GMC 2008 Canyon - Manual (Page 220)

There are also 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 your vehicle
has a manual transmission, 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 you to roll
over if you turn around. If you cannot make it up the
hill, you must back straight down the hill.
If, after stalling, you try to back down the hill and decide
you just cannot do it, set the parking brake, put the
automatic transmission in PARK (P), or the manual
transmission in FIRST (1), 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?
If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a low
gear. This way, engine drag can help the brakes and they
will not have to do all the work. Descend slowly, keeping
your vehicle under control at all times.
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