Driving Downhill - GMC 2003 Envoy XL Owner's Manual

Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you'll want to
consider a number of things:
e
e
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain
vehicle control?
What's the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
What's at the bottom of the hili? Is there a hidden
creek bank or even a river bottom with large
rocks?
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.
- - -
[King when goi ng 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.
I
Q:
Are there some things I should not do when
driving down a hill?
A:
Yes! These are important because if you ignore
e
them you could lose control and have a serious
accident.
When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you
across the incline of the hill. A hill that's not too steep
to drive down may be too steep to drive across. You
could roll over if you don't drive straight down.
Never go downhill with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N). This is called "free-wheeling."
Your brakes will have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.
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