Driving on Downhill Grades

Reduce speed and shift to a lower gear before starting down a long or steep downgrade. If you do not downshift, you may have to use your brakes so much that they overheat and no longer work effectively.

On a long upgrade, downshift and reduce speed to approximately 70 km/h 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, you should drive in D (Drive) when towing a trailer.

Drive in D (Drive) when towing a trailer to minimize heat buildup and extend the service life of your transmission.

CAUTION

• When towing a trailer up a steep grade (over 6%), pay close attention to the engine coolant temperature gauge to make sure the engine is not overheating. If the engine coolant temperature warning light illuminates red or the coolant temperature gauge moves toward "130", stop as soon as it is safe to do so and let the engine idle until it cools down. You may continue once the engine has cooled sufficiently.
• Determine your driving speed based on the trailer weight and the grade of the hill to reduce the possibility of engine and transmission overheating.
• On vehicles with a dual clutch transmission, when towing a trailer on steep hills, the transmission clutch may overheat.
  If the clutch overheats, the safety protection mode activates. If the protection mode is activated, the gear position indicator on the instrument panel flashes with a chime sound.
  At this time, a warning message will appear on the LCD display and driving may not be smooth. If you ignore this warning, driving conditions may deteriorate. To return to normal driving mode, stop the vehicle on a level road surface and apply the parking brake for a few minutes before driving off.