Pontiac 2003 Montana Owner's Manual page 143

THIRD
( 3 ) :
This position is also used for normal driving,
but it offers more power and lower fuel economy than
AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D).
Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3)
instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D):
0
When driving on hilly, winding roads.
When towing a trailer (so there is less shifting
between gears).
When going down a steep hill
SECOND (2): This position gives you more power, but
lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on
hills. It can help control your speed as you go down
steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to
use your brakes
off
and on.
Notice: Don't drive in SECOND (2) for more than
25 miles (40 km), or at speeds over 55 mph
(90 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle. Use
THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) as
much as possible. Don't shift into SECOND (2)
unless you are going slower than 65 mph
(105 km/h) or you can damage your engine.
Notices If your vehicle seems to start up rather
slowly, or if
it
seems not to shift gears as you go
faster, something may be wrong with a transaxle
system sensor. If you drive very far that way, your
vehicle can be damaged. So, if this happens,
have your vehicle serviced right away. Until then,
you can use SECOND (2) when you are driving less
than 35 mph (55 km/h) and THIRD
(3)
for higher
speeds.
FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power
(but lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You
can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud.
If the shift lever is put in FIRST ( l ) , the transaxle
won't downshift into first gear until the vehicle is going
slow enough.
Notice: If your front wheels won't turn, don't try to
drive. This might happen if you were stuck in
very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid
object. You could damage your transaxle. Also,
if you stop when going uphill, don't hold your
vehicle there with only the accelerator pedal. This
could overheat and damage the transaxle. Use your
brakes to hold your vehicle in position on a hill.
2-36