2006 Pontiac Montana SV6 Owner's Manual - Page 119

Warm-Up Shift Your vehicle has a computer controlled transaxle designed to warm up the engine faster when the outside temperature is 35°F (2°C) or colder. You may notice that the transaxle will shift at a higher vehicle speed until the engine is warmed up. This is a normal condition designed to provide heat to the passenger compartment and defrost the windows more quickly. See Climate Control System on page 3-25 for more information. THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal driving, 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): SECOND (2): This position gives you more power but lower fuel economy than THIRD (3). You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can help control the vehicles speed while going down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use the brakes off and on. Notice: Driving in SECOND (2) for more than 25 miles (40 km) or at speeds over 55 mph (90 km/h) may damage the transaxle. Also, shifting into SECOND (2) at speeds above 65 mph (105 km/h) can cause damage. Drive in THIRD (3) or AUTOMATIC OVERDRIVE (D) instead of SECOND (2). Notice: If your vehicle seems to start up rather slowly, or if it seems not to shift gears as you go faster, something may be 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. • When driving on hilly, winding roads • When towing a trailer, so there is less shifting between gears • When going down a steep hill 2-35