Hill and Mountain Roads; If you don’t shift down, your brakes could get ; so hot that they wouldn’t work well. You would- Page 285

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Hill and Mountain Roads

Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from
driving in flat or rolling terrain.

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.

D

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.

D

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 long hill.

CAUTION:

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 brakes on a steep
downhill slope.