5-13
Dri
ving y
o
ur v
ehicle
5
To prevent damage to the engine,
clutch and transmission:
• When downshifting from 5
th
gear to 4
th
gear, be careful not to
inadvertently push the shift
lever sideways engaging the 2
nd
gear. A drastic downshift may
cause the engine speed to
increase to the point the
tachometer will enter the red-
zone and may cause engine
damage.
• Do not downshift more than two
gear at a time or downshift the
gear when the engine is running
at high speed (5,000 RPM or
higher).
Such down shifting may damage
the engine, clutch and the trans-
mission.
Good Driving Practices
• Never take the vehicle out of gear
and coast down a hill. This is
extremely dangerous.
• Don't "ride" the brakes. This can
cause the brakes and related parts
to overheat and malfunction.
When you are driving down a long
hill, slow down and shift to a lower
gear. Engine braking will help slow
down the vehicle.
• Slow down before shifting to a
lower gear. This will help avoid
over-revving the engine, which can
cause damage.
• Slow down when you encounter
cross winds. This gives you much
better control of your vehicle.
• Be sure the vehicle is completely
stopped before you shift into R
(Reverse) to prevent damage to
the transmission.
• Exercise extreme caution when
driving on a slippery surface. Be
especially careful when braking,
accelerating or shifting gears. On a
slippery surface, an abrupt change
in vehicle speed can cause the
drive wheels to lose traction and
may cause loss of vehicle control
resulting in an accident.
NOTICE
Do not use aggressive engine
braking (shifting from a higher
gear to a lower gear) on slip-
pery roads. This could cause
the tires to slip and may result
in an accident.
WARNING
