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. See “Automatic Engine Grade Braking” within Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑26.

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 10‑18.

On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce the vehicle speed to around 88 km/h (55 mph) to reduce the possibility of the engine and the transmission overheating.

    See also:

    Weight of the Trailer
    How heavy can a trailer safely be? Speed, altitude, road grades, outside temperature, special equipment, and the amount of tongue weight the vehicle can carry must be considered. See “Weight of the ...

    Using the “Store” Command
    1. Press and hold for two seconds. 2. Say “Store.” 3. Say the phone number or group of numbers you want to store all at once with no pauses, then follow the directions given by the system to sav ...

    Park Brake and P (Park) Mechanism Check
    WARNING When you are doing this check, the vehicle could begin to move. You or others could be injured and property could be damaged. Make sure there is room in front of the vehicle in case it begi ...