1997 Cadillac DeVille Owner's Manual - Page 226

If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're planning to visitthere, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. Keep your vehicle in good shape.Check all fluid levels and also the brakes, tires, coolingsystem and transaxle. These parts can work hard on mountain roads. Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when yougo down a steep or long hill. Coasting downhill in Ir UTRAL (N) or with the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to do all the work of slowing down. They could getso hot that they wouldn't work well. You would then have poor braking or even none going down hill. a You could crash. Always have your engine running and your vehicle in gearwhen you go downhill. e Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine and transaxle, and you can climb the better. hill If you don't shift down, your brakes could get so hot that they wouldn't work well. You would then have poor braking or even none going down a hl. il You could crash. Shiftdown to let your engine assist vour brakeson a steep downhill slope. e Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hillsor mountains. Don't swing wide or cut across the center the road.Drive at speeds that let of you stay in your own lane. 0 As you go over the top a hill, be alert. There could be of something in your lane, likea stalled car oran accident. e You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of special problems. Examplesare long grades, passingor no-passing zones, a falling rocks area or winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action.