Pontiac Montana SV6 2007 Owner's Manual page 142

DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. It
provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle. If
you need more power for passing, and you are:
•
Going less than 35 mph (55 km/h), push
your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
•
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push
the accelerator all the way down.
The vehicle will shift down to the next gear
and have more power.
Downshifting the transaxle in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see Skidding
under Loss of Control on page 373.
Notice: If your vehicle seems to start up
rather slowly or not shift gears when you go
faster, and you continue to drive your vehicle
that way, you could damage the transaxle.
Have your vehicle serviced right away. You
can drive in SECOND (2) when you are driving
less than 35 mph (55 km/h) and DRIVE (D)
for higher speeds until then.
142
Warm-Up Shift
Your vehicle has a computer controlled transaxle
designed to warm up the engine faster when the
outside temperature is 35°F (2°C) or colder. You
may notice that the transaxle will shift at a higher
vehicle speed until the engine is warmed up. This is
a normal condition designed to provide heat to the
passenger compartment and defrost the windows
more quickly. See Climate Control System on
page 201 and Dual Climate Control System on
page 204 for more information.
THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal
driving. It reduces vehicle speed more than
DRIVE (D) without using your brakes. You might
choose THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D) when
driving on hilly, winding roads, when towing
a trailer, so there is less shifting between gears
and when going down a steep hill.
SECOND (2): This position reduces vehicle speed
more than DRIVE (D) without using your brakes.
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.