2016 Hyundai Sonata towing

5-73
Driving your vehicle
5
Safety chains
You should always attach chains
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 towbar.
Instructions about safety chains may
be provided by the towbar manufac-
turer 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.
Trailer brakes
If your trailer is equipped with a brak-
ing system, make sure it conforms to
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
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.
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

5-74
Driving your vehicle
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
You will need more passing distance
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.
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 possi-
ble, have someone guide you.
Making turns
When you are 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 sud-
den 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 cluster 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 cluster 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 trailer
bulbs are still working. You must also
check the lights every time you dis-
connect and then reconnect the
wires.

5-75
Driving your vehicle
5
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 effi-
ciently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down
and reduce your speed to around 70
km/h to reduce the possibility of
engine and transaxle overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum trailer weight without trail-
er brakes and you have an automat-
ic transaxle, 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 transaxle.To prevent engine and/or
transaxle overheating:
• 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 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.
• You must decide your vehicle
speed according to the trailer
weight and uphill grade.
NOTICE
Do not connect a trailer lighting
system directly to your vehi-
cle'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.
Consult an authorised
HYUNDAI dealer for assistance.
WARNING

5-77
Driving your vehicle
5
Ready to leave after parking on
a hill
1.With the shift lever to P (Park, for
automatic transaxle vehicle) or
neutral (for manual transaxle vehi-
cle), apply your brakes and hold
the brake pedal down whilst you:
• Start your engine;
• Shift into gear; and
• 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.
Maintenance when towing a
trailer
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you regularly pull a trail-
er. Important items to pay particular
attention to include engine oil, auto-
matic transaxle fluid, axle lubricant
and cooling system fluid. Brake con-
dition is another important item to
frequently check. If you are planning
a trip with a trailer, it's a good idea to
review these items before you start
your trip. Don't forget to also maintain
your trailer and towbar. Follow the
maintenance schedule that accom-
panied your trailer and check it peri-
odically. Preferably, conduct the
check at the start of each day's driv-
ing. Most importantly, all towbar nuts
and bolts should be tight.To prevent vehicle damage:
• Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occur
on hot days or during uphill driv-
ing. If the coolant gauge indi-
cates over-heating, switch off
the air conditioner and stop the
vehicle in a safe area to cool
down the engine.
• When towing check automatic
transaxle fluid more frequently.
NOTICE

What to do in an emergency
Hazard warning flasher ........................................6-2
In case of an emergency whilst driving .............6-3
If the engine stalls whilst driving ..................................6-3
If the engine stalls at a crossroad or crossing .........6-3
If you have a flat tyre whilst driving ...........................6-3
If the engine will not start ...................................6-4
If the engine doesn't turn over or turns over
slowly....................................................................................6-4
If the engine turns over normally but doesn't
start.......................................................................................6-4
Jump starting ..........................................................6-5
If the engine overheats ........................................6-8
If you have a flat tyre ........................................6-10
Jack and tools ..................................................................6-10
Changing tyres .................................................................6-11
Towing ...................................................................6-17
Towing service .................................................................6-17
Removable towing hook ................................................6-18
Emergency towing ..........................................................6-19
6

6-5
What to do in an emergency
Jump starting can be dangerous if
done incorrectly. Follow the jump
starting procedure in this section to
avoid serious injury or damage to
your vehicle. If in doubt about how to
properly jump start your vehicle, we
strongly recommend that you have a
service technician or towing service
do it for you.
JUMP STARTING
6
To prevent SERIOUS INJURY or
DEATH to you or bystanders,
always follow these precautions
when working near or handling
the battery:
Always read and follow
instructions carefully
when handling a battery.
Wear eye protection
designed to protect the
eyes from acid splashes.
Keep all flames, sparks,
or smoking materials
away from the battery.
Hydrogen is always
present in battery cells,
is highly combustible,
and may explode if ignit-
ed.
Keep batteries out of
reach of children.
(Continued)
(Continued)
Batteries contain sulfu-
ric acid which is highly
corrosive. Do not allow
acid to contact your
eyes, skin or clothing.
If acid gets into your eyes, flush
your eyes with clean water for at
least 15 minutes and get imme-
diate medical attention. If acid
gets on your skin, thoroughly
wash the area. If you feel pain or
a burning sensation, get med-
ical attention immediately.
•When lifting a plastic-cased
battery, excessive pressure
on the case may cause battery
acid to leak. Lift with a battery
carrier or with your hands on
opposite corners.
•Do not attempt to jump start
your vehicle if your battery is
frozen.
(Continued)
WARNING

6-17
What to do in an emergency
6
Towing service
If emergency towing is necessary,
we recommend having it done by an
authorised HYUNDAI dealer or a
commercial tow-truck service.
Proper lifting and towing procedures
are necessary to prevent damage to
the vehicle. The use of wheel dollies
or flatbed is recommended.It is acceptable to tow the vehicle
with the rear wheels on the ground
(without dollies) and the front wheels
off the ground.
If any of the loaded wheels or sus-
pension components are damaged
or the vehicle is being towed with the
front wheels on the ground, use a
towing dolly under the front wheels.
When being towed by a commercial
tow truck and wheel dollies are not
used, the front of the vehicle should
always be lifted, not the rear.
TOWING
OLF064021NDolly
•Do not tow the vehicle with the
front wheels on the ground as
this may cause damage to the
vehicle.
•Do not tow with sling-type
equipment. Use wheel lift or
flatbed equipment.
CAUTION
OLF064023
OLF064022

6-18
What to do in an emergency
When towing your vehicle in an
emergency without wheel dollies:
1. Place the ignition switch in the
ACC position.
2. Place the shift lever in N (Neutral).
3. Release the parking brake.
Removable towing hook 1. Open the boot, and remove the
towing hook from the tool case.
2. Remove the hole cover pressing
the lower part of the cover on the
front bumper.
3. Install the towing hook by turning it
clockwise into the hole until it is
fully secured.
4. Remove the towing hook and
install the cover after use.
Failure to place the shift lever in
N (Neutral) may cause internal
damage to the transaxle.
CAUTION
OLF064024
OLF064025
OLF064027
■Front
■Rear