If You Do Decide To Pull A Trailer; Driving Tips - Kia Sportage 2008 Owner's Manual

Driving tips

If you do decide to pull a trailer

Here are some important points if
you decide to pull a trailer:
1
• State, provincial,
municipal government have vary-
2
ing trailering laws. Make sure your
hitch, mirrors, lights and wiring
arrangements are legal, not only
3
where you live, but also where
you'll be driving. A good source for
this information is provincial or
4
local law enforcement agencies.
• Consider using a sway control. You
5
can ask a hitch dealer about sway
control.
6
• After your odometer indicates 800
km (500 miles) or more, you can
tow a trailer. For the first 800 km
7
(500 miles) that you tow a trailer,
don't drive over 80 km/h (50 mph)
and don't make starts at full throt-
8
tle. This helps your engine and
other parts of your vehicle "wear" in
9 at the heavier loads.
5 34
• Always drive at a safe speed (less
than 100 km/h) commensurate
with road conditions.
• On a long uphill grade, do not
county and
exceed 70 km/h (45 mph) or the
posted
whichever is lower.
• The important considerations have
to do with weight:
towing speed limit,
Weight of the trailer
How heavy can a trailer safely be? 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, alti-
tude, road grades, outside tempera-
ture and how much 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.