2004 Buick Rainier Owner's Manual - Page 87

{CAUTION: Shifting into a drive gear while your engine is running at high speed is dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on the brake pedal, your vehicle could move very rapidly. You could lose control and hit people or objects. Do not shift into a drive gear while your engine is running at high speed. Notice: Shifting out of PARK (P) or NEUTRAL (N) with the engine running at high speed may damage the transmission. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Be sure the engine is not running at high speed when shifting your vehicle. DRIVE (D): This position is for normal driving. If you need more power for passing, and you're: DRIVE (D) can be used when towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, driving on steep hills or for off-road driving. You may want to shift the transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear selection if the transmission shifts too often. THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal driving. However, it offers more power and lower fuel economy than DRIVE (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 your speed as you go down steep mountain roads, but then you would also want to use the brakes off and on. You can also use SECOND (2) for starting the vehicle from a stop on slippery road surfaces. 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 gear shift lever is put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving forward, the transmission won't shift into first gear until the vehicle is going slowly enough. Notice: Spinning the tires or holding the vehicle in one place on a hill using only the accelerator pedal may damage the transmission. If you are stuck, do not spin the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the brakes to hold the vehicle in place. • Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push the accelerator pedal about halfway down. • Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push the accelerator all the way down. You'll shift down to the next gear and have more power. 2-25