僅 Driving With A Trailer - Kia Sorento 2023 Owner's Manual

Driving your vehicle
僅 Kia trailer hitch accessory is available
at an authorized Kia dealer.
Safety chains
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 hitch.
Instructions about safety chains may be
provided by the hitch 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 drag on the ground.
Trailer brakes
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 prop-
erly.
僅 Don't tap into your vehicle's brake
system.
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 sys-
tem. This is not a task for amateurs. Use
an experienced, competent trailer shop
for this work.
6 192
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 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 hitch
and platform, safety chains, electrical
connector(s), lights, tires and mirror
adjustment. If the trailer has electric
brakes, start your vehicle and trailer
moving and then apply the trailer brake
controller by hand to be sure the brakes
are working. This lets you check your
electrical connection at the same time.
During your trip, check occasionally to
be sure that the load is secure, and that
the lights and trailer brakes are still
working.
Following distance
Stay at least twice as far behind the
vehicle ahead as you would when driv-
ing your vehicle without a trailer. This
can help you avoid situations that
require heavy braking and sudden turns.
Passing
You'll need more passing distance up
ahead when you're towing a trailer. 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.
Trailer towing