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Difficulty: MediumMountain Driving, Steep Grades, and Altitude Hazards

When descending a long, steep mountain grade, a driver should shift into a lower gear before starting down the hill to utilize engine braking rather than relying continuously on the foot brake.

Answer: Answer

Answer

True. Drivers must select a lower gear before descending steep grades to allow engine compression to assist in speed control and prevent thermal failure of the foot brakes.
Shifting to a lower gear before starting down a steep grade engages engine compression to regulate vehicle speed naturally. This technique significantly reduces friction and heat buildup in the braking system, protecting against catastrophic brake failure.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary hazard when driving down long, steep mountain grades.
Continuous friction from holding down the foot brake generates extreme heat.
High brake temperatures cause brake fade, severely reducing stopping power or causing complete brake failure.
2
Determine the correct preventative driving procedure.
Shift into a lower gear (or low mode in automatics) prior to starting down the slope.
Lower gears force the engine to turn faster relative to wheel speed, using engine compression to slow the vehicle naturally without overheating the brake components.

Key Concept

Engine braking and lower gear selection on steep mountain downgrades
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Mountain Driving, Steep Grades, and Altitude Hazards

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