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 get hot and no longer work well.

Vehicles can tow in D (Drive). Shift the transmission to a lower gear if the transmission shifts too often under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions.

The Tow/Haul Mode may be used if the transmission shifts too often.

See Tow/Haul Mode on page 9‑42.

When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades, consider the following: 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 automatic transmission in P (Park) for a few minutes before turning the engine off. If the overheat warning comes on, see Engine Overheating on page 10‑23.

    See also:

    Starting the Engine
    Move the shift lever to P (Park) or N (Neutral). The engine will not start in any other position. To restart the vehicle when it is already moving, use N (Neutral) only. Notice: Do not try to shi ...

    Securing Child Restraints (Rear Seat)
    When securing a child restraint in a rear seating position, study the instructions that came with the child restraint to make sure it is compatible with this vehicle. If the child restraint has the L ...

    Tire Sealant and Compressor Kit
    This vehicle may come with a spare tire and tire changing equipment or a tire sealant and compressor kit. The kit can be used to temporarily seal small punctures in the tread area of the tire. See T ...