A unique way to see the natural beauty of a place is to take a trip in an RV. You can have a great adventure whether you go camping in the desert, the mountains, up the coast, or on a road trip with no set destination.
But if you want to bring your car with you, it can make things a little more difficult.
You Are Watching: Hyundai Elantra Towing Updated 09/2023
Flat towing is one way to do that, and if your car can do it, it can be a great solution. The problem is that some cars don’t have the right parts to be able to be flat towed.
So, can you flat-tow a Hyundai Elantra? Starting with the 2019 models, you can now flat tow a Hyundai Elentra with a manual transmission.
As you can see, it depends on how old your model is. This article will tell you how to figure out if your model can be flat towed and how to do it if it can.
Can You Flat Tow A Hyundai Elantra?
Well, yes might be the answer to this question, but it depends on a few things. You’ll need to look at these things to find out if your model can be flat-towed successfully.
So, let’s talk about the things that will tell you if your Elantra model can be flat towed or not.
It Has a Manual Transmission
You might be able to flat tow your Elantra if it has a manual transmission. But you won’t be able to if it is an automatic.
This is because the transmission of an automatic car often needs to be oiled all the time to keep the parts moving. When the car is turned off, the output shaft won’t be greased. If you flat tow your car, the lack of grease could do a lot of damage to the transmission.
You don’t have to worry about this problem if your car has a manual transmission. But just because your Elantra has a manual transmission doesn’t mean you can flat tow it.
You Do Not Have an Older Elantra Model
In the year 2019, Hyundai made the Elantra so it could be flat towed. The Elantra can be hooked up to a tow bar with all four wheels on the ground, just like the Accent and Veloster.
Before this, very few cars could be flat-towed, and those that could not were not made to do so. This could mean that you won’t be able to flat tow a Hyundai Elantra that was made before 2019, even if it has a manual transmission.
Only the 2019 models were made with this ability, so you shouldn’t try to flat-tow an Elantra that was made before 2019. If this is done, it will hurt the transmission.
The Owner’s Manual Says It Can!
The owner’s manual for most vehicles that can be flat towed will say so. This shows that you can safely pull a trailer without worrying about whether or not it will hurt your transmission.
Read More : Best Group 31 Deep Cycle Battery Updated 09/2023
This is the best way to find out if your car is made for flat towing or not, and it’s usually the only way to know for sure that flat towing won’t hurt the engine of your car.
But I will talk about why this was a problem with the Hyundai Elantra and why it is not a problem with this model.
The Hyundai Elantra’s Owner’s Manual Issue
Even though I just said that the only way to know for sure if you can flat-tow your car is to read the owner’s manual, there is a small problem with the 2019 Hyundai Elantra.
This is because the owner’s manual for this specific model says that it can’t be flat towed.
This can make things very confusing for consumers who bought this vehicle and want to flat tow it. In the 2019 issue of Family RVing, it was included in a list of vehicles that can be used to tow.
So why does the manual say it can’t be flat towed if it can?
Well, a Hyundai Motor Company representative told the Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) in 2018 that the Elantra was designed to be flat towed.
An FMCA representative found out later that the 2019 Hyundai Elantra owner’s manual had a mistake in it about whether or not it could be flat towed.
It was confirmed that the vehicle can be flat towed if it has a manual transmission. Because of this mistake, many people thought they couldn’t flat tow their cars like they had hoped.
Even though this is because of a small mistake in the manual, many customers did not hear this and are still not sure if their Elantra can flat tow.
Now that you know this, you can be sure that if you have a 2019 Hyundai Elantra with a manual transmission, you can safely flat tow it behind your RV.
What You Need To Flat Tow Your Elantra
If you want to be able to flat tow your Elantra, you will need a few things. Most of these parts can be bought fairly cheaply at an auto parts store.
You will need to buy a hitch for the back of the motor home as the first thing. With the help of the other parts, this piece will connect your car to the RV and let you pull it behind you.
The tow bar is the next thing you need. This piece will be the link between your RV and your Elantra.
Read More : NGK Ignition Coil Vs Denso Updated 09/2023
You will also need a base plate kit that can be attached to the Elantra. This is where you’ll hook up the tow bar so you can safely pull the car behind you.
You also need a tow bar wiring kit that lets you use your Elantra’s taillights while driving. This is done so that cars behind the Elantra can see its turn signals and brake lights even if they can’t see the RV’s light.
Lastly, you will need to get an extra brake system for the car you are pulling. This will let you turn off the car but still have a brake that will keep it from moving after the RV has stopped.
Having safety cables is a good idea to make sure the Elantra is very safe.
So, What Exactly Is Flat Towing?
Flat towing is when you pull a car behind an RV without putting it on a trailer or flatbed. Instead, the car stays on all four wheels. This way of towing lets you pull less behind you and doesn’t require you to put the car on a trailer and lift it up.
Flat towing can usually be done with a cheap bar attachment. It uses less gas than renting or buying a dolly or trailer, and it costs less than towing with a flatbed. When you are already driving an RV, it is helpful to have less to worry about when towing.
With this method, you don’t need anything else, and it’s much easier to drive the RV with the car attached than with a longer, heavier trailer.
Also, if you like to stop at campgrounds, you won’t have a hard time fitting into the space you reserved without the trailer attached.
Why is Flat Towing a Good Option?
You have everything you need with you when you camp or travel in an RV, but they are big and heavy to drive. If you forget something at the store and need it, it could be a big hassle to get the RV out of the campsite and into a small parking lot.
But if you have your regular car, you can still get around easily and make small trips much easier. This is a common reason why it’s a good idea to have your car towed.
But why do people choose flat towing over regular towing? Well, a dolly or trailer will make your trip much harder because they are heavy and long.
Not only are you adding a lot more weight, but you also need to be comfortable driving an extra-long vehicle on the trip. Also, it will be harder to take the car off the trailer and put it back on.
With flat towing, you just hook the car up to a light bar and go. This makes it much easier to pull and makes the vehicle lighter and shorter.
In addition, flat towing uses less gas than pulling a trailer because the combined weight of the RV and the vehicle being pulled is much less than when pulling a trailer.
Final Words
You now know that you can flat tow a 2019 Hyundai Elantra with a manual transmission, which might have been a little confusing at first. Even though the manual says it can’t, you know it can because of the error.
So, you can take your 2019 Hyundai Elantra with you on your next RV trip if you want to.
Sources: https://micdot.com
Category: Vehicles
