Driving on Grades

Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before starting down a long or steep downgrade. If the transmission is not shifted down, the brakes might have to be used so much that they would get hot and no longer work well.

The vehicle can tow in D (Drive). Use a lower gear if the transmission shifts too often.

When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades, engine coolant will boil at a lower temperature than at normal altitudes. If the engine is turned off immediately after towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades, the vehicle may show signs similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the engine run while parked, preferably on level ground, with the transmission in P (Park) for a few minutes before turning the engine off. If the overheat warning comes on, see Engine Overheating on page 10‑20.

    See also:

    Reducing Speed While Using Cruise Control
    If the cruise control system is already activated: • Press and hold the SET– button on the steering wheel until the lower speed desired is reached, then release it. • To slow down in small amo ...

    Lockout Protection
    This feature protects you from locking the key in the vehicle when the key is in the ignition and a front door is open. If the driver side power door lock switch is pressed when the driver door is op ...

    Care of Safety Belts
    Keep belts clean and dry. WARNING Do not bleach or dye safety belts. It may severely weaken them. In a crash, they might not be able to provide adequate protection. Clean safety belts only with mi ...