DRIVING AND OPERATING 183. Check all fluid levels and brakes,tires, cooling system, andtransmission.. Shift to a lower gear when goingdown steep or long hills.{ WarningUsing the brakes to slow the vehicleon a long downhill slope can causebrake overheating, can reduce brakeperformance, and could result in aloss of braking. Shift thetransmission to a lower gear to letthe engine assist the brakes on asteep downhill slope.{ WarningCoasting downhill in N (Neutral) orwith the ignition off is dangerous.This can cause overheating of thebrakes and loss of steering assist.Always have the engine runningand the vehicle in gear.. Drive at speeds that keep thevehicle in its own lane. Do notswing wide or cross thecenter line.. Be alert on top of hills; somethingcould be in your lane (e.g., stalledcar, accident).. Pay attention to special road signs(e.g., falling rocks area, windingroads, long grades, passing orno-passing zones) and takeappropriate action.Winter DrivingDriving on Snow or IceSnow or ice between the tires and theroad creates less traction or grip, sodrive carefully. Wet ice can occur atabout 0 °C (32 °F) when freezing rainbegins to fall. Avoid driving on wet iceor in freezing rain until roads can betreated.For slippery road driving:. Accelerate gently. Accelerating tooquickly causes the wheels to spinand makes the surface under thetires slick.. Turn on Traction Control. SeeTraction Control/Electronic StabilityControl 0 203.. Antilock Brake System (ABS)improves vehicle stability duringhard stops, but the brakes shouldbe applied sooner than when ondry pavement. See Antilock BrakeSystem (ABS) 0 201.See Driver Mode Control 0 205.. Allow greater following distanceand watch for slippery spots. Icypatches can occur on otherwiseclear roads in shaded areas. Thesurface of a curve or an overpasscan remain icy when thesurrounding roads are clear. Avoidsudden steering maneuvers andbraking while on ice.. Turn off cruise control.Blizzard ConditionsStop the vehicle in a safe place andsignal for help. Stay with the vehicleunless there is help nearby. If possible,use Roadside Service. See RoadsideService 0 356. To get help and keepeveryone in the vehicle safe:
