2006 Hyundai Santa Fe Owner's Manual - Page 176

DRIVING YOUR HYUNDAI 2 25 C190B01S-AAT C190E04O-AAT Trailer Hitches Select the proper hitch and ball combination, making sure that its 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. ! Trailer Weight Limit CAUTION: 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. Tongue load Total trailer weight C190E01L C190C01Y-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. o Keep the tongue load 10% of the total trailer load. o Tongue load x 100 = 10% (MAX) Total trailer weight o Tongue loads can be increased or decreased by re-distributing the load in the trailer. This can be verified by checking the total weight of the loaded trailer and then checking the load on the tongue. 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.