Driving Across An Incline - Cadillac Escalade ESV Owner's Manual

$10araEscalade.fm Page 278 Wednesday, October 14, 2009 9:52 AM
Starting and Operating Instructions
If you decide you can go down a
hill safely, then try to keep your
vehicle headed straight down, and
use a low gear. This way, engine
drag can help your brakes and
they won't have to do all the work.
Descend slowly, keeping your
vehicle under control at all times.
CAUTION
Heavy braking when going
down a hill can cause your
brakes to overheat and fade.
This could cause loss of control
and a serious accident. Apply
the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low
gear to keep vehicle speed
under control.
. . . 278

Driving Across an Incline

Sooner or later, an off-road trail
will probably go across the incline
of a hill. If this happens, you have
to decide whether to try to drive
across the incline. Here are some
things to consider:
• A hill that can be driven
straight up or down may be
too steep to drive across. When
you go straight up or down a
hill, the length of the wheel
base (the distance from the
front wheels to the rear wheels)
reduces the likelihood the
vehicle will tumble end over
end.
When you drive across an
incline, however, the much
more narrow track width (the
distance between the left and
right wheels) may not prevent
the vehicle from tilting and
rolling over. Also, driving across
an incline puts more weight on
the downhill wheels. This could
cause a downhill slide or a
rollover.
• Surface conditions can be a
problem when you drive across
a hill. Loose gravel, muddy
spots, or even wet grass can
cause your tires to slip
sideways, downhill. If the
vehicle slips sideways, it can hit
something that will trip it (a
rock, a rut, etc.) and it will roll
over.