Towing with a 3.8

[BobBeau]

Anyone do any towing with there 3.8 sedan? Looking at buying a utility atv and need to tow about 2,000 lbs. No OD off button so I'm not sure how the transmission will hold up

 

[skipgen]

It should say in the owner's manual... But I doubt it's recommended.

 

[jimbrown618]

Chap 5.96 of owner's manual "Trailer Towing - We do not recommend using this vehicle for trailer towing"

I did a search and found the following comment that pretty well sums up the issue with towing with the Genesis: (found on Hyundaiaftermarket.org)

"take the GVWR and subtract the car's weight and the weight of fuel and passengers, and subtract the trailer's weight. What's left is going to be 1) pretty small and 2) the effective tow rating. "

The manual actually talks about this with a descriptive set of pictures a couple of pages before the warning statement;

So YES you probably COULD tow a certain amount with your 3.8 but nowhere near 2000 lbs. Up to you to figure out if risk is worth it;

There are web sites that talk about how to calculate actual towing capacity for vehicles...looks like they are mainly for truckers...

My 2 cents...stay safe all.....

 

[jimmy buoy]

If I can tow my motorcycle on a trailer (about 1100 lbs total) 4000 miles round trip from home to Calgary and back with my 1998 Honda Accord 2.3 Ltr 4 banger, I'm not going to hesitate to expect as much from my 2010 Genesis 3.8!

 

[BobBeau]

I thought the same. Don't see any reason why it would be a problem. Dealership also advises against it.

 

[TinsleyC]

I can't think of a reason why Genesis would say no towing unless it's something to do with the transmission. Can hitch hardware be mounted up?

 

[BobBeau]

I can't think of a reason why Genesis would say no towing unless it's something to do with the transmission. Can hitch hardware be mounted up?

Yes, a hitch is available for the year, make and model.

 

[TinsleyC]

I really don't know anything about towing, but you mentioned being able to turn off overdrive. Can you put it in manual mode and use the shifter to keep it in an appropriate gear?

 

[BobBeau]

I really don't know anything about towing, but you mentioned being able to turn off overdrive. Can you put it in manual mode and use the shifter to keep it in an appropriate gear?

That's what I was thinking

 

[jimmy buoy]

Like I said, if my little old Honda with the 4 banger could manage it... Hondas automatic transmissions are not know to be extremely robust, but the Genesis is a much larger and heavier car with a RWD platform that should be more robust. That being said, is the Genesis tranny going to fail if you load the trunk to the max, squeeze 5 full sized adults inside and take the car for a ride in the mountains? I don't see any cautions about that in the owner's manual. It's easier for manufacturers to just say "not recommended" for towing to avoid all the problems associated with overloading. Common sense prevails here. It's a car - not a truck. I really can't see towing something under 1200 lbs creating an issue.

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[Suburbazine]

I don't see how you're legally going to tow anything with a Genesis. The maximum tow rating (behind rear axle) with only a 200lb driver is a tiny 400lb trailer total. The rated passenger+luggage capacity (which is measured between the axles) is only 975lb or so. One zealous weights and scales cop looking at your sedan towing a trailer will be a fast way to a big ticket and a tow truck fee. You can possibly get away with a handicapped plate and a wheelchair lift but that will squat the car pretty seriously.

A lot more engineering goes into this number than simply how big the engine is, how much power the transmission can handle or how fast it can stop. The rear suspension is not designed for tongue weight, the front suspension is not designed for being unloaded and the brakes are absolutely not going to stop an additional 2000lbs repeatedly. The sedan already weighs in around 4300lb.

 

[skipgen]

I don't see how you're legally going to tow anything with a Genesis. The maximum tow rating (behind rear axle) with only a 200lb driver is a tiny 400lb trailer total. The rated passenger+luggage capacity (which is measured between the axles) is only 975lb or so. One zealous weights and scales cop looking at your sedan towing a trailer will be a fast way to a big ticket and a tow truck fee. You can possibly get away with a handicapped plate and a wheelchair lift but that will squat the car pretty seriously.

A lot more engineering goes into this number than simply how big the engine is, how much power the transmission can handle or how fast it can stop. The rear suspension is not designed for tongue weight, the front suspension is not designed for being unloaded and the brakes are absolutely not going to stop an additional 2000lbs repeatedly. The sedan already weighs in around 4300lb.

Or closer to 4600 if you're toting a V8... I think the most you could get away with is a Jet Ski.