Ford 1996 Contour Manual page 160

6
Driving Your Contour
When you tow up or down steep hills, move the manual
transaxle gearshift to a lower gear. This will increase engine
power on upgrades and engine braking on downgrades.
When you tow in steep hills, move the automatic transaxle to
1 (First) when descending. This will give more engine braking
on downgrades. The automatic transaxle will automatically
downshift to the proper gear on upgrades.
If you use the speed control while you are towing on very long,
steep grades, the speed control may shut off.
Servicing Your Vehicle If You Tow
If you tow a trailer for a long distance, your vehicle will need
to be serviced more frequently than usual. Refer to the
Maintenance Schedule and Record booklet for additional
information.
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