Buick RIVIERA 1996 Manual page 180

If
you drive ,regularly
in
steep country, or if' you're
planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make
yourtrips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep y o u vehicle
in
good shape. Check all fluid levels.
and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and trmsaxle.
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.
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
d o m ' t o
let your engine
assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope.
0
0
*
0
Coasthg
downhill
in
NEUTRAL (N) or
with the
ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have
to
do
alI
the work of slowing down. They 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. Always have your engine r&ning
and your vehicle in g&u- when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. Shift down to THIRD (3).
This
will help cool your engine and transaxle, and
you can clirnb the lull better.
Stay in your own lane when.dlriving on two-lane
roads in hills or mountains. Don't swing wide or cut
across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay i n your own lane.
As you g.0 over the top of a hill, be alert. There could
be something in your lane, like a stalled cm
or an
accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that wasn
of
special problems. Examples
are
long grades, passing or
no-passing zones,, a falling rocks area or winding
roads. Be alert to hese and take appropriate -action.