Hill And Mountain Roads - Saturn ASTRA 2009 Manual

8-26 Driving and Operating

Hill and Mountain Roads

Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
•
Keep the vehicle serviced
and in good shape.
•
Check all fluid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
•
Going down steep or long hills,
shift to a lower gear.
{
CAUTION
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
{
CAUTION
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
and they could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You
could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.
•
Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.