1998 Chevrolet Lumina Owner's Manual - Page 185

If you drive regularly in steep country, or you're if planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. 0 -- Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check allfluid levels andalso 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 to know is this: let your enginedo some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go down asteep or long hill. 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 thatthey wouldn't work well. or You would then have poor braking even none going down a hill. You could crash.Always have your enginerunning and your vehicle in gear when you godownhill. I If you don't shift down, your brakescould get so hot thatthey wouldn't work well. You would then have poor brakingor even none going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your engine assist your brakes on steep downhillslope. a 0 0 0 0 Knowhowto go uphill. Youmaywant to shift down to a lowerg e i The lower gearshelp cool your engine and transaxle, and you can climb the better. hill Stay in your ownlane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or mountains. Don't swing wide or cut across the center of the road. Drive speeds that let at you stay in your own lane. As you go over the top a hill, be alert. There could of something in your lane, a stalled or an accident. like car 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 or winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action. 4-23