2004 Hyundai Elantra Owner's Manual - Page 156

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2 17 TRAILER OR VEHICLE TOWING C190A02S-AAT C190B01S-AAT If you are considering towing with your car, you should first check with your State's Department of Motor Vehicles to determine their legal requirements. Since laws vary from State to State, the requirements for towing trailers, cars, other types of vehicles, or apparatus may differ. Ask your Hyundai dealer for further details before towing. Trailer Hitches Select the proper hitch and ball combination, making sure that it's location is compatible with that of the trailer or vehicle being towed. Use a quality non-equalizing hitch which distributes the tongue load uniformly throughout the chassis. The hitch should be bolted securely to the car and installed by a qualified technician. DO NOT USE A HITCH DESIGNED FOR TEMPORARY INSTALLATION AND NEVER USE ONE THAT ATTACHES ONLY TO THE BUMPER. ! CAUTION: ! CAUTION: Do not do any towing with your car during its first 1,200 miles (2,000 km) in order to allow the engine to properly break in. Failure to heed this caution may result in serious engine or transaxle damage. o Never connect a trailer brake system directly to the vehicle brake system. o When towing a trailer on steep grades (in excess of 12%) 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 across the dial 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. C190C03S-AAT Trailer Brakes If your trailer is equipped with a braking system, make sure it conforms to federal and/or local regulations and that it is properly installed and operating correctly. C190D01S-AAT Safety Chains Should the hitch connection between your car and the trailer or vehicle you are towing fail, the trailer or vehicle could wander dangerously across other lanes of traffic and ultimately leave the roadway. To eliminate this potentially dangerous situation, safety chains, attached between your car and the trailer or towed vehicle, are required in most states. NOTE: If you tow a trailer or vehicle, your car will require more frequent maintenance due to the additional load. See "Maintenance Under Severe Usage Conditions" on page 5-6.