Hill And Mountain Roads - GMC 1993 Jimmy Owner's Manual

Hill and Mountain Roads
J
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AM470001
Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in flat or rolling
terrain.
If
you drive regularly in steep country, or i f you're planning to visit
there, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable.
(See "Off-Road Driving" in the Index for information about driving off -road.)
Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the
brakes, tires, cooling system and transmission. These parts can work
hard on mountain roads.
Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this: let
your engine do some of the slowing down. Don't make your brakes do it
all. Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill. That
way, you will slow down without excessive use of your brakes.
I
CAUTION
A
If you don't shift down, your brakes could get
so hot
that
they
wouldn't work well. You would
then
have poor braking
or
even none
going down a hill. You could
crash.
Shift down
to let your engine
assist your brakes on
a
steep
downhill
slope.
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