2010 Dodge Nitro Owner Manual - Page 314

STARTING AND OPERATING 313 lower gear than necessary to maintain headway. Over- speed. If the brakes are required to control vehicle speed, revving the engine can spin the wheels and traction will apply them lightly and avoid locking or skidding the tires. be lost. Avoid abrupt downshifts on icy or slippery roads, because engine braking may cause skidding and loss of control. Hill Climbing NOTE: Before attempting to climb a hill, determine the conditions at the crest and/or on the other side. WARNING! If the engine stalls or you lose headway or cannot make it to the top of a steep hill or grade, never attempt to turn around. To do so may result in tipping and rolling the vehicle. Always back straight down a hill in REVERSE gear carefully. Never back down a hill in NEUTRAL using only the brake. 5 Before climbing a steep hill, shift the transmission to a Remember, never drive diagonally across a hill; always lower gear and shift the transfer case to 4L or 4LO. Use drive straight up or down. first gear and 4L or 4LO for very steep hills. If the wheels start to slip as you approach the crest of a If you stall or begin to lose headway while climbing a hill, ease off the accelerator and maintain headway by steep hill, allow your vehicle to come to a stop and turning the front wheels slowly left and right. This may immediately apply the brakes. Restart the engine and shift provide a fresh "bite" into the surface and will usually to REVERSE. Back slowly down the hill allowing the provide traction to complete the climb. compression braking of the engine to help regulate your