[grumpyone]

I need help with the steps to tow my 2020 kia soul with manual trany, behind an RV. If someone could tell me the procedure, I would greatly appreciate it. ( ie key on key off, removal of any fuses, etc. etc.) Thank you in advance for your attention.

 

[MonsterSoul]

Your 2020 Soul is a third gen car, you might post in that section.
I guess I know nothing about towing, I thought you were talking about towing a very small boat with the car.

Anyway, I think the info you seek is here.

 

[rhysoul]

I don’t know anything about towing behind an RV either except, Keep it in neutral! I’ve seen videos of what happens to engines and transmissions when the RV owners forget to put the transmission in neutral and it’s not pretty.

 

[MonsterSoul]

My sister and her now ex towed a Mini Cooper and some how the power steering got messed up.
Not sure how that works, she is no mechanic, but be careful.

 

[manfreity]

read your owners manual? my 11 has a section for towing

 

[Megabyte342]

We tow our 2021 Kia Soul Manual Transmission behind our RV. It is very easy to tow but installation of the baseplate is a big job requiring removal of the front fascia of the car. ETrailer is a good source for information. We did our own installation but I think places like Camping World can set it up for you. It’s not cheap. You’ll need a base plate specific to our year Soul (like Blue Ox Base Plate Kit, Removal Arms #BX2727), a tow bar, a light wiring kit with blocking diodes, coiled safety cables, break away system, coiled electrical cable and a braking system. I also recommend using locking pins on the RV hitch, and the baseplate to tow bar connection since the Soul’s keys needs to be in the ignition while towing. You may need a drop hitch attachment to make sure the baseplate arms are the same level with the RV hitch receiver. To tow, turn the key to the “ACC“ position (not start), make sure the emergency brake is off and that the gear shift is in neutral. Make a check list and follow it every time so you don’t forget a step.

The Soul tows effortlessly. We tow ours with a 24’ E-450 based Class C with a 5000 pound rated hitch. The Soul is 2800 pounds.

Dean

 

[Megabyte342]

By the way, the owners manual says you can’t flat tow it. I contacted Kia and they confirmed the manual transmission Soul can be flat towed following the steps in my post above.

Dean

 

[Megabyte342]

We tow our 2021 Kia Soul Manual Transmission behind our RV. It is very easy to tow but installation of the baseplate is a big job requiring removal of the front fascia of the car. ETrailer is a good source for information. We did our own installation but I think places like Camping World can set it up for you. It’s not cheap. You’ll need a base plate specific to the Soul (like Blue Ox Base Plate Kit, Removal Arms #BX2727), a tow bar, a light wiring kit with blocking diodes, coiled safety cables, break away system, coiled electrical cable and a braking system. I also recommend using locking pins on the RV hitch, and the baseplate to tow bar connection since the Soul’s keys needs to be in the ignition while towing. You may need a drop hitch attachment to make sure the baseplate arms are the same level with the RV hitch receiver. To tow, turn the key to the “ACC“ position (not start), make sure the emergency brake is off and that the gear shift is in neutral. Make a check list and follow it every time so you don’t forget a step.

The Soul tows effortlessly. We tow ours with a 24’ E-450 based Class C with a 5000 pound rated hitch.

Dean

By the way, the owners manual says you can’t flat tow it. I contacted Kia (see reply below) and they confirmed the manual transmission Soul can be flat towed following the steps in my post above.

Dean

Thank you for contacting Kia Motors America. We appreciate your feedback. ]

1. Any Kia 2WD vehicle equipped with a manual transaxle may be towed with all four wheels on the ground behind another vehicle, such as a Recreational Vehicle (RV), as long as the following conditions are met:
   • Confirm the maximum towing capacity for the recreational vehicle prior to towing your Kia in the Owner's Manual
   • Transaxle oil is at the recommended level
   • Transaxle is in correct working order
   • Parking brake is released
   • Gearshift is in NEUTRAL
   • Steering wheel is UNLOCKED with the key in the ignition and in the "ACC" position
     • When key is moved to the "ACC" position, make sure all accessories are turned off to prevent battery drain.
   • Front tires are of the same size
   • Front tire pressures are equal and inflated to the recommended pressure
   • Vehicle is towed from the front with all four wheels on the ground

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact the Kia Consumer Assistance Center at (800) 333-4542 and refer to your case number and we will be happy to assist you. If it is more convenient for you, please feel free to respond to this email and we will be happy to follow up with you regarding the matter.

Thank you for your inquiry.

Sincerely,
Kia Motors America