2004 GMC Sonoma Owner's Manual - Page 82

DRIVE (D) should not be used when towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, driving on steep hills, or for off-road driving. Select THIRD (3) when operating the vehicle under any of these conditions. THIRD (3): This position is also used for normal driving, however, it offers more power and lower fuel economy than DRIVE (D). You should use THIRD (3) when towing a trailer, carrying a heavy load, driving on steep hills or winding roads or for off-road driving. 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 your brakes off and on. You can also use SECOND (2) for starting your 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 shift lever is put in FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving forward, the transmission won't shift into FIRST (1) 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. 2-22 Four-Wheel Drive Your vehicle has four-wheel drive. You can send your engine's driving power to all four wheels for extra traction. To get the most satisfaction out of four-wheel drive, you must be familiar with its operation. Read the part that follows before using four-wheel drive. See Off-Road Recovery on page 4-11. You should use two-wheel high (2HI) for most normal driving conditions. Notice: Driving on pavement in four-wheel drive for an extended period of time may cause premature wear on your vehicle's powertrain. Do not drive in four-wheel drive on pavement for extended periods of time.