2006 Chevrolet Avalanche Owner's Manual - Page 298

Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and I cannot make it up the hill? Here are some things you must not do if you stall, or are about to stall, when going up a hill. A: If this happens, there are some things you should do, and there are some things you must not do. First, here is what you should do: • Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into NEUTRAL (N) to rev-up the engine and regain forward momentum. This will not work. Your vehicle will roll backwards very quickly and you could go out of control. Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the vehicle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly back straight down. • Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking brake. • If the engine is still running, shift the transmission to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in REVERSE (R). • Never attempt to turn around if you are about to stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep enough to stall your vehicle, it is steep enough to cause you to roll over if you turn around. If you cannot make it up the hill, you must back straight down the hill. • If the engine has stopped running, you will need to restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to PARK (P) and restart the engine. Then, shift to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill as straight as possible in REVERSE (R). • As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand on the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position. This way, you will be able to tell if the wheels are straight and maneuver as you back down. It is best that you back down the hill with the wheels straight rather than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel too far to the left or right will increase the possibility of a rollover. 4-24