Here are some things you must not do if you stall,
or are about to stall, when going up a hill.
• Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into
NEUTRAL (N), or pressing the clutch if you
have a manual transaxle, to rev-up the engine
and regain forward momentum. This will not work.
Your vehicle will roll backwards very quickly
and you could go out of control.
Instead, apply the regular brake to stop the
vehicle. Then apply the parking brake. Shift
to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake,
and slowly back straight down.
• Never attempt to turn around if you are about
to stall when going up a hill. If the hill is steep
enough to stall your vehicle, it is steep enough
to cause it to roll over if you turn around.
If you cannot make it up the hill you must back
straight down the hill.
Q: Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down
the hill and decide I just cannot do it.
What should I do?
A: Set the parking brake, put your transaxle in
PARK (P), or FIRST (1) if your vehicle has a
manual transaxle, and turn off the engine.
Leave the vehicle and go get some help.
Exit on the uphill side and stay clear of the
path the vehicle would take if it rolled downhill.
Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you downhill, you will want
to consider a number of things:
• How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to
maintain vehicle control?
• What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough?
Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
• Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts?
Logs? Boulders?
• What is at the bottom of the hill? Is there a hidden
creek bank or even a river bottom with large rocks?
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