Kia Telluride Hitch Installation Overview
Towing Capacity: 5000 lbs
Tongue Weight: 750 lbs
Installing a trailer hitch on the Kia Telluride requires working underneath the rear of the vehicle and temporarily moving a few factory components out of the way. The first step is lowering the spare tire to create room to access the mounting points and safely maneuver the hitch into place.
Next, a small driver-side underbody panel is removed so we can access the frame and hardware locations used to secure the hitch. The rear section of the exhaust system is then gently lowered by releasing the rubber exhaust hangers. This step doesn’t remove the exhaust entirely, but it provides the clearance needed to position the hitch between the frame and the exhaust system. Next we'll cut the corner off of the heat shield above the exhaust to provide clearance for the bolts to attach to the hitch.
Like many modern SUVs, the Telluride’s rear bumper cover extends slightly below the frame. To allow the hitch receiver to sit in the correct position, a small section of the lower plastic bumper cover must be trimmed. This cut is made on the underside of the bumper and is not visible when standing behind the vehicle.
Once everything is prepared, the hitch is raised into position above the exhaust and secured to the vehicle’s factory mounting points using high-strength hardware. After the hitch is fully torqued to the manufacturer’s specifications, the exhaust is reattached, the underbody panel is reinstalled, and the spare tire is raised back into place.