2010 Dodge Nitro Owner Manual - Page 315

314 STARTING AND OPERATING Traction Downhill • Completely inspect the underbody of your vehicle. Shift the transmission into a low gear and the transfer Check tires, body structure, steering, suspension, and case to 4L or 4LO range. Let the vehicle go slowly down exhaust system for damage. the hill with all four wheels turning against engine • Inspect the radiator for mud and debris and clean as compression drag. This will permit you to control the required. vehicle speed and direction. • Check threaded fasteners for looseness, particularly on When descending mountains or hills, repeated braking the chassis, drivetrain components, steering, and suscan cause brake fade with loss of braking control. Avoid pension. Retighten them, if required, and torque to the repeated heavy braking by downshifting the transmisvalues specified in the Service Manual. sion whenever possible. • Check for accumulations of plants or brush. These After Driving Off-Road things could be a fire hazard. They might hide damage Off-road operation puts more stress on your vehicle than to fuel lines, brake hoses, axle pinion seals, and does most on-road driving. After going off-road, it is propeller shafts. always a good idea to check for damage. That way you can get any problems taken care of right away and have • After extended operation in mud, sand, water, or similar dirty conditions, have the radiator, fan, brake your vehicle ready when you need it. rotors, wheels, brake linings, and axle yokes inspected and cleaned as soon as possible.