Kia Optima 2017, Owner'S Manual, Page: 544 / 776

Backing up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel
with one hand. Then, to move the trail‐
er to the left, just move your hand to
the left. To move the trailer to the
right, move your hand to the right. Al‐
ways back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making turns
When you’re turning with a trailer,
make wider turns than normal. Do this
so your trailer won’t strike soft should‐
ers, curbs, road signs, trees, or other
objects near the edge of the road.
Avoid jerky or sudden maneuvers. Sig‐
nal well in advance before turning or
lane changes.
Turn signals when towing a trailer
When you tow a trailer, your vehicle
has to have a different turn signal
flasher and extra wiring. The green ar‐
rows on your instrument panel will
flash whenever you signal a turn or
lane change. Properly connected, the
trailer lights will also flash to alert oth‐
er drivers you’re about to turn, change
lanes, or stop.
When towing a trailer, the green ar‐
rows on your instrument panel will
flash for turns even if the bulbs on the
trailer are burned out. Thus, you may
think drivers behind you are seeing
your signals when, in fact, they are not.
It is important to check occasionally to
be sure the trailer bulbs are still work‐
ing. You must also check the lights ev‐
ery time you disconnect and then re‐
connect the wires.
Do not connect a trailer lighting system
directly to your vehicle’s lighting sys‐
tem. Use only an approved trailer wir‐
ing harness.
An authorized Kia dealer can assist you
in installing the wiring harness.
WARNING
Failure to use an approved trailer
wiring harness could result in dam‐
age to the vehicle electrical system
and/or personal injury.
Driving on grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before you start down a long or steep
downgrade. If you don’t shift down, you
might have to use your brakes so much
that they would get hot and no longer
operate efficiently.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and
reduce your speed to around 70 km/h
(45 mph) to reduce the possibility of
engine and transaxle overheating.
If your trailer weighs more than the
maximum trailer weight without trailer
brakes and you have an automatic
transaxle, you should drive in D (Drive)
when towing a trailer.
Operating your vehicle in D (Drive)
when towing a trailer will minimize
heat build up and extend the life of
your transaxle.
Driving your vehicle
6-134