Driving on Grades

Notice: Do not tow on steep continuous grades exceeding 6 miles (9.6 km). Extended, higher than normal engine and transmission temperatures may result and damage the vehicle. Frequent stops are very important to allow the engine and transmission to cool.

Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before starting down a long or steep downgrade. If the transmission is not shifted down, the brakes might have to be used so much that they would get hot and no longer work well.

On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce the vehicle’s speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of the engine and the transmission overheating. If the engine does overheat, see Engine Overheating.

    See also:

    Shifting out of Park
    Automatic Transmission Shift Lock The vehicle has an automatic transmission shift lock control system. The shift lock control system is designed to: • Prevent ignition key removal unless ...

    Cigarette Lighter
    For vehicles with a cigarette lighter, it is located on the instrument panel below the climate control system. To activate the cigarette lighter, push it into the heating element and let go. When ...

    StabiliTrak® System
    The vehicle may have a vehicle stability enhancement system called StabiliTrak. It is an advanced computer-controlled system that assists with directional control of the vehicle in difficult ...