
1300
(2866)
800
(1764)
800
(1764)
800
(1764)
Maximum permissible static
vertical load on the coupling
device
kg (Ibs.)
70
(154)
70
(154)
70
(154)
70
(154)
Recommended distance from
rear wheel center to coupling
point
mm (inch)
1185
(46.6)
Reference weight and distance when trailer towing a trailer

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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

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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