If your engine has stopped running, you will
need to restart it. With the brake pedal
pressed, apply the parking brake. If you
have an automatic transmission, shift the
transmission to PARK (P). Restart the engine.
Then, shift to REVERSE (R), release the
parking brake, and slowly back down the hill
as straight as possible in REVERSE (R).
As you are backing down the hill, put your
left hand on the steering wheel at the
12 o’clock position. This way, you will be
able to tell if your wheels are straight
and maneuver as you back down. It is
best that you back down the hill with your
wheels straight rather than in the left or
right direction. Turning the wheel too far
to the left or right will increase the possibility
of a rollover.Here are some things youmust notdo if you stall,
or are about to stall, when going up a hill:
Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting
into NEUTRAL (N) to rev-up the engine
and regain forward momentum. This will
not work. Your vehicle will roll backwards very
quickly and you could go out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the
vehicle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift to
REVERSE (R), release the parking brake,
and slowly back straight down.
Never attempt to turn around if you are
about to stall when going up a hill. If the hill
is steep enough to stall your vehicle, it is steep
enough to cause you to roll over if you turn
around. If you cannot make it up the hill,
you must back straight down the hill.
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Q:Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down
the hill and decide I just cannot do it.
What should I do?
A:Set the parking brake. If you have an
automatic transmission, shift to PARK (P).
Turn off the engine. Leave the vehicle and
go get some help. Exit on the uphill side
and stay clear of the path the vehicle would
take if it rolled downhill. Do not shift the
transfer case to NEUTRAL when you leave
the vehicle. Leave it in some gear.
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL
can cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P), or, if you
have a manual transmission, even if you
are in gear. This is because the NEUTRAL
position on the transfer case overrides
the transmission. You or someone else
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
could be injured. If you are going to leave
your vehicle, set the parking brake and
shift the transmission to PARK (P), or,
put the manual transmission in FIRST (1).
But do not shift the transfer case to
NEUTRAL. Leave the transfer case in the
Four-Wheel High, Four-Wheel-High Lock,
or Four-Wheel-Low Lock position.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you will want
to consider a number of things:
How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to
maintain vehicle control?
What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough?
Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts?
Logs? Boulders?
What is at the bottom of the hill? Is there a
hidden creek bank or even a river bottom
with large rocks?
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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 will not have to do all
the work. Descend slowly, keeping your vehicle
under control at all times.
{CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going 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.
Q:Are there some things I should not do
when driving down a hill?
A:Yes! These are important because if you
ignore 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
is not too steep to drive down may be
too steep to drive across. You could roll over
if you do not 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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Q:Am I likely to stall when going downhill?
A:It is much more likely to happen going uphill.
But if it happens going downhill, here is
what to do:
1. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular
brakes. Apply the parking brake.
2. If you have an automatic transmission,
shift to PARK (P). While still braking,
restart the engine.
3. Shift back to a low gear, release the
parking brake, and drive straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get out and
get help.
Driving Across an Incline
Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go
across the incline of a hill. If this happens,
you have to decide whether to try to drive across
the incline. Here are some things to consider:
A hill that can be driven straight up or down
may be too steep to drive across. When you
go straight up or down a hill, the length of the
wheel base — the distance from the front
wheels to the rear wheels — reduces the
likelihood the vehicle will tumble end over end.
But when you drive across an incline, the much
more narrow track width — the distance
between the left and right wheels — may not
prevent the vehicle from tilting and rolling over.
Also, driving across an incline puts more weight
on the downhill wheels. This could cause a
downhill slide or a rollover.
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Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow, or Ice
When you drive in mud, snow, or sand, your wheels
will not get good traction. You cannot accelerate as
quickly, turning is more difficult, and you will need
longer braking distances.
It is best to use a low gear when you are in
mud — the deeper the mud, the lower the gear.
In really deep mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle
moving so you do not get stuck. Be careful to
keep mud from building up and washing onto the
engine cooling system.
When you drive on sand, you will sense a change
in wheel traction. But it will depend upon how
loosely packed the sand is. On loosely packed
sand, such as on beaches or sand dunes,
your tires will tend to sink into the sand. This has
an effect on steering, accelerating, and braking.
Drive at a reduced speed and avoid sharp turns
or abrupt maneuvers.Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire
traction. On these surfaces, it is very easy to lose
control. On wet ice, for example, the traction is
so poor that you will have difficulty accelerating.
And if you do get moving, poor steering and
difficult braking can cause you to slide out of
control.
{CAUTION:
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds, or rivers
can be dangerous. Underwater springs,
currents under the ice, or sudden thaws
can weaken the ice. Your vehicle could
fall through the ice and you and your
passengers could drown. Drive your
vehicle on safe surfaces only.
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