2017 Hyundai Elantra trailer

5-90
Driving your vehicle
ItemGasoline Engine
1.6 MPI2.0 MPI
M/T
A/TM/TA/T
Maximum trailer weight
kg (Ibs.)
Without brake
System300
(661)300
(661)300
(661)300
(661)
With brake System300
(661)
300
(661)300
(661)300
(661)
Maximum permissible static vertical load on the
coupling device
kg (Ibs.) 1115 (2458)
Recommended distance from rear wheel center to
coupling point
mm (inch) 1090 (43)
■For Western Europe
M/T : Manual transmission
A/T : Automatic transmission

5-91
Driving your vehicle
5
Trailer towing equipment
Hitches
Information
The mounting hole for hitches are
located on both sides of the underbody
behind the rear tires.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
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 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.
i
OAD065031L

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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. Do not tap
into your vehicle's brake system.
Trailer brakes must be applied sepa-
rately from 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
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.
Backing up
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 back up slowly and, if possi-
ble, have someone guide you. 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 trail-
er shop for this work.WARNING

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Driving your vehicle
5
Making turns
When you're turning with a trailer,
make wider turns than normal. Do
this so your trailer won't strike soft
shoulders, curbs, road signs, trees,
or other objects. Avoid jerky or sud-
den maneuvers. 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. 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.
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 (45 mph) to reduce the possi-
bility of engine and transmission
overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum trailer weight without trail-
er brakes and you have an automat-
ic transmission, you should drive in D
(Drive) when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive)
when towing a trailer will minimize
heat build-up and extend the life of
your transmission. 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 authorized HYUNDAI
dealer for assistance.
WARNING

5-94
Driving your vehicle
To prevent engine and/or transmis-
sion (transmission) 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 “130 or 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.
• When towing a trailer, your vehi-
cle speed may be much slower
than the general flow of traffic,
especially when climbing an
uphill grade. Use the right hand
lane when towing a trailer on an
uphill grade. Choose your vehi-
cle speed according to the max-
imum posted speed limit for
vehicles with trailers, the steep-
ness of the grade, and your trail-
er weight.
(Continued)(Continued)
• For vehicles equipped with the
dual clutch transmission, some
extra precaution should be
taken when towing a trailer. Due
to the added load on the trans-
mission when towing a trailer,
the clutches may get hot if the
vehicle experiences excessive
upshifting and downshifting.
Under certain conditions, such
as repeated stop-and-go launch-
es on steep grades, the trans-
mission clutches may become
overheated. When the clutches
start to become overheated, the
transmission safe protection
mode logic is enabled. If the safe
protection mode logic is
enabled, the gear position indi-
cator on the cluster LCD display
blinks, a chime sounds, and a
warning message will appear.
(Continued)(Continued)
If the dual clutch transmission
starts to become overheated,
the gear shift characteristics
may change. Gear shifts may
become more abrupt. If contin-
ued operation while towing a
trailer includes frequent and
continuous upshifts and down-
shifts, the overheat warning
message on the cluster LCD dis-
play may illuminate. If this
occurs, stop the vehicle, apply
the brakes or shift the vehicle to
(P) Park, and allow the transmis-
sion to cool.
NOTICE

5-95
Driving your vehicle
5
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
area.
Turn the steering wheel in the
direction of the curb (right if head-
ed down hill, left if headed up hill).
2. Shift the vehicle to P (Park, for
automatic transmission vehicle) or
neutral (for manual transmission
vehicle).
3. Set 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, apply the brakes,
shift to neutral, release the park-
ing brake and slowly release the
brakes until the trailer chocks
absorb the load.6. Reapply the brakes and parking
brakes.
7. Move the shift lever to P (Park, for
automatic transmission/dual clutch
transmission vehicle) or 1
stgear
when the vehicle is parked on a
uphill grade and in R (Reverse) on
a downhill (for manual transmis-
sion vehicle).
8. Shut off the vehicle and release
the vehicle brakes but leave the
parking brake set.
Driving the vehicle after it has
been parked on a hill
1. With the shift lever in P (Park, for
automatic transmission/dual clutch
vehicle) or neutral (for manual
transmission vehicle), apply the
brakes and hold the brake pedal
down while performing the follow-
ing:
• 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. To prevent serious or fatal
injury:
•Do not get out of the vehicle
without the parking brake
firmly set. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle
can move suddenly. You and
others could be seriously or
fatally injured.
•Do not apply the accelerator
pedal to hold the vehicle on
an uphill.
WARNING

5-96
Driving your vehicle
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 transmission fluid, axle lubri-
cant and cooling system fluid. Brake
condition is another important item to
frequently check. If you're trailering,
it's a good idea to review these items
before you start your trip. Don't forget
to also maintain your trailer and
hitch. Follow the maintenance sched-
ule that accompanied your trailer and
check it periodically. Preferably,
inspect the vehicle and trailer at the
start of each day's driving. Inspect
the hitch mounting to make sure the
hitch is properly secured to the vehi-
cle. Inspect the trailer electrical
wiring to make sure brake lights, turn
signal lights, running lights, and haz-
ard lights are working properly.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 the automat-
ic transmission fluid more fre-
quently. (Note: This is not appli-
cable for vehicles equipped with
the dual clutch transmission.)
• If your vehicle is not equipped
with an air conditioner, you
should install a condenser fan
to improve engine performance
when towing a trailer.
NOTICE

6-21
What to do in an emergency
6
Use of compact spare tires
(if equipped)
Compact spare tires are designed for
emergency use only. Drive carefully
on the compact spare tire and
always follow the safety precautions.When driving with the compact spare
tire mounted to your vehicle:
• Check the tire pressure after
installing the compact spare tire.
The compact spare tire should be
inflated to 420 kPa (60 psi).
• Do not take this vehicle through an
automatic car wash while the com-
pact spare tire is installed.
• Do not use the compact spare tire
on any other vehicle because this
tire has been designed especially
for your vehicle.
• The compact spare tire's tread life
is shorter than a regular tire.
Inspect your compact spare tire
regularly and replace worn com-
pact spare tires with the same size
and design, mounted on the same
wheel.
• Do not use more than one compact
spare tire at a time.
• Do not tow a trailer while the com-
pact spare tire is installed.When the original tire and wheel
are repaired and reinstalled on the
vehicle, the lug nut torque must be
set correctly. The correct lug nut
tightening torque is 11~13 kgf.m
(79~94 lbf.ft).
NOTICE
To prevent compact spare tire
failure and loss of control pos-
sibly resulting in an accident:
•Use the compact spare tire
only in an emergency.
•NEVER operate your vehicle
over 80 km/h (50 mph).
•Do not exceed the vehicle’s
maximum load rating or the
load carrying capacity shown
on the sidewall of the com-
pact spare tire.
•Do not use the compact spare
tire continuously. Repair or
replace the original tire as
soon as possible to avoid fail-
ure of the compact spare tire.
WARNING