1998 Buick Skylark Owner's Manual - Page 171

I you drive regularly in steep country, if you're f or planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. Keep your vehiclein good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system on and transaxle. These parts can work hard mountain roads. Know how to go down hills. most important The thing to know this: let your engine do some th.e is of slowing down. Shift to lower gear when you go a or down a steep long hill. Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to do al the work of slowing down. They could get l so hot that they wouldn't work well. You would then have poorbraking or even none going down a You could crash. Always have your engine qnning and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill. hill. Know how to go uphill. Drive in the highest gear possible. If you don't shift down, your brakescould get so hot thatthey wouldn't work well. You would then have poor braking or even none going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your engineassist your brakeson a steep downhill slope. Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or mountains. Don't swing widecut or across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let you stayin your own lane. As you go over the top a hill, be alert. There of could be something in your lane, like a stalledor car an accident. You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding to roads. Be alert these and take appropriate action.