2009 GMC Canyon Owner's Manual - Page 211

Driving Downhill When off-roading takes you downhill, consider: Things not to do when driving down a hill: • When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you across the incline of the hill. A hill that is not too steep to drive down might be too steep to drive across. The vehicle could roll over. • How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain vehicle control? • What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel? • Never go downhill with the transmission in N (Neutral), called free-wheeling. The brakes will have to do all the work and could overheat and fade. Vehicles are much more likely to stall when going uphill, but if it happens when going downhill: 1. Stop the vehicle by applying the regular brakes and apply the parking brake. 2. Shift to P (Park) and, while still braking, restart the engine. 3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight down. 4. If the engine will not start, get out and get help. • Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs? Boulders? • What is at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden creek bank or even a river bottom with large rocks? If you decide you can go down a hill safely, try to keep the vehicle headed straight down. Use a low gear so engine drag can help the brakes so they do not have to do all the work. Descend slowly, keeping the vehicle under control at all times. { CAUTION: Heavy braking when going down a hill can cause your brakes to overheat and fade. This could cause loss of control and a serious accident. Apply the brakes lightly when descending a hill and use a low gear to keep vehicle speed under control. 4-21