Driving On Grades - Chevrolet 2002 Silverado 1500 Pickup Owner's Manual

Driving On Grades

Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
If you have an automatic transmission, you can tow in
DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the transmission to
THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if the
transmission shifts too often (e.g., under heavy loads
and/or hilly conditions).
You may also want to activate the tow/haul mode if the
transmission shifts too often. See "Tow/Haul Mode" in
the Index.
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If you have a 5 speed manual transmission and you are
towing a trailer, it's better not to use FIFTH (5) gear.
Just drive in FOURTH (4) gear (or, as you need to, a
lower gear).
4-88
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If you have a 6 speed manual transmission and you
are towing a trailer, it's better not to use SIXTH (6)
gear. Drive in FIFTH (5) gear (or, as you need to, a
lower gear).
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 you turn
your engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your 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 PARK (P) (or the
manual transmission out of gear and the parking brake
applied) for a few minutes before turning the engine off.
If you do get the overheat warning, see "Engine
Overheating" in the Index.