2003 GMC Sonoma Owner's Manual - Page 221

Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and I can't make it up the hill? Here are some things you must not do if you stall, or are about to stall, when going up a hill. Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into NEUTRAL (N) (or pressing the clutch, if you have a manual transmission) to "rev-up" the engine and regain forward momentum. This won't work. Your vehicle will roll backwards very quickly and you could go out of control. Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly back straight down. Never attempt to turn around if you are about to stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep enough to stall your vehicle, it's steep enough to cause you to roll over if you turn around. If you can't make it up the hill, you must back straight down the hill. A: If this happens, there are some things you should do, and there are some things you must not do. First, here's what you should do: Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking brake. If your engine is still running, shift the transmission to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in REVERSE (R). If your engine has stopped running, you'll need to restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to PARK (P) (or shift to neutral if your vehicle has a manual transmission) and restart the engine. Then, shift to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill as straight as possible in REVERSE (R). As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand on the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position. This way, you'll be able to tell if your wheels are straight and maneuver as you down. back It's best that you down back the hill with your wheels straight rather than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel too far to the left or right will increase the possibility of a rollover. 4-20 0: Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the hill and decide I just can't do it. What should I do? A: Set the parking brake, put yourtransmission in PARK (or (P) the manual transmission in FIRST (1)) and turn off the engine. the Leave vehicle and get help. go some Exit on the uphill side and stay clear of the path the vehicle would take if it rolled downhill.