Kia is a renowned car company in America with various types of cars for multiple people. Among their vehicles, the Kia Soul is a subcompact SUV crossover that offers something different than other brands. It ensures enough internal space with a modern design.
It has some special requirements and manufactured design this car with some specification that differs from others. However, if you want to tow your Kia Soul, you must consider your manufacturer’s requirements to avoid damages.
Can you flat tow Kia soul?
You cannot flat tow Kia Soul since this car has an automated transmission system that doesn’t allow you to flat tow your Kia Soul SUV. If you are in an emergency and don’t have options other than flat tow, you can go for it. Otherwise, you should avoid flat tow and look for other towing.
Different types of towing services are there for different vehicles since all are not suitable for every vehicle. Some need dolly tow, some suited for flat tow, and others may be for the flatbed tow.
Among these towing services, the Kia Soul is not perfect for Kia Soul. Instead, you should use a flatbed tow service to transport your vehicle safely.
Flat tow is mainly possible if your vehicle has a manual transmission system and enough front space for towing through other vehicles. If you go through the Kia Soul SUVs, you will not find any manual transmission system that you can control the gear and place it neutral always.
Therefore, you cannot get the flat tow service through other vehicles and must go for the flatbed tow service.
Only in emergency cases can you take flat tow service since it will not affect your vehicle motor or other parts if you follow the cautions. We will explain a safe way to tow your Kia Soul crossovers safely.
But it’s not recommended to take the flat towing service from other vehicles because it can damage your automated transmission system, and you may lose control over your engine. So, avoiding such flat tow service for any of the Kia Soul subcompact crossovers is always advisable.
If you have any customizable option, and you may need some flat tow service, you should ask the manufacturer bout the manual transmission system engine.
Unfortunately, most crossovers and other vehicles come with automation to avoid the extra hassle, which is the only reason other towing options are available.
You will find very few Kia Souls with manual transmission to allow you for flat tow service. This brand came up with its 2021 model with a manual transmission system. So, if you don’t buy any specific model, you are out of luck. You cannot take advantage of using a flat tow service.
If you still try to get the flat tow with the automated Kia Soul, you will severely damage the entire driving engine and related parts. You should never do the same unless you are in an emergency.
| Kia Soul Model | Can be flat towed |
|---|---|
| 2010 Kia Soul | Yes |
| 2012 Kia Soul | No |
| 2013 Kia Soul | No |
| 2016 Kia Soul | No |
| 2019 Kia Soul | Yes |
| 2020 Kia Soul | Yes |
| 2021 Kia Soul | Yes |
| 2022 Kia Soul | No |
Can you flat tow a Kia soul behind a motorhome?
You cannot flat tow a Kia Soul behind a motorhome unless it is an old model Kia Soul Crossover that came with manual transmission.
The flat tow is only possible with a manual transmission system; you cannot force that with an automated and updated vehicle since the tow will damage the entire engine system.
If you have an old model Kia Soul like the 2021 model car, you can safely flat tow that Kia Soul behind a large motorhome vehicle.
This vehicle has enough power to tow your subcompact crossovers safely. You can also use this service for the old model Kia soul vehicle with a manual transmission system.
Flat towing a Kia soul is very difficult & challenging since you must know about the transmission system and manufacturer requirements.
If you don’t follow those rules and your vehicle gets damaged, you cannot claim any insurance or can’t acquire free service from your seller or manufacturer.
Can you flat tow a manual transmission Kia soul?
You can flat tow a manual transmission flat tow like the 2021 model subcompact crossovers. If you go through our checklist, you will find that all the latest model Kia Soul crossovers have an automated transmission system.
If you buy the old model transmission Kia Soul, 2019, 2020, and 2021 model cars come with a manual transmission system.
You can flat tow your Kia Soul crossovers if you have any of these model cars. The flat is a perfect service for most manual transmission systems that will not affect or damage any driving parts or the engine.
In short, you can flat tow the manual transmission Kia soul without damaging its driving or engine parts.
Since most of the updated model SUVs come with an automated transmission system, you must be careful about them. Choose a separate towing service for the motorized Kia Soul subcompact vehicles.
3 reasons why you cannot flat tow all Kia Soul
You will mainly find three additional reasons you cannot fat tow all Kia soul SUVs. They are:
Damage:
It is impossible to flat tow a vehicle with four-wheel drive and an automatic transmission behind a motorhome without incurring significant damage to the car.
Towing a vehicle of this type is impossible without using a trailer, which will effectively raise all of the vehicle’s wheels off the ground to protect its components.
Less Effective Lubrication:
Additionally, the engine is usually shut off before beginning the process of flat towing.
Therefore, there is no circulation of oil, which raises the temperature and reduces the lubrication effectiveness. Because of the forced rotation, there is a possibility that the front differential will be damaged.
Void Warranty:
The most recent version of the owner’s manual makes it abundantly clear that the Soul was not intended to be dinghy towed behind a motor home and that attempting to do so may result in severe damage to the car.
If you did it, your warranty would be voided.
How to flat tow a Kia Soul?
You can flat tow your Kia Soul by following the below steps, although it is not recommended. You can follow these safety steps in an emergency to get a secure flat tow service.
Ensure Control:
If there’s an urgent case in which no other options are available, Kia does permit the Soul may be towed using a towing cable.
However, this maneuver should only be performed for a brief amount of time on a paved, flat surface. There must also be a driver behind the Soul wheel to ensure proper control of the vehicle’s braking and directional abilities.
Baseplate:
To pull a car behind a motorhome, you will need nothing more than a baseplate, a tow bar, and a few additional attachments. Suppose you drive a Kia Soul equipped with an automatic transmission.
In that case, you can either transport it on a flatbed or install aftermarket components that make towing it easier. To connect the tow bar, you will need a base plate that functions as a metal support structure.
Tow Dolly:
You can alternatively flat-tow using a tow dolly; in this instance, a baseplate is not required. To connect the tow bar to your motorhome, you will also want a receiver hitch attached to the motorhome’s rear bumper.
If there is a difference in the height of more than three inches between the tow bar and the receiver hitch, you will need a hitch adapter to bring the receiver hitch down to the appropriate height.
Final Thoughts
Since most of the Kia Soul SUVs come with an automated transmission system, you cannot flat tow them, and you can only flat tow the 2021 or previous model subcompact vehicles with manual transmission systems. Otherwise, flat tow will seriously damage your Kia Soul engine parts.
I am an automotive enthusiast and have been interested in cars since I was a little kid. I have worked in the automotive industry for many years and have extensive knowledge of vehicles and their engines. I am a father of two and I love spending time with my family.
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