2001 Chevrolet Tracker Owner's Manual - Page 183

If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're planning to visit there, here some tips that can are make your trips safer and more enjoyable. (See "Off-Road Driving" in the Index information for about driving off-road.) Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and transmission. These parts can work hard on mountain roads. 0 Know how to go down hills. The most important of thing to know is this:let your engine do some the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill. Coasting downhillin NEUTRAL (N) or with the ignitionoff is dangerous. Your brakes will have to do all the workslowing down. They of could get so hot that they wouldn't work well. You would then havepoor braking or even none going down a hill. You could crash.Always have your enginerunning and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill. L Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission, and you can climb the better. hl il If you don't shift down, your brakes could get so hot thatthey wouldn't workwell. You would then have poor braking oreven none going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your engine assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope. Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or mountains. Don't swing wide or cut across the centerof the road. Drive at speeds that let you stay in your own lane. 0 As you go over the top ofa hill,be alert. There could be something in your lane, like stalled car an accident. a or You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of special problems. Examplesare long grades, passing or no-passing zones,a falling rocks area or winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action. 4-38