1997 Chevrolet Lumina Owner's Manual - Page 180

If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you're planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. 0 Keep your vehicle ingood shape. Check all fluid levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and transaxle.These parts can work hard on mountain roads. Know how to go down hills. The most important thing toknow is this: let your engine do some of the slowing down.Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill. 0 0 Coasting downhillin NEUTRAL (N)or with the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to do all the work of slowing down. They could get so hot that they wouldn't work well. You would then have poor brakingor even none going down hl. a il You could crash. Always haveyour engine running and your vehicle in gearwhen you go downhill. 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 hill better. Stay in your own lane when driving two-lane on roads in hills or mountains. Don't swing wide or cut across the center the road. Drive at speeds that let of you stay in your own lane. As you go over the top a hill, be alert. There could be of something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident. h you don't shift down, your brakescould get so hot thatthey wouldn't workwell. You would then have poor braking or even none going down ahill. You could crash. Shift down let to your engineassist your brakeson a steep downhill slope. 0 0 0 You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area winding or roads. Be alert to these and appropriate action. take 4-24