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:

    Starter Switch Check
    WARNING When you are doing this inspection, the vehicle could move suddenly. If the vehicle moves, you or others could be injured. 1. Before starting this check, be sure there is enough room around ...

    Fast Idle System
    If the vehicle has this feature it is available only with cruise control. The manual fast idle switch is operated using the cruise control buttons located on the left hand side of the steering wheel. ...

    Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
    The vehicle has a passenger sensing system. See Passenger Sensing System on page 3‑31 for important safety information. The instrument panel has a passenger airbag status indicator. United S ...