Dodge 2007 Dakota - Manual (Page 198)

Downshifting
Moving from a high gear down to a lower gear is
recommended to preserve brakes when driving down
steep hills. In addition, downshifting at the right time
provides better acceleration when you desire to resume
speed. For acceleration at speeds less than 20 mph (30
km/h), 2nd gear is recommended.
CAUTION!
When descending a hill, be very careful to downshift
one gear at a time to prevent overspeeding the
engine which can cause valve damage.
To prevent clutch and transmission damage, your vehicle
should be downshifted at speeds no greater than those
listed in the Maximum Recommended Downshifting
Speed chart.
Maximum Recommended Downshifting Speeds
Gear
Selec-
tion
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Maxi-
mum
Speed 20 mph
(32
km/h)
35 mph
(56
km/h)
55 mph
(88
km/h)
75 mph
(120
km/h)
85 mph
(135
km/h)
CAUTION!
Failure to follow the recommended downshifting
speeds may cause the engine to over speed and / or
damage the clutch disc even if the clutch pedal is
depressed.
198 STARTING AND OPERATING