~f you drive regularly in steep country, or if you’re
planning to visit there, here
are some tips that can make
your trips safer and more enjoyable.
Keep you vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels
and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and transaxle.
These parts
can work hard on mountain roads.
0 Know how to go down hills. The most important
thing
to know is this: let your engine do some of the
slowing
down. Shift to a lower gear when you go
down a steep or long hill.
If ‘you don’t shift down, your brakes could get so
hot that they wouldn’f work well. You would then
have poor braking
or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Shift down to let your engine
assist your brakes on
a steep downhill slope. Coasting
downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with
the
ignition
off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to
do all the work of slowing down. They could get so
hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would then
have
pm braking or even none going down a hill.
1 You could crash. Always have your engine running
~ and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill.
Know how to go uphill. Shift down to THIRD (3).
This will help cool your engine and transaxle, and
you can climb the
hill better.
roads in
hills or mountains. Don’t swing wide or cut
across
the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let
you stay in your own lane.
0 Stay in your own he when driving on two-lane
0 As you go over the top of a hill, be dert. There could be
something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident.
You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of
specid ‘problems. Examples are long grades, passing or
: I’ no-passing zones, a falling rwkx area or winding
,:\. .. roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.
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