
NEUTRAL (N):In this position, your engine does
not connect with the wheels. To restart when
you are already moving, use NEUTRAL (N) only.
Also, use NEUTRAL (N) when your vehicle is
being towed.
{CAUTION:
Shifting into a drive gear while your
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is rmly on
the brake pedal, your vehicle could move
very rapidly. You could lose control and
hit people or objects. Do not shift into a
drive gear while your engine is running at
high speed.
Notice:Shifting out of PARK (P) or
NEUTRAL (N) with the engine running at high
speed may damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Be sure the engine is not running at high
speed when shifting your vehicle.DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving. It
provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle. If
you need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h),
push your accelerator pedal about
halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push
the accelerator all the way down.
By doing this, the vehicle shifts down to the
next gear and has more power.
DRIVE (D) can be used when towing a trailer,
carrying a heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for
off-road driving. You might want to shift the
transmission to a lower gear selection if the
transmission shifts too often.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding. See Skidding
underLoss of Control on page 391
Your vehicle has a shift stabilization feature that
adjusts the transmission shifting to the current
driving conditions in order to reduce rapid upshifts
and downshifts.
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This shift stabilization feature is designed to
determine, before making an upshift, if the engine
is able to maintain vehicle speed by analyzing
things such as vehicle speed, throttle position, and
vehicle load. If the shift stabilization feature
determines that a current vehicle speed cannot be
maintained, the transmission does not upshift
and instead holds the current gear. In some cases,
this could appear to be a delayed shift, however
the transmission is operating normally.
Your vehicle’s transmission uses adaptive shift
controls. Adaptive shift controls continually
compares key shift parameters to pre-programmed
ideal shifts stored in the transmissions computer.
The transmission constantly makes adjustments to
improve vehicle performance according to how the
vehicle is being used, such as with a heavy load or
when temperature changes. During this adaptive
shift control process, shifting might feel different as
the transmission determines the best settings.When temperatures are very cold, the Allison
Transmission®and Hydra-Matic®6-Speed
transmission’s gear shifting could be delayed
providing more stable shifts until the engine warms
up. Shifts could be more noticeable with a cold
transmission. This difference in shifting is normal.
MANUAL MODE (M):This position, is available
on vehicles with the Allison Transmission
®or
Hydra-Matic®6-Speed transmission. It lets drivers
select the range of gears appropriate for current
driving conditions. If your vehicle has this feature,
see Range Select Mode (Allison Transmission
®
or Hydra-Matic®6-Speed transmission) later in this
section.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal
driving. It reduces vehicle speed more than
DRIVE (D) without using the brakes. You might
choose THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D) when
driving on hilly, winding roads, when towing
a trailer, so there is less shifting between gears
and when going down a steep hill.
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Turn the tow/haul mode on and off by pressing the
button, located on the end of the shift lever.
When the tow/haul is on, a light on the instrument
panel cluster will come on.
SeeTow/Haul Mode Light on page 268for more
information.
Also see “Tow Haul Mode” underTowing a Trailer
on page 447for more information.
Grade Braking (Allison Transmission®
or Hydra-Matic®6-Speed Automatic
Transmission)
The Grade Braking shift modes can be activated
by pressing the button on the end of the shift
control lever. While in Range Selection Mode,
Grade Braking is deactivated allowing the driver to
select a desired range of gears.Grade Braking is only active while the Tow/Haul
Mode is selected and you are not in the Range
Selection Mode. See “Tow/Haul Mode listed
previously andAutomatic Transmission Operation
on page 140for more information on the Range
Slection Mode. Grade Braking assists in
maintaining desired vehicle speeds when driving
on downhill grades by automatically implementing
a shift schedule that utilizes the engine and
transmission to slow the vehicle. This reduces
wear on the braking system and increases control
of the vehicle. Grade Braking monitors vehicle
speed, acceleration, engine torque and brake
pedal usage. Using this information, it detects
when the truck is on a downhill grade and
the driver desires to slow the vehicle by pressing
the brake. See the diesel supplement for
information on Cruise Grade Braking.
Also seeTowing a Trailer on page 447for more
information.
148

Four-Wheel Drive
If your vehicle has Four-Wheel Drive, you can
send the engine’s driving power to all four wheels
for extra traction. To get the most satisfaction
out of Four-Wheel Drive, you must be familiar with
its operation. Read the part that follows before
using Four-Wheel Drive. See the appropriate text
for the transfer case in your vehicle.
Notice:Driving on clean, dry pavement in
Four-Wheel-Drive High or Four-Wheel-Drive
Low for an extended period of time may cause
premature wear on your vehicle’s powertrain.
Do not drive on clean, dry pavement in
Four-Wheel-Drive High or Four-Wheel-Drive
Low for extended periods of time.
While driving on clean dry pavement and during
tight turns, you may experience vibration in
the steering system.
Front Axle Locking Feature
The front axle locks and unlocks automatically
when you shift the transfer case. Some delay for
the axle to lock or unlock is normal.
Manual Transfer Case
The transfer case shift lever is on the oor to the
right of the driver. Use this lever to shift into
and out of Four-Wheel Drive.
149

When Using the Manual Transfer Case
Shifting should be made using quick
motions. Shifting slowly may make it more
difficult to shift.
You may notice that it is harder to shift when
the vehicle is cold. After the vehicle warms
up the shifting will return to normal.
While in Four-Wheel High or Four-Wheel-Drive
Low you may experience reduced fuel
economy.
Avoid driving in Four-Wheel Drive on clean,
dry pavement. It may cause your tires to
wear faster, and make the transfer case harder
to shift and run noisier.
If the transfer case shifter is in the NEUTRAL
position and you have difficulty reaching the
selected transfer case mode, with the
engine running, shift the transmission
momentarily to drive and then back to
NEUTRAL. This will realign the gear teeth in
the transfer case and allow you to complete
the shift.
Shifting from Two-Wheel-Drive High to
Four-Wheel-Drive High
Shifts between Two-Wheel-Drive High and
Four-Wheel-Drive High can be made at
any vehicle speed.
Shift the transfer case lever in one continuous
motion into either the Four-Wheel-Drive High
or Two-Wheel-Drive High position.
In extremely cold weather, it may be
necessary to slow or stop the vehicle to shift
into Four-wheel-Drive High until your
vehicle has warmed up.
While in Four-Wheel-Drive High, your vehicle
can be driven at any posted legal speed
limit.
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Shifting In or Out of Four-Wheel-Drive Low
Notice:Shifting the transfer case into
Four-Wheel-Drive Low while moving at speeds
faster than 3 mph (5 km/h) may cause
premature wear to the transfer case, and may
cause the gears to grind. To avoid causing
premature wear, and grinding the gears, do not
shift the transfer case into Four-Wheel-Drive
Low while the vehicle is moving faster than
3 mph (5 km/h).
Shifting into Four-Wheel-Drive Low should be done,
if possible, with the vehicle at a slight roll, 3 mph
(5 km/h) or less.
Shift the transmission into NEUTRAL (N).
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P). You or
someone else could be seriously injured.
Be sure to set the parking brake before
placing the transfer case in NEUTRAL. See
Parking Brake on page 164.
Shifting into Four-Wheel-Drive Low with
the vehicle at a stop may be more difficult.
You may be unable to complete the shift to
Four-Wheel-Drive Low, and will end up in
NEUTRAL. This is normal, and is a function of
the gear teeth aligning in your transfer case.
When this happens, make sure the engine is
on, shift your transmission momentarily to
drive and back to NEUTRAL, and then
complete the shift.
Shift the transfer case shift lever in one
continuous motion into the Four-Wheel-Drive
Low position.
When Four-Wheel-Drive Low do not drive
faster than 45 mph. This will reduce wear and
extend the life of your transfer case.
Shifting In or Out of NEUTRAL
1. With the vehicle running and the engine at an
idle set the parking brake.
2. Place the transmission into NEUTRAL (N).
Shift the transfer case in one continuous motion
into or out of the NEUTRAL position.
153