Hill And Mountain Roads - GMC 2004 Canyon Owner's Manual

Hill and Mountain Roads

Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.
4-38
If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable. See Off-Road
Driving with Your Four-Wheel-Drive Vehicle on
page 4-15 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. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
CAUTION:
{
If you do not shift down, your brakes could
get so hot that they would not 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.