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:

    Fog Lamps
    Fog Lamps For vehicles with fog lamps, the control is located next to the exterior lamps control on the instrument panel, to the left of the steering column. The ignition must be in the ON/RUN pos ...

    Heavy Duty Crew Cab Only
    This vehicle has airbags. A rear seat is a safer place to secure a forward-facing child restraint. See Where to Put the Restraint on page 3‑49. A label on the sun visor says, “Never put a rea ...

    Eight-Way Power Driver Seat
    To adjust a power seat, if equipped: ○ Move the seat forward or rearward by sliding the control forward or rearward. ○ Raise or lower the front or rear part of the seat cushion by movi ...