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:

    Tow/Haul Mode
    4-Speed Automatic Transmission 6-Speed Automatic Transmission Vehicles with an automatic transmission have a Tow/Haul Mode. The Tow/Haul Mode adjusts the transmission shift pattern to reduce shi ...

    Dual Tire Rotation
    When the vehicle is new, or whenever a wheel, wheel bolt, or wheel nut is replaced, check the wheel nut torque after 160, 1 600, and 10 000 km (100, 1,000, and 6,000 mi) of driving. For proper torque ...

    Overheated Engine Protection Operating Mode
    This emergency operating mode lets the vehicle be driven to a safe place in an emergency situation. If an overheated engine condition exists, an overheat protection mode which alternates firing groups ...