Owner's Manual

9-14 Driving and Operating
Things not to do if the vehicle stalls,
or is about to stall, when going up
a hill:
.
Never attempt to prevent a stall
by shifting into N (Neutral) to
rev-up the engine and regain
forward momentum. This will not
work. The vehicle can roll
backward very quickly and could
go out of control.
.
Never try to turn around if about
to stall when going up a hill.
If the hill is steep enough to stall
the vehicle, it is steep enough to
cause it to roll over. If you
cannot make it up the hill, back
straight down the hill.
If, after stalling, you try to back
down the hill and decide you just
cannot do it, set the parking brake,
put your transmission in P (Park),
and 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.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you
downhill, consider:
.
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?
If you decide you can go down a hill
safely, try to keep the vehicle
headed straight down. Use a low
gear so engine drag can help the
brakes so they do not have to do
all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping the vehicle under control at
all times.
{
WARNING
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.
Things not to do when driving down
a hill:
.
When driving downhill, avoid
turns that take you across the
incline of the hill. A hill that is not
too steep to drive down might be
too steep to drive across. The
vehicle could roll over.
.
Never go downhill with the
transmission in N (Neutral),
called free-wheeling. The brakes
will have to do all the work and
could overheat and fade.