Hill and mountain roads, Caution – Oldsmobile 1999 Bravada User Manual

Page 187

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4-35

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. (See “Off

-

Road

Driving” in the Index for information about driving
off

-

road.)

D Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all fluid

levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system and
transmission. 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.

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