Can 2001 Kia Rio Manual Transmission be Flat Towed  

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Expert Reply:

I did some checking and your 2001 Kia Rio with a manual transmission is flat towable as-is. I was able to pull up the owners manual of your vehicle and it looks like you have to put the key in the ACC position to unlock the steering wheel. I would recommend you verify this with your owners manual as well.

For a base plate kit to provide the attachment point for a tow bar you'd need to have the Blue Ox # BX2705 installed as it is a custom fit for your Rio.

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 Blue Ox Avail # BX7420. 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.

expert reply by: Jameson C

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