1996 Pontiac Firebird Owner's Manual - Page 185

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. e Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the brakes, tires,cooling system and I Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes wl have to il do all the work of slowing down. They could get so hot that they wouldn't work well.You would then have poor braking or even none going down hl. a il You could crash. Always haveyour enginerunning and your vehicle gear when yougo downhill. in Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool engine your and transmission, andyou can climb the hl better. il transmission. These parts can work hard on mountain roads. Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this: let yourengine do some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long 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 hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your engine assistyour brakes on a steep downhill slope. 0 In hilly terrain, you may want to switch to the PERFORMANCE mode for better performance. Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads'in hills or mountains. Don't swing wide orcut across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let you stay in your own lane. As you go over the top of a hill, be al'ert.There could be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident. 4-24