Driving Your Vehicle
6-74
Driving on hills
Reduce speed before you start down a
long or steep downgrade.
On a long uphill grade, reduce your
speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h)
to reduce the possibility of motor
overheating.
NOTICE
To prevent motor overheating:
When towing a trailer, your vehicle
speed may be much slower than the
general flow of traffic, especially when
climbing an uphill grade. Use the right
hand lane when towing a trailer on an
uphill grade. Choose your vehicle speed
according to the maximum posted
speed limit for vehicles with trailers, the
steepness of the grade, and your trailer
weight.
Parking on hills
Generally, if you have a trailer attached
to your vehicle, you should not park your
vehicle on a hill.
However, if you ever have to park your
trailer on a hill, here’s how to do it:
1. Pull the vehicle into the parking space.
Turn the steering wheel in the
direction of the curb (right if headed
down hill, left if headed up hill).
2. Shift the gear to P (Park).
3. Set the parking brake and shut off the
vehicle.
4. Place wheel chocks under the trailer
wheels on the down hill side of the
wheels.
5. Start the vehicle, hold the brakes, shift
to neutral, release the parking brake
and slowly release the brakes until the
trailer chocks absorb the load.
6. Reapply the brakes and parking
brakes.
7. Shift the gear to P (Park) when the
vehicle is parked on a uphill grade and
in R (Reverse) on a downhill.
8. Shut off the vehicle and release the
vehicle brakes but leave the parking
brake set.
06
6-75
WARNING
To prevent serious or fatal injury:
[ Do not get out of the vehicle without
the parking brake firmly set. If you
have left the vehicle running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You and
others could be seriously or fatally
injured.
[ Do not apply the accelerator pedal to
hold the vehicle on an uphill.
Driving the vehicle after it has been
parked on a hill
1. With the gear in P (Park), apply your
brakes and hold the brake pedal down
while you:
[ Start your vehicle;
[ Shift into gear; and
[ Release the parking brake.
2. Slowly remove your foot from the
brake pedal.
3. Drive slowly until the trailer is clear of
the chocks.
4. Stop and have someone pick up and
store the chocks.
Maintenance when Towing a
Trailer
Your vehicle will need service more
often when you regularly pull a trailer.
Important items to pay particular
attention to include reduction gear fluid,
axle lubricant and cooling system fluid.
Brake condition is another important
item to frequently check. If you’re
trailering, it’s a good idea to review these
items before you start your trip. Don’t
forget to also maintain your trailer and
hitch. Follow the maintenance schedule
that accompanied your trailer and check
it periodically. Preferably, conduct the
check at the start of each day’s driving.
Most importantly, all hitch nuts and bolts
should be tight.
NOTICE
To prevent vehicle damage:
[ Due to higher load during trailer
usage, overheating might occur on
hot days or during uphill driving.
[ When towing check reduction gear
fluid more frequently.
