Driving on Downhill Grades

Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before starting down a long or steep grade. If you do not shift to a lower gear, you may have to brake so hard that the brakes overheat and stop working effectively.

On a long uphill grade, shift to a lower gear and reduce speed to approximately 70 km/h mph to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.

If your trailer weighs more than the maximum trailer weight without trailer brakes and you have an automatic transmission / dual clutch transmission, you should drive in D (Drive) when towing a trailer.

Driving in D (Drive) when towing a trailer minimizes heat build-up and extends the service life of your transmission.

CAUTION

• When towing a trailer on steep grades (over 6%), pay close attention to the engine coolant temperature gauge to make sure the engine does not overheat. If the engine coolant temperature gauge pointer moves toward the "130/H (HOT)" position, stop as soon as it is safe and let the engine idle until it cools. You may continue after the engine has cooled sufficiently.
• You must determine your driving speed based on trailer weight and the uphill grade to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.

CAUTION - For dual clutch transmission

When towing a trailer on steep grades, the clutch in the transmission may overheat.

If the clutch overheats, the safe mode protection activates. When the safe mode protection activates, the gear position indicator on the instrument panel flashes and a chime sounds.

A warning message will appear on the LCD display at this time. Driving may not be smooth. If you ignore this warning, driving conditions may worsen.

To return to normal driving mode, stop the vehicle on level ground and press the brake pedal for several minutes before starting to drive.