Parts Needed to Flat Tow a Manual Transmission 2016 Kia Soul

Question:

Im planning to purchase a 2016 Kia Soul with an manual transmission and wanted to verify that this can be done sense the service / owners manual doesnt appear to address this and dealers arent sure? Also if this turns out to be true can you recommend as to what is the best manufacture with good instructions for the installation of plates and other components.

asked by: Gerry B

Expert Reply:

The standard statement for flat towing is that all manual transmission vehicles can be flat towed as long as the vehicle is put in neutral. That being said we strongly recommend you confirm this with the manufacturer of the vehicle. The owners manual should have a section on recreational towing.

For a base plate we have the part # RM-522114-4 which is a confirmed fit and would work well. I attached a link to the install instructions for you to check out as well.

In addition to the base plates, you will also need a compatible tow bar, safety cables, lighting, and supplemental braking to flat tow your vehicle. The most popular compatible tow bar is the Falcon 2, # RM-520. For safety cables you can use # RM-643. The coiled design helps keep the cables off of the ground.

For lighting you can use the diode kit, # RM-15267, and not have to worry about cutting into the taillight housing. This will splice into your taillight wiring to allow your tow vehicle to control the taillight assemblies of the towed vehicle. This comes with a round 6-way connector that you will install on the front of your towed vehicle and enough coiled wire to go from there to the RV.

And finally, most states now require supplemental braking in the vehicle being flat towed. The easiest system to set up and use is the Blue Ox Patriot # BLU37TR, that applies the vehicle brakes in proportion to how much the tow vehicle is braking. This is the safest way to stop and it reduces wear and tear on both vehicles.

Most likely you will also need a high low adapter so that the tow bar will be level when you are flat towing. I attached a link to a page that has all of the ones we carry.

I have included a couple of helpful links to our articles on flat towing for you. Be sure to consult the vehicle owners manual for more specific information on flat towing your vehicle.