2003 Pontiac Grand Am Owner's Manual - Page 221

2003 Pontiac Grand Am Manual

Page 221 highlights

Driving On Grades Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before you start down a long or steep downgrade. If you don't shift down, you might have to use your brakes so much that they would get hot and no longer work well. On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your speed to around 45 mph (70 km/h) to reduce the possibility of engine and transaxle overheating. But if you ever have to park your rig on a hill, here's how to do it: 1. Apply your regular brakes, but don't shift into PARK (P) for an automatic transaxle or into gear for a manual transaxle, yet. When parking uphill, turn your wheels away from the curb. When parking downhill, turn your wheels into the curb. 2. Have someone place chocks under the trailer wheels. 3. When the chocks are in place, release the regular brakes until the chocks absorb the load. Parking on Hills You really should not park your vehicle, with a trailer attached, on a hill. If something goes wrong, your rig could start to move. People can be injured, and both your vehicle and the trailer can be damaged. 4. Reapply the regular brakes. Then apply your parking brake and shift into PARK (P) for an automatic transaxle or REVERSE (R) for a manual transaxle. 5. Release the regular brakes. 4-42

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Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear
before
you start
down a long or steep downgrade.
If
you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes
so
much that
they would get hot and no longer work
well.
On a long uphill grade, shift down and reduce your
speed
to
around 45 mph
(70
km/h) to reduce the
possibility
of
engine and transaxle overheating.
Parking on Hills
You really should not park your vehicle, with a
trailer attached, on a hill.
If
something goes
wrong, your rig
could start to move. People
can be injured, and both your vehicle and the
trailer can be damaged.
But
if
you ever have to park your rig on a
hill,
here’s
how
to
do it:
1.
Apply your regular brakes, but don’t
shift into
PARK
(P)
for
an
automatic transaxle or
into
gear
for
a manual transaxle,
yet.
When
parking
uphill, turn
your wheels away from
the
curb.
When
parking
downhill, turn your
wheels into the
curb.
wheels.
brakes until the chocks absorb the
load.
2. Have someone place chocks under
the
trailer
3.
When the chocks are in place, release
the
regular
4. Reapply the
regular
brakes. Then apply
your
parking brake and shift into PARK
(P)
for
an
automatic transaxle or
REVERSE
(R)
for
a
manual
transaxle.
5. Release the regular brakes.
4-42