Hill and Mountain Roads

Driving on steep hills or through mountains is different than driving on flat or rolling terrain. Tips for driving in these conditions include:

- Keep the vehicle serviced and in good shape.

- Check all fluid levels and brakes, tires, cooling system, and transmission.

- Shift to a lower gear when going down steep or long hills.

WARNING
If you do not shift down, the brakes could get so hot that they would not work well. You would then have poor braking or even none going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let the engine assist the brakes on a steep downhill slope.

WARNING
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with the ignition off is dangerous. The brakes will have to do all the work of slowing down and they could get so hot that they would not work well.
You would then have poor braking or even none going down a hill.
You could crash. Always have the engine running and the vehicle in gear when going downhill.

- Stay in your own lane. Do not swing wide or cut across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let you stay in your own lane.

- Be alert on top of hills; something could be in your lane (stalled car, accident).

- Pay attention to special road signs (falling rocks area, winding roads, long grades, passing or no-passing zones) and take appropriate action.

    See also:

    When the System Does Not Seem to Work Properly
    The following messages may be displayed on the DIC: SERVICE PARKING ASSIST: If this message occurs, take the vehicle to your dealer to repair the system. PARK ASSIST OFF: If the UFRPA system ...

    READY TO LEARN ELECTRONIC KEY # X
    If the vehicle has the keyless access system, this message displays while matching new transmitters to the vehicle. See the keyless access information for Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) System ...

    AVG (Average) Economy
    Displays the approximate average liters per 100 kilometers (L/100 km) or miles per gallon (mpg). The calculation is based on the number of L/100 km (mpg) recorded since the last time this di ...