Kia Optima 2017, Owner'S Manual, Page: 543 / 776

Safety chains
You should always attach chains be‐
tween 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 safe‐
ty chains to 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
properly installed and operating cor‐
rectly.
If your trailer weight exceeds the maxi‐
mum allowed weight without trailer
brakes, then the trailer will also require
its own brakes as well. Be sure to read
and follow the instructions for the trail‐
er brakes so you’ll be able to install, ad‐
just and maintain them properly.
• Do not tap into or modify your vehi‐
cle's brake system.
WARNING
n
Trailer brakes
Do not use a trailer with its own
brakes unless you are absolutely
certain that you have properly set
up the brake system. This is not a
task for amateurs. Use an experi‐
enced, competent trailer shop for
this work.
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 vehi‐
cle 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 any trailer brakes
are still working.
Following distances
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 re‐
quire 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. Due to the
added load to the engine when going
uphill the vehicle may also take longer
to pass than it would on flat ground.
6-133
6
Driving your v
ehicle