Towing with 2018 Sport Ultimate 2.0T
There are lot of posts concerning towing, but mostly with a V6. Thought I'd give some insight with a 2.0T.
I've towed my Hummingbird 16FD (~3200# loaded, ~400# tongue weight) across country and in CO mountains for nearly 15,000 miles now. I am amazed at how well this setup tows - plenty of power and stable even in cross winds. The 13-14 mpg is a little disappointing, but I gather pretty typical for any tow vehicle. The details:
I purchased the hitch parts from e-Trailer (prices almost as good as Amazon and very knowledgeable) and self-installed. I used Curt 13152 Hitch, 118269 wiring harness, and Curt 58000 mount. Took about an hour working alone. eTrailer has an excellent video.
I also self-installed a Teknosha 90195 brake controller. This took about an hour also, but does require some electrical knowledge and fishing wires through the chassis. Again, a great eTrailer video. It took some trial and error to get it setup, but now the controller works great.
I also had my RV dealer install a Progress Mfg. E2 load-leveling, anti-sway hitch for the Hummingbird. I've since made adjustments to the E2 and could have easily installed it myself.
I was concerned about transmission oil temperature, so I installed a ScanGauge OBDII display. Yikes! Consistently running over 200F and easily getting >250F on climbs. That can destroy a transmission quickly. I had a transmission cooler installed (~$300) and now the ATF temperature stays below 200F, typically well below.
The SantaFe is rated at #3500 , and I suspect my #3200 setup is about the limit. But I'm very happy with it now.
There are lot of posts concerning towing, but mostly with a V6. Thought I'd give some insight with a 2.0T.
I've towed my Hummingbird 16FD (~3200# loaded, ~400# tongue weight) across country and in CO mountains for nearly 15,000 miles now. I am amazed at how well this setup tows - plenty of power and stable even in cross winds. The 13-14 mpg is a little disappointing, but I gather pretty typical for any tow vehicle. The details:
I purchased the hitch parts from e-Trailer (prices almost as good as Amazon and very knowledgeable) and self-installed. I used Curt 13152 Hitch, 118269 wiring harness, and Curt 58000 mount. Took about an hour working alone. eTrailer has an excellent video.
I also self-installed a Teknosha 90195 brake controller. This took about an hour also, but does require some electrical knowledge and fishing wires through the chassis. Again, a great eTrailer video. It took some trial and error to get it setup, but now the controller works great.
I also had my RV dealer install a Progress Mfg. E2 load-leveling, anti-sway hitch for the Hummingbird. I've since made adjustments to the E2 and could have easily installed it myself.
I was concerned about transmission oil temperature, so I installed a ScanGauge OBDII display. Yikes! Consistently running over 200F and easily getting >250F on climbs. That can destroy a transmission quickly. I had a transmission cooler installed (~$300) and now the ATF temperature stays below 200F, typically well below.
The SantaFe is rated at #3500 , and I suspect my #3200 setup is about the limit. But I'm very happy with it now.