2003 Pontiac Montana Owner's Manual - Page 143

THIRD ( ) This position is also used for normal driving, 3: but it offers more power and lower fuel economy than AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D). Here are some times you might choose THIRD (3) instead of AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D): 0 When driving on hilly, winding roads. When towing a trailer (so there is less shifting between gears). When going down a steep hill Notices If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly, or if it seems not to shift gears as you go faster, something maybe wrong with a transaxle system sensor. If you drive very far that way, your vehicle can be damaged. So, if this happens, have your vehicle serviced right away. Until then, you can use SECOND (2) when you are driving less than 35 mph (55 km/h) and THIRD (3)for higher speeds. SECOND (2): This position gives you more power, but lower fuel economy. You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use your brakes off and on. Notice: Don't drive in SECOND (2) for more than 25 miles (40 km), or at speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h), or you can damage your transaxle.Use THIRD (3)or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) as much as possible. Don't shift into SECOND (2) unless you are going slower than65 mph (105 km/h) or you can damage your engine. FIRST (1): This position gives you even more power (but lower fuel economy) than SECOND (2). You can use it on very steep hills, or in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in FIRST ( l ) , the transaxle won't downshift into first gear until the vehicle is going slow enough. Notice: If your front wheels won't turn, don't try to drive. This might happen if you were stuck in very deep sand or mud or were up against a solid object. You could damage your transaxle. Also, if you stop when going uphill, don't hold your vehicle there with only the accelerator pedal. This could overheat and damage the transaxle. Use your brakes to hold your vehicle in position on hill. a 2-36