2010 GMC Sierra 1500 Crew Cab Owner's Manual - Page 397

Driving Downhill When off-roading takes you downhill, consider: . Things not to do when driving down a hill: . 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? 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? . 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. 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. 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. { WARNING: 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. 5-21