Kia Sorento KX2 auto 2016, caravan unsteady.
I have recently changed my tow car to the above having had a Jeep Grand Cherokee 2007 for 10 years that towed like a dream, never any problems with three different caravans.
Since changing to the Kia I find that the rear of my Swift Challenger 584 my 2014 is swaying about on the motorway at 50 plus mph, I have tried replacing the friction pads in the tow hitch that has not changed anything. I have always carried all heavy gear awning etc in the car but going to try it over the axle in the van.
Just wondered had anyone else had similar problems and if so how did you resolve them.
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I had two of the original Sorento's both autos but the second one did not have self levelling suspension and I never felt that was as steady on the road towing as the original with SLS. I assume you have checked your noseweight? I would get that as near to the allowed maximum as I could.
David
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Have a kx2 manual self leveling suspension late 14 plate have had the same problem with my kia. I pull a 1460 Kg van no where as good as the 2.5 model before this one. The only thing I can suggest raise tyre pressure to 36psi go to full noseeight witch on my kia is 100kg reduce the amount of stuff in the rear of your van to the center or put inside your car. Best of luck Kenny.G.
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for what it's worth my Sorento has SLS and have had no problems towing out 1600Kg caravan, I have however found it a much better towcar than the one before in terms of power
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We changed an Insignia SRi for a 15 Sorento KX2 and felt the Insignia was a better drive with a 1550 van behind.
As suggested the nose weight has a big effect I think with the SLS fitted.
There is a Kia owners web site with similar questions/comments posted.
http://www.kiaownersclub.co.uk/forum/
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well Kenny I've not personally found that's its twitchy at all? and CCC and Practical Caravan video reviews gives it a good wright up? Maybe down to loading?
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oddly enough my previous tow car, not a Sorento, but a 7 seat had a little picture in the door sill that basically said one type pressure for the rear and/or front for two people in the front, another set of pressures for middle seats used, and yet another higher if you had luggage/people in the boot. This meant that I should have pumped them up for towing then deflated once arrived on site then reflated after a few days... Needless to say I didn't do that, just kept at the higher set. Yes probably wrong I hear you say.
The sorento however has again these pictures but has the same tyre pressure for all of them no matter what or how many people you are carrying!
Don't know if this helps but the dealer knew we would be towing and set them for 37 psi, while the little pictures say 34 psi.
Also interesting is that in 6 months ownership they have not lost any pressure. I thought the in built tyre pressure monitor made be faulty or giving a misleading reading as it only works when the tyre have been moving for a few hundred meters but having doubled checked with a gauge when cold the monitor is correct.
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One more thing, I've found that at higher speeds (for me anyway) the 'sport' steering mode is better than the 'normal' mode, called sports but all it does is dampen down the light steering and the car feels more precise?
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perhaps they do, but there is a notable difference in the two modes
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Through use of Electrikery and other computer wizardry the settings can change the steering feel or feedback through the rim as well as increase the input speeds. However there are so many variables with the towing issue you have, could also be the tyres themselves, what brand and load index are they? A colleague had a 5 series with non runflat tyres on the rear and it handled like a pig when towing. Fitted o/e spec Continentals and the towing was transformed. I have just replaced Jinyu tyres on the rear of my Passat which although a budget tyre handled the Caravan fine and had an incredibly low wear rate. Today I will find out how it tows with Kleber Quadraxer.
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I had a 61 plate KX2 which didn't have SLS. Plenty of power but it never felt as good a tug as a previous Kia, a Sportage. Whilst the ride in the front was OK, rear passengers suffered car sickness. My grandson threw up twice in it. As for our two dogs in the boot, the oldest was occasionally sick although he'd been fine in previous cars, but the youngest was sick every time. She got so upset she didn't want to go in the car. I changed it and she's been fine since in two different cars and now is quite eager to get in.
I had Kumho tyres on mine, and after some ****** stabbed one of the tyres whilst parked outside work, when it was taken off the rim i thought the sidewall was very flexible, more than I would have expected. Higher tyre pressure might help or a different brand of Tyre.
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Thanks for all your useful replies, the good news is that I have solved the problem. It was all down to the cheap tyres that were fitted to the rear by the dealer when we purchased the car. We swapped the rear new tyres to the front and fitted the part worn Nexus tyres to the rear, job sorted as steady as a rock. So will wear out all four tyres and replace with good quality tyres proberbly Nexus or Kumho. Big thanks to all that took the time to respond.
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just read your post! We to are questioning is it the car or caravan! Up until nov 17 we had a super cyclone elddis twin axle, the kia sorento pulled it with no issues, due to damp issues all the time we changed the van in nov 17 to the lunar delta r i, weve only used van 4 times since new due to family commintments this year, but on two occassions used motorway to get to sight, anf a fearful and dreaded journey for both times, swaying even at 49 mph. A car sped by us and we were travelling at 53mph, we were swaying all over the place!! 30 years experience of towing single and twin axle vans, never before have we been so anxious on taking the van out, weve booked it in to get checked out but not till mid nov!! Weve got a feeling they wil say nothing wrong! So weve then got to decide what we are going to do. Could it be the car?
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