2003 Pontiac Grand Am Owner's Manual - Page 204

Hill and Mountain Roads Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or lom 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 assist your brakeson a steep downhill slope. Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from drivina in flat or rollinqterrain. 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. Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and transaxle. These parts can work hard on mountain roads. w i Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N)or with the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to do all the work ai siowing down. I ney cwdd 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. Always have your engine running and your vehicle in I . 4-25