1997 Pontiac Trans Sport Owner's Manual - Page 272

If you drive regularly in steep country, ifor you're planning to visit there, here are some tips that make can your trips safer and more enjoyable. Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and transaxle. These parts work hard on can mountain roads. Know how to go down hills. The most important thing toknow is this: let your enginedo some of the slowing down. Shiftto a lowergear when you go down a steep or long hill. Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to do allthe workof slowing down. They couId get so hot that they wouldn't workwell. You would then have poor braking or even none going down a hill. You could crash.Always have your engine running and your vehicle in gearwhen you go downhill. 0 .l CAUTION: i\ If'you don't shift down, your brakes could get so hot that they wouldn't work well. You would then have poor braking even none going or down a hill. You could crash. Shiftdown to let your engine assist your brakes a steep on downhill slope. Know how togo uphill. You may want toshift down to a lower gear.The lower gems help cool your engine 0 0 0 and transaxle, andyou can climb the hill better. Stay in your own when drivingon two-lane lane roads in hillsor mountains. Don't swing wide or cut across the center the road. Drive at speeds that let of you stayin your own lane. As you go over the top a hill, be alert. There could be of a something in your lane, like stalled car or an accident. You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of long special problems. Examples are grades3passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks areawinding or roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action. ~ 4-25