If you drive regularly in steep country, or
if
you’re
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. See Operating
Your
All- Wheel-Drive Vehicle
Off
Paved Roads
on
page 4-17for information about driving off-road.
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid
levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system
and transmission. These parts can work hard
on mountain roads.
Know how
to
go down hills. The most important
thing to know is this: let your engine do some of
the slowing down. Shift
to
a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
If
you don’t shift down, your brakes
COI
get
so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would
then have poor braking or even none going
down
a
hill. You could crash. Shift down to
let
your engine assist your brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the
ignition
off
is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to do
all the work of slowing down. They could
get
so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You
would then have poor braking or even none
going down
a
hill. You could crash. Always
have your engine running and your vehicle in
gear when you go downhill.
Know how
to
go uphill. You may want to shift down to
a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine
and transmission, and you can climb the hill better.
roads in hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
As
you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could
be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an
accident.
0
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn
of special problems. Examples are long grades,
passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area
or winding roads. Be alert to these and take
appropriate action.
Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane
4-39
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