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:

    Using the Outside Mirror with the Blind Spot Mirror
    1. Set the main mirror so that the side of the vehicle can just be seen and the blind spot mirror has an unobstructed view. 2. When checking for traffic or before changing a lane, look at the main ...

    Electronic Range Select (ERS) Mode
    ERS or manual mode allows for the selection of the range of gear positions. Use this mode when driving downhill or towing a trailer to limit the top gear and vehicle speed. The shift position indi ...

    Compass Calibration
    The compass can be manually calibrated. Only calibrate the compass in a magnetically clean and safe location, such as an open parking lot, where driving the vehicle in circles is not a danger. It is ...