2004 Hummer H2 Owners Manual

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The tape is tight and the player cannot turn the tape hubs. Remove the tape. Hold the tape with the open end down and try to turn the right hub counterclockwise with a pencil. Turn the tape over and repeat. If the hubs do not turn easily, your tape may be damaged and should not be used in the player. Try a new tape to make sure your player is working properly. The tape is broken. Try a new tape. The tape is wrapped around the tape head. Attempt to get the cassette out. Try a new tape. CLEAN: If this message appears on the display, the cassette tape player needs to be cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as soon as possible to prevent damage to the tapes and player. See Care of Your Cassette Tape Player on page 3-90. If the cassette tape is not playing correctly, for any other reason, try a known good CD. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your dealer. If your radio displays an error message, write it down and provide it to your dealer when reporting the problem. CD Adapter Kits It is possible to use a portable CD player with your cassette tape player after activating the bypass feature on your tape player. To activate the bypass feature, perform the following steps: 1. Turn the ignition on. 2. Turn the radio off. 3. Press and hold the TAPE DISC button for ﬁve seconds. READY will appear on the display and the tape symbol on the display will ﬂash, indicating the feature is active. 4. Insert the adapter into the cassette tape slot. It will power up the radio and begin playing. The override feature will remain active until the eject button is pressed. 3-71 (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) 1 PREV (Previous): Press this pushbutton to go to the beginning of the current track if it has been playing for more than eight seconds. TRACK and the track number will appear on the display. If you hold this pushbutton or press it more than once, the player will continue moving backward through the CD. 2 NEXT: Press this pushbutton to go to the next track. TRACK and the track number will appear on the display. If you hold this pushbutton or press it more than once, the player will continue moving forward through the CD. 3 REV (Reverse): Press and hold this pushbutton to reverse quickly within a track. Press and hold this pushbutton for less than two seconds to reverse at six times the normal playing speed. Press and hold it for more than two seconds to reverse at 17 times the normal playing speed. Release the pushbutton to play the passage. ET and the elapsed time of the track will appear on the display. Playing a CD Insert a CD partway into the slot, label side up. The player will pull it in and the CD should begin playing. The CD symbol will appear on the display. If you want to insert a CD with the ignition off, ﬁrst press the eject button or the DISPL knob. If you turn off the ignition or radio with the CD in the player, it will stay in the player. When you turn on the ignition or the radio, the CD will start playing, where it stopped, if it was the last selected audio source. As each new track starts to play, the track number will appear on the display. If playing a CD-R the sound quality may be reduced due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality of the music that has been recorded, and the way the CD-R has been handled. You may experience an increase in skipping, difficulty in ﬁnding tracks, and/or difficulty in loading and ejecting. If these problems occur try a known good CD. Do not add paper labels to CDs, they could get caught in the CD player. Do not play 3 inch CDs without a standard adapter CD. If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages” later in this section. 3-72 4 FWD (Forward): Press and hold this pushbutton to advance quickly within a track. Press and hold this pushbutton for less than two seconds to advance at six times the normal playing speed. Press and hold it for more than two seconds to advance at 17 times the normal playing speed. Release the pushbutton to play the passage. ET and the elapsed time of the track will appear on the display. 6 RDM (Random): Press this pushbutton to hear the tracks in random, rather than sequential, order. RDM ON will appear on the display. RDM T and the track number will appear on the display when each track starts to play. Press this pushbutton again to turn off random play. RDM OFF will appear on the display. q SEEK r: Press the left arrow to go to the start of the current or to the previous track. Press the right arrow to go to the start of the next track. If you hold either arrow or press it more than once, the player will continue moving backward or forward through the CD. q PSCAN r: Press and hold either SCAN arrow for more than two seconds until SCAN appears on the display and you hear a beep. The radio will go to the next track, play for 10 seconds, then go on to the next track. Press either SCAN arrow again, to stop scanning. DISPL (Display): Press this knob to see how long the current track has been playing. ET and the elapsed time will appear on the display. To change the default on the display (track or elapsed time), press the knob until you see the display you want, then hold the knob for two seconds. The radio will produce one beep and the selected display will now be the default. BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio when a cassette tape or CD is playing. The inactive tape or CD will remain safely inside the radio for future listening. TAPE DISC: Press this button to play a cassette tape or CD when listening to the radio. The inactive tape or CD will remain safely inside the radio for future listening. Z (Eject): Press this button to stop a CD when it is playing or to eject a CD when it is not playing. Eject may be activated with either the ignition or radio off. CDs may be loaded with the radio and ignition off if this button is pressed ﬁrst. 3-73 CD Messages If the CD comes out, it could be for one of the following reasons: It is very hot. When the temperature returns to normal, the CD should play. (cid:127) You are driving on a very rough road. When the road becomes smooth, the CD should play. The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down. The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour and try again. There may have been a problem while burning the CD. The label may be caught in the CD player. If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other reason, try a known good CD. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your dealer. If your radio displays an error message, write it down and provide it to your dealer when reporting the problem. 3-74 Radio with Six-Disc CD Playing the Radio PWR (Power): Push this knob to turn the system on and off. VOLUME: Turn this knob to increase or to decrease volume. AUTO VOL (Automatic Volume): With automatic volume, your audio system will adjust automatically to make up for road and wind noise as you drive by increasing the volume as vehicle speed increases. (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) Set the volume at the desired level. Press this button to select LOW, MEDIUM, or HIGH. AVOL will appear on the display. Each higher setting will provide more volume compensation as vehicle speed increases. To turn automatic volume off, press this button until AVOL OFF appears on the display. RCL (Recall): Press this knob to switch the display between the radio station frequency and the time. Press this knob with the ignition off to display the time. To change the default on the display, press the RCL knob until you see the display you want, then hold the knob until the display ﬂashes. The selected display will now be the default. Finding a Station BAND: Press this button to switch between FM1, FM2, or AM. The display will show your selection. TUNE: Turn this knob to select radio stations. sSEEK t: Press the right or the left arrow to go to the next or to the previous station and stay there. The radio will seek only to stations that are in the selected band and only to those with a strong signal. sSCAN t: Press and hold either SCAN arrow for two seconds until SC appears on the display and you hear a beep. The radio will go to a station, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next station. Press either SCAN arrow again to stop scanning. To scan preset stations, press and hold either SCAN arrow for more than four seconds. PRESET SCAN will appear on the display and you will hear a double beep. The radio will go to a preset station stored on your pushbuttons, play for a few seconds, then go on to the next preset station. Press either SCAN arrow again to stop scanning presets. The radio will scan only to stations that are in the selected band and only to those with a strong signal. 3-75 Setting Preset Stations The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite stations. You can set up to 18 stations (six FM1, six FM2, and six AM), by performing the following steps: 1. Turn the radio on. 2. Press BAND to select FM1, FM2, or AM. 3. Tune in the desired station. 4. Press AUTO EQ to select the equalization. 5. Press and hold one of the six numbered pushbuttons until you hear a beep. Whenever you press that numbered pushbutton, the station you set will return and the equalization that you selected will be automatically stored for that pushbutton. 6. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton. Setting the Tone (Bass/Treble) AUDIO: Push and release the AUDIO knob until BASS, MID, or TREB appears on the display. Turn the knob to increase or to decrease. The display will show the bass, midrange, or treble level. If a station is weak or noisy, you may want to decrease the treble. To adjust the bass, midrange, and treble to the middle position, push the AUDIO knob. The radio will produce one beep and adjust the display level to the middle position. To adjust all tone and speaker controls to the middle position, push and hold the AUDIO knob when no tone or speaker control is displayed. CENTERED will appear on the display and you will hear a beep. AUTO EQ (Automatic Equalization): Press this button to select customized equalization settings. The radio will save separate AUTO EQ settings for each preset and source. If you radio is equipped with the Bose audio system, your equalization settings are either CUSTOM or TALK. 3-76 Adjusting the Speakers (Balance/Fade) AUDIO: To adjust the balance between the right and the left speakers, push and release the AUDIO knob until BAL appears on the display. Turn the knob to move the sound toward the right or the left speakers. To adjust the fade between the front and the rear speakers, push and release the AUDIO knob until FADE appears on the display. Turn the knob to move the sound toward the front or the rear speakers. To adjust the balance and fade to the middle position, push and hold the AUDIO knob. The radio will produce one beep and adjust the display level to the middle position. To adjust all tone and speaker controls to the middle position, push and hold the AUDIO knob when no tone or speaker control is displayed. CENTERED will appear on the display and you will hear a beep. Radio Data System (RDS) Your audio system is equipped with a Radio Data System (RDS). RDS features are available for use only on FM stations that broadcast RDS information. With RDS, your radio can do the following: (cid:127) Seek to stations broadcasting the selected type of programming (cid:127) Receive announcements concerning local and national emergencies (cid:127) Display messages from radio stations (cid:127) Seek to stations with traffic announcements This system relies upon receiving speciﬁc information from these stations and will only work when the information is available. In rare cases, a radio station may broadcast incorrect information that will cause the radio features to work improperly. If this happens, contact the radio station. While you are tuned to an RDS station, the station name or the call letters will appear on the display instead of the frequency. RDS stations may also provide the time of day, a program type (PTY) for current programming, and the name of the program being broadcast. 3-77 Finding a Program Type (PTY) Station To select and ﬁnd a desired PTY perform the following: 1. Press the P-TYPE button to activate program type select mode. P-TYPE and the last selected PTY will appear on the display. 2. Turn the P-TYPE knob to select a PTY. 3. Once the desired PTY is displayed, press either SEEK arrow to select the PTY and take you to the PTY’s ﬁrst station. 4. If you want to go to another station within that PTY and the PTY is displayed, press either SEEK arrow once. If the PTY is not displayed, press either SEEK arrow twice to display the PTY and then to go to another station. 5. Press P-TYPE to exit program type select mode. If PTY times out and is no longer on the display, go back to Step 1. If both P-TYPE and TRAF are on, the radio will search for stations with the selected PTY and traffic announcements. To use the PTY interrupt feature, press and hold the P-TYPE button until you hear a beep on the PTY you want to interrupt with. When selected, an asterisk will appear beside that PTY on the display. You may select multiple interrupts if desired. When you are listening to a CD, the last selected RDS station will interrupt play if that selected program type format is broadcast. SCAN: You can scan the stations within a PTY by performing the following: 1. Press the P-TYPE button to activate program type select mode. P-TYPE and the last selected PTY will appear on the display. 2. Turn the P-TYPE knob to select a PTY. 3. Once the desired PTY is displayed, press and hold either SCAN arrow, and the radio will begin scanning the stations in the PTY. 4. Press either SCAN arrow to stop at a station. If both P-TYPE and TRAF are on, the radio will scan for stations with the selected PTY and traffic announcements. 3-78 BAND (Alternate Frequency): Alternate frequency allows the radio to switch to a stronger station with the same program type. To turn alternate frequency on, press and hold BAND for two seconds. AF ON will appear on the display. The radio may switch to stronger stations. To turn alternate frequency off, press and hold BAND again for two seconds. AF OFF will appear on the display. The radio will not switch to other stations. Setting Preset PTYs The six numbered pushbuttons let you return to your favorite PTYs. These buttons have factory PTY presets. You can set up to 12 PTYs (six FM1 and six FM2) by performing the following steps: 1. Press BAND to select FM1 or FM2. 2. Press the P-TYPE button to activate program type select mode. P-TYPE and the last selected PTY will appear on the display. 3. Turn the P-TYPE knob to select a PTY. 4. Press and hold one of the six numbered pushbuttons until you hear a beep. Whenever you press that numbered pushbutton, the PTY you set will return. 5. Repeat the steps for each pushbutton. RDS Messages ALERT!: Alert warns of local or national emergencies. When an alert announcement comes on the current radio station, ALERT! will appear on the display. You will hear the announcement, even if the volume is muted or a CD is playing. If a CD is playing, play will stop during the announcement. You will not be able to turn off alert announcements. ALERT! will not be affected by tests of the emergency broadcast system. This feature is not supported by all RDS stations. INFO (Information): If the current station has a message, INFO will appear on the display. Press this button to see the message. The message may display the artist, song title, call in phone numbers, etc. If the whole message is not displayed, parts of the message will appear every three seconds. To scroll through the message at your own speed, press the INFO button repeatedly. A new group of words will appear on the display with each press. Once the complete message has been displayed, INFO will disappear from the display until another new message is received. The old message can be displayed by pressing the INFO button. You can view an old message until a new message is received or a different station is tuned to. 3-79 Playing a CD The CD player can play the smaller 8 cm single CDs with an adapter ring. Full-size CDs and the smaller CDs are loaded in the same manner. If playing a CD-R the sound quality may be reduced due to CD-R quality, the method of recording, the quality of the music that has been recorded, and the way the CD-R has been handled. You may experience an increase in skipping, difficulty in ﬁnding tracks, and/or difficulty in loading and ejecting. If these problems occur try a known good CD. Do not add paper labels to CDs, they could get caught in the CD player. Do not play 3 inch CDs without a standard adapter CD. If an error appears on the display, see “CD Messages” later in this section. TRAF (Traffic): If TRAF appears on the display, the tuned station broadcasts traffic announcements. To receive the traffic announcement from the tuned station, press this button. Brackets will be displayed around TRAF and when a traffic announcement comes on the tuned radio station you will hear it. If the current tuned station does not broadcast traffic announcements, press this button and the radio will seek to a station that does. When the radio ﬁnds a station that broadcasts traffic announcements, the radio will stop and brackets will be displayed around TRAF. When a traffic announcement comes on the tuned radio station you will hear it. If no station is found, NO TRAFFIC will appear on the display. If the brackets are on the display and TRAF is not, you can then press the TRAF button to remove the brackets or use the TUNE knob or the SEEK arrows to go to a station that supports traffic announcements. If no station is found, NO TRAFFIC will appear on the display. Your radio will also interrupt the play of a CD if the last tuned station broadcasts traffic announcements and the brackets are displayed. 3-80 LOAD CD Z: Press the LOAD side of this button to load CDs into the CD player. This CD player will hold up to six CDs. To insert one CD, do the following: 1. Turn the ignition on. 2. Press and release the LOAD side of the LOAD CD button. 3. Wait for the light, located to the right of the slot, to turn green. 4. Load a CD. Insert the CD partway into the slot, label side up. The player will pull the CD in. When a CD is inserted, the CD symbol will appear on the display. If you select an equalization setting for your CD, it will be activated each time you play a CD. The CD will begin to play automatically. As each new track starts to play, the track number will appear on the display. To insert multiple CDs, do the following: 1. Turn the ignition on. 2. Press and hold the LOAD side of the LOAD CD button for two seconds. You will hear a beep and the light, located to the right of the slot, will begin to ﬂash and LOAD ALL will appear on the display. 3. Once the light stops ﬂashing and turns green, load a CD. Insert the CD partway into the slot, label side up. The player will pull the CD in. Once the CD is loaded, the light will begin ﬂashing again. Once the light stops ﬂashing and turns green you can load another CD. The CD player takes up to six CDs. Do not try to load more than six. To load more than one CD but less than six, complete Steps 1 through 3. When you have ﬁnished loading CDs, with the radio on or off, press the LOAD side of the LOAD CD button to cancel the loading function. The radio will begin to play the last CD loaded. When a CD is inserted, the CD symbol will appear on the display. If more than one CD has been loaded, a number for each CD will be displayed. If you select an equalization setting for your CD, it will be activated each time you play a CD. The last CD loaded will begin to play automatically. As each new track starts to play, the track number will appear on the display. 3-81 Playing a Speciﬁc Loaded CD For every CD loaded, a number will appear on the display. To play a speciﬁc CD, ﬁrst press the CD AUX button, then press the numbered pushbutton that corresponds to the CD you want to play. A small bar will appear under the CD number that is playing, and the track number will appear on the display. If an error appears on the radio display, see “CD Messages” later in this section. LOAD CD Z (Eject): Press the CD eject side of this button to eject a single CD or multiple CDs. To eject the CD that is currently playing, press and release this button. To eject multiple CDs, press and hold this button for two seconds. You will hear a beep and the light will ﬂash to let you know when a CD is being ejected. REMOVE CD will appear on the display. You can now remove the CD. If the CD is not removed, after 25 seconds, the CD will be automatically pulled back into the receiver. If you try to push the CD back into the receiver, before the 25 second time period is complete, the receiver will sense an error and will try to eject the CD several times before stopping. Do not repeatedly press the CD eject button to eject a CD after you have tried to push it in manually. The receivers 25-second eject timer will reset at each press of eject, which will cause the receiver to not eject the CD until the 25-second time period has elapsed. Once the player stops and the CD is ejected, remove the CD. After removing the CD, press the PWR knob off and then on again. This will clear the CD-sensing feature and enable CDs to be loaded into the player again. { REV (Reverse): Press and hold this button to reverse quickly within a track. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release the button to play the passage. The elapsed time of the track will appear on the display. FWD | (Forward): Press and hold this button to advance quickly within a track. You will hear sound at a reduced volume. Release the button to play the passage. The elapsed time of the track will appear on the display. 3-82 RPT (Repeat): With repeat, you can repeat one track or an entire CD. To use repeat, do the following: To repeat the track you are listening to, press and release the RPT button. RPT will appear on the display. Press RPT again to turn off repeat play. To repeat the CD you are listening to, press and hold the RPT button for two seconds. RPT will appear on the display. Press RPT again to turn off repeat play. RDM (Random): With random, you can listen to the tracks in random, rather than sequential, order, on one CD or on all of the CDs. To use random, do one of the following: To play the tracks on the CD you are listening to in random order, press and release the RDM button. RANDOM ONE will appear on the display. Press RDM again to turn off random play. To play the tracks on all of the CDs that are loaded in random order, press and hold RDM for more than two seconds. You will hear a beep and RANDOM ALL will appear on the display. Press RDM again to turn off random play. AUTO EQ (Automatic Equalization): Press AUTO EQ to select the equalization setting while playing a CD. The equalization will be automatically set whenever you play a CD. For more information on AUTO EQ, see “AUTO EQ” listed previously in this section. sSEEK t: Press the left arrow to go to the start of the current track, if more than ten seconds have passed. Press the right arrow to go to the next track. If you hold either arrow or press it more than once, the player will continue moving backward or forward through the CD. sSCAN t: To scan one CD, press and hold either SCAN arrow for more than two seconds until SCAN appears on the display and you hear a beep. The radio will go to the next track, play for 10 seconds, then go on to the next track. Press either SCAN arrow again, to stop scanning. To scan all loaded CDs, press and hold either SCAN arrow for more than four seconds until CD SCAN appears on the display and you hear a beep. The radio will go to the next track, play for 10 seconds, then go on to the next track. Press either SCAN arrow again, to stop scanning. 3-83 (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) RCL (Recall): Press this knob to see how long the current track has been playing. To change the default on the display (track or elapsed time), press the knob until you see the display you want, then hold the knob until the display ﬂashes. The selected display will now be the default. BAND: Press this button to listen to the radio when a CD(s) is playing. Using Song List Mode The six-disc CD changer has a feature called song list. This feature is capable of saving 20 track selections. To save tracks into the song list feature, perform the following steps: 1. Turn the CD player on and load it with at least one CD. See “LOAD CD” listed previously in this section for more information. 2. Check to see that the CD changer is not in song list mode. S-LIST should not appear on the display. If S-LIST is present, press the SONG LIST button to turn it off. 3. Select the desired CD by pressing the numbered pushbutton and then use the SEEK SCAN right arrow button to locate the track that you want to save. The track will begin to play. 4. Press and hold the SONG LIST button to save the track into memory. When SONG LIST is pressed a beep will be heard immediately. After two seconds of continuously pressing SONG LIST, two beeps will sound to conﬁrm that the track has been saved. 5. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for saving other selections. S-LIST FULL will appear on the display if you try to save more than 20 selections. To play the song list, press the SONG LIST button. One beep will be heard and S-LIST will appear on the display. The recorded tracks will begin to play in the order that they were saved. You may seek through the song list by using the SEEK SCAN arrows. Seeking past the last saved track will return you to the ﬁrst saved track. 3-84 To delete tracks from the song list, perform the following steps: 1. Turn the CD player on. 2. Press the SONG LIST button to turn song list on. S-LIST will appear on the display. To delete the entire song list, perform the following steps: 1. Turn the CD player on. 2. Press the SONG LIST button to turn song list on. S-LIST will appear on the display. 3. Press either SEEK SCAN arrow to select the desired track to be deleted. 4. Press and hold the SONG LIST button for two seconds. When SONG LIST is pressed a beep will be heard immediately. After two seconds of continuously pressing the SONG LIST button, two beeps will be heard to conﬁrm that the track has been deleted. After a track has been deleted, the remaining tracks are moved up the list. When another track is added to the song list, the track will be added to the end of the list. 3. Press and hold the SONG LIST button for more than four seconds. A beep will be heard, followed by two beeps after two seconds and a ﬁnal beep will be heard after four seconds. S-LIST EMPTY will appear on the display indicating that the song list has been deleted. If a CD is ejected, and the song list contains saved tracks from that CD, those tracks are automatically deleted from the song list. Any tracks saved to the song list again are added to the bottom of the list. To end song list mode, press the SONG LIST button. One beep will be heard and S-LIST will be removed from the display. 3-85 CD Messages Navigation/Radio System CHECK CD: If this message appears on the display, it could be for one of the following reasons: It is very hot. When the temperature returns to normal, the CD should play. (cid:127) You are driving on a very rough road. When the road becomes smooth, the CD should play. The CD is dirty, scratched, wet, or upside down. The air is very humid. If so, wait about an hour and try again. There may have been a problem while burning the CD. The label may be caught in the CD player. If the CD is not playing correctly, for any other reason, try a known good CD. If any error occurs repeatedly or if an error cannot be corrected, contact your dealer. If your radio displays an error message, write it down and provide it to your dealer when reporting the problem. 3-86 Navigation/Radio Display and Controls Your vehicle may be equipped with a navigation radio system that includes Radio Data System (RDS) with program type (PTY) selections that will seek out the kind of music you want to listen to and XM™ Satellite Radio Service capabilities (48 contiguous US states, if equipped). The radio system can also communicate with your navigation system to broadcast announcements on traffic, weather, and emergency alert communications. For information on how to use this system, see the “Navigation System” manual. (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) Rear Seat Audio Controls Rear Seat Audio (RSA) This feature allows rear seat passengers to listen to any of the audio sources: radio, cassette tapes, or CDs, depending on your vehicles options. However, the rear seat passengers can only control the music sources that the front seat passengers are not listening to. For example, rear seat passengers may listen to a cassette tape through headphones while the driver listens to the radio through the front speakers. The rear seat passengers have control of the volume for each set of headphones. The front seat audio controls always override the RSA controls. The following functions are controlled by the RSA system buttons: P (Power): Press this button to turn the rear seat audio system on or off. The rear speakers will be muted when the power is turned on unless your vehicle is equipped with the Bose® audio system. You may operate the rear seat audio functions even when the primary radio power is off. 3-87 u (Volume): Turn the knob to increase or to decrease volume. The left knob controls the left headphone and the right knob controls the right headphone. SRC (Source): Press this button to select an audio source: radio, cassette tape, or CD, depending on your vehicles options. x SEEK w: While listening to FM1, FM2, or AM, press the up or the down arrow to tune to the next or to the previous station and stay there. If the front radio is in use, you cannot seek through different stations. While listening to a cassette tape, press the up or the down arrow to hear the next or the previous selection. If the cassette tape on the front radio is in use, you cannot seek through different selections on a tape. While listening to a CD, press the up arrow to hear the next track on the CD. Press the down arrow to go back to the start of the current track if more than eight seconds have played. If the CD player on the front radio is in use, you cannot seek through different tracks. PROG (Program): The front passengers must be listening to something different for each of these functions to work: (cid:127) Press this button to go to the preset radio stations set on the pushbuttons on the main radio. (cid:127) When a cassette tape is playing, press this button to go to the other side of the tape. (cid:127) When a CD is playing in the radio, press this button to go back to the beginning of the CD. (cid:127) When a CD is playing in the CD changer, press this button to select the next CD. Theft-Deterrent Feature THEFTLOCK® is designed to discourage theft of your radio. The feature works automatically by learning a portion of the Vehicle Identiﬁcation Number (VIN). If the radio is moved to a different vehicle, it will not operate and LOCKED will appear on the display. When the radio and vehicle are turned off, the blinking red light indicates that THEFTLOCK® is armed. With THEFTLOCK® activated, your radio will not operate if stolen. 3-88 Audio Steering Wheel Controls You can control certain radio functions using the buttons on your steering wheel. g (OnStar/Voice Recognition): You can press this button to interact with the OnStar® system. See the OnStar® manual provided with your vehicle for more information. PROG (Program): Press this button to play a station you have programmed on the radio preset buttons on the selected band. If a cassette tape is playing, press this button to play the other side of the tape. If a CD is playing in the CD changer, press this button to go to the next available CD. Q SOURCE R: Press this button to select FM1, FM2, AM or a cassette tape or CD. The cassette or CD must be loaded to play. Available loaded sources are shown on the display as a tape or a CD symbol. Q SEEK R: Press the up or the down arrow to seek to the next or to the previous radio station and stay there. If a cassette tape or CD is playing, the player will advance with the up arrow and reverse with the down arrow. Q VOLR (Volume): Press the up or the down arrow to increase or to decrease volume. 3-89 Radio Reception AM The range for most AM stations is greater than for FM, especially at night. The longer range, however, can cause stations to interfere with each other. AM can pick up noise from things like storms and power lines. Try reducing the treble to reduce this noise. FM FM stereo will give you the best sound, but FM signals will reach only about 10 to 40 miles (16 to 65 km). Tall buildings or hills can interfere with FM signals, causing the sound to come and go. Care of Your Cassette Tape Player A tape player that is not cleaned regularly can cause reduced sound quality, ruined cassettes, or a damaged mechanism. Cassette tapes should be stored in their cases away from contaminants, direct sunlight, and extreme heat. If they are not, they may not operate properly or may cause failure of the tape player. Your tape player should be cleaned regularly after every 50 hours of use. Your radio may display CLEAN to indicate that you have used your tape player for 50 hours without resetting the tape clean timer. If this message appears on the display, your cassette tape player needs to be cleaned. It will still play tapes, but you should clean it as soon as possible to prevent damage to your tapes and player. If you notice a reduction in sound quality, try a known good cassette to see if the tape or the tape player is at fault. If this other cassette has no improvement in sound quality, clean the tape player. For best results, use a scrubbing action, non-abrasive cleaning cassette with pads which scrub the tape head as the hubs of the cleaner cassette turn. The recommended cleaning cassette is available through your dealer. 3-90 When cleaning the cassette tape player with the recommended non-abrasive cleaning cassette, it is possible that the cassette may eject, because the cut tape detection feature on your radio may recognize it as a broken tape, in error. To prevent the cleaning cassette from being ejected, use the following steps: 1. Turn the ignition on. 2. Turn the radio off. 3. Press and hold the TAPE DISC button for ﬁve seconds. READY will appear on the display and the cassette symbol will ﬂash for ﬁve seconds. 4. Insert the scrubbing action cleaning cassette. 5. Eject the cleaning cassette after the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning time. When the cleaning cassette has been ejected, the cut tape detection feature is active again. You may also choose a non-scrubbing action, wet-type cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean the tape head. This type of cleaning cassette will not eject on its own. A non-scrubbing action cleaner may not clean as thoroughly as the scrubbing type cleaner. The use of a non-scrubbing action, dry-type cleaning cassette is not recommended. After you clean the player, press and hold the eject button for ﬁve seconds to reset the CLEAN indicator. The radio will display --- or CLEANED to show the indicator was reset. Cassettes are subject to wear and the sound quality may degrade over time. Always make sure the cassette tape is in good condition before you have your tape player serviced. 3-91 Care of Your CDs and DVDs Handle discs carefully. Store them in their original cases or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight and dust. If the surface of a disc is soiled, dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution and clean it, wiping from the center to the edge. Be sure never to touch the side without writing when handling discs. Pick up discs by grasping the outer edges or the edge of the hole and the outer edge. Care of Your CD and DVD Player The use of CD lens cleaners for CDs is not advised, due to the risk of contaminating the lens of the CD optics with lubricants internal to the CD mechanism. Cleaning the Video Screen Pour some isopropyl or rubbing alcohol on a clean cloth and gently wipe the video screen. Do not spray directly onto the screen and do not press too hard or too long on the video screen. Fixed Mast Antenna The ﬁxed mast antenna can withstand most car washes without being damaged. If the mast should ever become slightly bent, you can straighten it out by hand. If the mast is badly bent, you should replace it. Check occasionally to be sure the mast is still tightened. Chime Level Adjustment The volume level of the vehicle’s chimes can be controlled by the radio. To change the volume level, press and hold pushbutton 6 with the ignition on and the radio power off. The chime volume level will change from the normal level to loud, and LOUD will appear on the display. To change back to the default or normal setting, press and hold pushbutton 6 again. The chime level will change from the loud level to normal, and NORMAL will appear on the display. 3-92 Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ..........4-2 Defensive Driving ...........................................4-2 Drunken Driving .............................................4-3 Control of a Vehicle ........................................4-6 Braking .........................................................4-6 Traction Control System (TCS) .........................4-9 Locking Rear Axle ........................................4-11 Steering ......................................................4-12 Off-Road Recovery .......................................4-14 Passing .......................................................4-14 Loss of Control .............................................4-16 Off-Road Driving ...........................................4-17 Driving at Night ............................................4-41 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads ..................4-43 City Driving ..................................................4-46 Freeway Driving ...........................................4-47 Before Leaving on a Long Trip .......................4-48 Highway Hypnosis ........................................4-49 Hill and Mountain Roads ................................4-50 Winter Driving ..............................................4-52 If You Are Stuck: In Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow ...4-56 Towing ..........................................................4-65 Towing Your Vehicle .....................................4-65 Recreational Vehicle Towing ...........................4-65 Loading Your Vehicle ....................................4-67 Selectable Extended Rear Ride Height .............4-73 Electronically Controlled Air Suspension System ....................................................4-74 Trailer Recommendations ...............................4-75 Towing a Trailer ...........................................4-75 4-1 Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle Defensive Driving The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive defensively. Please start with a very important safety device in your vehicle: Buckle up. See Safety Belts: They Are for Everyone on page 1-16. Defensive driving really means “be ready for anything.” On city streets, rural roads or freeways, it means “always expect the unexpected.” Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are going to be careless and make mistakes. Anticipate what they might do. Be ready for their mistakes. Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following distance. It is the best defensive driving maneuver, in both city and rural driving. You never know when the vehicle in front of you is going to brake or turn suddenly. Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on the driving task. Anything that distracts from the driving task — such as concentrating on a cellular telephone call, reading, or reaching for something on the ﬂoor — makes proper defensive driving more difficult and can even cause a collision, with resulting injury. Ask a passenger to help do things like this, or pull off the road in a safe place to do them yourself. These simple defensive driving techniques could save your life. 4-2 Drunken Driving Death and injury associated with drinking and driving is a national tragedy. It is the number one contributor to the highway death toll, claiming thousands of victims every year. Alcohol affects four things that anyone needs to drive a vehicle: Judgment (cid:127) Muscular Coordination (cid:127) Vision (cid:127) Attentiveness. Police records show that almost half of all motor vehicle-related deaths involve alcohol. In most cases, these deaths are the result of someone who was drinking and driving. In recent years, more than 16,000 annual motor vehicle-related deaths have been associated with the use of alcohol, with more than 300,000 people injured. Many adults — by some estimates, nearly half the adult population — choose never to drink alcohol, so they never drive after drinking. For persons under 21, it is against the law in every U.S. state to drink alcohol. There are good medical, psychological and developmental reasons for these laws. The obvious way to eliminate the leading highway safety problem is for people never to drink alcohol and then drive. But what if people do? How much is “too much” if someone plans to drive? It is a lot less than many might think. Although it depends on each person and situation, here is some general information on the problem. The Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of someone who is drinking depends upon four things: The amount of alcohol consumed The drinker’s body weight The amount of food that is consumed before and during drinking The length of time it has taken the drinker to consume the alcohol. 4-3 (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) According to the American Medical Association, a 180 lb (82 kg) person who drinks three 12 ounce (355 ml) bottles of beer in an hour will end up with a BAC of about 0.06 percent. The person would reach the same BAC by drinking three 4 ounce (120 ml) glasses of wine or three mixed drinks if each had 1-1/2 ounces (45 ml) of liquors like whiskey, gin or vodka. It is the amount of alcohol that counts. For example, if the same person drank three double martinis (3 ounces or 90 ml of liquor each) within an hour, the person’s BAC would be close to 0.12 percent. A person who consumes food just before or during drinking will have a somewhat lower BAC level. There is a gender difference, too. Women generally have a lower relative percentage of body water than men. Since alcohol is carried in body water, this means that a woman generally will reach a higher BAC level than a man of her same body weight will when each has the same number of drinks. The law in an increasing number of U.S. states, and throughout Canada, sets the legal limit at 0.08 percent. In some other countries, the limit is even lower. For example, it is 0.05 percent in both France and Germany. The BAC limit for all commercial drivers in the United States is 0.04 percent. The BAC will be over 0.10 percent after three to six drinks (in one hour). Of course, as we have seen, it depends on how much alcohol is in the drinks, and how quickly the person drinks them. 4-4 But the ability to drive is affected well below a BAC of 0.10 percent. Research shows that the driving skills of many people are impaired at a BAC approaching 0.05 percent, and that the effects are worse at night. All drivers are impaired at BAC levels above 0.05 percent. Statistics show that the chance of being in a collision increases sharply for drivers who have a BAC of 0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of 0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a collision. At a BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance of this driver having a collision is 12 times greater; at a level of 0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater! The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold showers will speed that up. “I will be careful” is not the right answer. What if there is an emergency, a need to take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street? A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able to react quickly enough to avoid the collision. There is something else about drinking and driving that many people do not know. Medical research shows that alcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord or heart. This means that when anyone who has been drinking — driver or passenger — is in a crash, that person’s chance of being killed or permanently disabled is higher than if the person had not been drinking. {CAUTION: Drinking and then driving is very dangerous. Your reﬂexes, perceptions, attentiveness and judgment can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You can have a serious — or even fatal — collision if you drive after drinking. Please do not drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a cab; or if you are with a group, designate a driver who will not drink. 4-5 Braking Braking action involves perception time and reaction time. First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal. That is perception time. Then you have to bring up your foot and do it. That is reaction time. Average reaction time is about 3/4 of a second. But that is only an average. It might be less with one driver and as long as two or three seconds or more with another. Age, physical condition, alertness, coordination and eyesight all play a part. So do alcohol, drugs and frustration. But even in 3/4 of a second, a vehicle moving at 60 mph (100 km/h) travels 66 feet (20 m). That could be a lot of distance in an emergency, so keeping enough space between your vehicle and others is important. And, of course, actual stopping distances vary greatly with the surface of the road (whether it is pavement or gravel); the condition of the road (wet, dry, icy); tire tread; the condition of your brakes; the weight of the vehicle and the amount of brake force applied. Control of a Vehicle You have three systems that make your vehicle go where you want it to go. They are the brakes, the steering and the accelerator. All three systems have to do their work at the places where the tires meet the road. Sometimes, as when you are driving on snow or ice, it is easy to ask more of those control systems than the tires and road can provide. That means you can lose control of your vehicle. Also see Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-9. 4-6 Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This is a mistake. Your brakes may not have time to cool between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means better braking and longer brake life. If your engine ever stops while you are driving, brake normally but do not pump your brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to push down. If your engine stops, you will still have some power brake assist. But you will use it when you brake. Once the power assist is used up, it may take longer to stop and the brake pedal will be harder to push. Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced electronic braking system that will help prevent a braking skid. When you start your engine and begin to drive away, your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while this test is going on. This is normal. If there is a problem with the anti-lock brake system, this warning light will stay on. See Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 3-34. 4-7 The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure faster than any driver could. The computer is programmed to make the most of available tire and road conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard. Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely. Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what happens with ABS: A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer will separately work the brakes at each front wheel and at both rear wheels. 4-8 As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly. Remember: Anti-lock does not change the time you need to get your foot up to the brake pedal or always decrease stopping distance. If you get too close to the vehicle in front of you, you will not have time to apply your brakes if that vehicle suddenly slows or stops. Always leave enough room up ahead to stop, even though you have anti-lock brakes. Using Anti-Lock Do not pump the brakes. Just hold the brake pedal down ﬁrmly and let anti-lock work for you. You may feel the brakes vibrate, or you may notice some noise, but this is normal. Braking in Emergencies With anti-lock, you can steer and brake at the same time. In many emergencies, steering can help you more than even the very best braking. Traction Control System (TCS) Your vehicle has a Traction Control System (TCS) that limits wheel spin. This is especially useful in slippery road conditions. The system operates only if it senses that any of the wheels are spinning or beginning to lose traction. When this happens, the system applies the brakes to limit wheel spin. The Traction Control System may operate on dry roads under some conditions. When this happens, you may notice a reduction in acceleration or a pumping sound. This is normal and doesn’t mean there’s a problem with your vehicle. Examples of these conditions include hard acceleration in a turn, an abrupt upshift or downshift of the transmission or driving on rough roads. If your vehicle is in cruise control when the TCS begins to limit wheel spin, the cruise control will automatically disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely use it again, you may re-engage the cruise control. See “Cruise Control” under Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-6. 4-9 Another feature of this system is the Traction Control 2 (TC2) mode. TC2 should be selected for improved traction and system performance when the vehicle is on loose surfaces such as deep sand or mud. To enter this mode, press the TC2 button located on the instrument panel to the right of the steering wheel. It will not operate in 4HI. If the TC2 button is pressed while in 4HI, the light will ﬂash for about 15 seconds and then go out. The light should also come on brieﬂy when you turn the ignition key to RUN; if it doesn’t see your dealer for service. If you restart your engine, the system reverts to the standard TCS mode. The traction off light will come on when a Traction Control System or Anti-Lock Brake System problem has been detected and the vehicle needs service. See Traction Off Light on page 3-35. TC2 only operates in the following transfer case modes: 4HI Lock 4LO Lock 4LO Lock and Rear Axle Lock See Locking Rear Axle on page 4-11 for more information on the rear axle lock. When the traction off light is on, adjust your driving accordingly. The traction control system, as delivered from the factory, will automatically come on whenever you start your vehicle. 4-10 (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) Locking Rear Axle The locking rear axle can give your vehicle additional traction from the rear wheels when traveling in off-road situations such as mud, snow, sand, steep hills and uneven terrain. The button used to turn this feature on or off is located above the transfer case buttons to the right of the steering wheel. To lock the rear axle, do the following: 1. Place the transfer case in the 4LO Lock mode. This is the only mode which will allow the rear axle to lock. See All-Wheel Drive on page 2-25 for more information regarding the transfer case and 4LO Lock mode. 2. Press the button with the vehicle stopped or moving less than 2 mph (3 km/h). If you try to lock the rear axle while You must wait for the light in the button to stop ﬂashing and remain illuminated before the rear axle is locked. Notice: your vehicle is stuck and the tires are spinning, you could damage your vehicle’s drivetrain. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Always lock the rear axle before attempting situations and/or navigating terrain which could possibly cause the vehicle to become stuck. The locking rear axle will be disengaged when the vehicle’s speed is greater than 20 mph (32 km/h), if the vehicle’s battery is low and/or the transfer case is shifted out of 4LO Lock mode. Notice: pavement, you could damage your vehicle’s drivetrain. The repairs would not be covered by your warranty. Do not use the locking rear axle on pavement. If you need four-wheel drive when traveling on pavement, use only 4HI. If you lock the rear axle while driving on 4-11 Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve. Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control systems — steering and acceleration — have to do their work where the tires meet the road. Adding the sudden acceleration can demand too much of those places. You can lose control. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 4-9. What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you want it to go, and slow down. Speed limit signs near curves warn that you should adjust your speed. Of course, the posted speeds are based on good weather and road conditions. Under less favorable conditions you will want to go slower. If you need to reduce your speed as you approach a curve, do it before you enter the curve, while your front wheels are straight ahead. Try to adjust your speed so you can “drive” through the curve. Maintain a reasonable, steady speed. Wait to accelerate until you are out of the curve, and then accelerate gently into the straightaway. Steering Power Steering If you lose power steering assist because the engine stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but it will take much more effort. Steering Tips Driving on Curves It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed. A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on the news happen on curves. Here is why: Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to the same laws of physics when driving on curves. The traction of the tires against the road surface makes it possible for the vehicle to change its path when you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you will understand this. The traction you can get in a curve depends on the condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at which the curve is banked, and your speed. While you are in a curve, speed is the one factor you can control. 4-12 Steering in Emergencies There are times when steering can be more effective than braking. For example, you come over a hill and ﬁnd a truck stopped in your lane, or a car suddenly pulls out from nowhere, or a child darts out from between parked cars and stops right in front of you. You can avoid these problems by braking — if you can stop in time. But sometimes you can not; there is not room. That is the time for evasive action — steering around the problem. Your vehicle can perform very well in emergencies like these. First apply your brakes. See Braking on page 4-6. It is better to remove as much speed as you can from a possible collision. Then steer around the problem, to the left or right depending on the space available. An emergency like this requires close attention and a quick decision. If you are holding the steering wheel at the recommended 9 and 3 o’clock positions, you can turn it a full 180 degrees very quickly without removing either hand. But you have to act fast, steer quickly, and just as quickly straighten the wheel once you have avoided the object. The fact that such emergency situations are always possible is a good reason to practice defensive driving at all times and wear safety belts properly. 4-13 Off-Road Recovery You may ﬁnd that your right wheels have dropped off the edge of a road onto the shoulder while you are driving. If the level of the shoulder is only slightly below the pavement, recovery should be fairly easy. Ease off the accelerator and then, if there is nothing in the way, steer so that your vehicle straddles the edge of the pavement. You can turn the steering wheel up to one-quarter turn until the right front tire contacts the pavement edge. Then turn your steering wheel to go straight down the roadway. 4-14 Passing The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on a two-lane highway waits for just the right moment, accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead, then goes back into the right lane again. A simple maneuver? Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a two-lane highway is a potentially dangerous move, since the passing vehicle occupies the same lane as oncoming traffic for several seconds. A miscalculation, an error in judgment, or a brief surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly put the passing driver face to face with the worst of all traffic accidents — the head-on collision. So here are some tips for passing: “Drive ahead.” Look down the road, to the sides and to crossroads for situations that might affect your passing patterns. If you have any doubt whatsoever about making a successful pass, wait for a better time. (cid:127) Watch for traffic signs, pavement markings and lines. If you can see a sign up ahead that might indicate a turn or an intersection, delay your pass. A broken center line usually indicates it is all right to pass (providing the road ahead is clear). Never cross a solid line on your side of the lane or a double solid line, even if the road seems empty of approaching traffic. (cid:127) (cid:127) Do not get too close to the vehicle you want to pass while you are awaiting an opportunity. For one thing, following too closely reduces your area of vision, especially if you are following a larger vehicle. Also, you will not have adequate space if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops. Keep back a reasonable distance. (cid:127) When it looks like a chance to pass is coming up, start to accelerate but stay in the right lane and do not get too close. Time your move so you will be increasing speed as the time comes to move into the other lane. If the way is clear to pass, you will have a “running start” that more than makes up for the distance you would lose by dropping back. And if something happens to cause you to cancel your pass, you need only slow down and drop back again and wait for another opportunity. If other vehicles are lined up to pass a slow vehicle, wait your turn. But take care that someone is not trying to pass you as you pull out to pass the slow vehicle. Remember to glance over your shoulder and check the blind spot. (cid:127) Check your mirrors, glance over your shoulder and start your left lane change signal before moving out of the right lane to pass. When you are far enough ahead of the passed vehicle to see its front in your inside mirror, activate your right lane change signal and move back into the right lane. (Remember that if your right outside mirror is convex, the vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it really is.) Try not to pass more than one vehicle at a time on two-lane roads. Reconsider before passing the next vehicle. (cid:127) Do not overtake a slowly moving vehicle too rapidly. Even though the brake lamps are not ﬂashing, it may be slowing down or starting to turn. If you are being passed, make it easy for the following driver to get ahead of you. Perhaps you can ease a little to the right. 4-15 (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot off the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten out. Always be ready for a second skid if it occurs. Of course, traction is reduced when water, snow, ice, gravel or other material is on the road. For safety, you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to these conditions. It is important to slow down on slippery surfaces because stopping distance will be longer and vehicle control more limited. While driving on a surface with reduced traction, try your best to avoid sudden steering, acceleration or braking (including engine braking by shifting to a lower gear). Any sudden changes could cause the tires to slide. You may not realize the surface is slippery until your vehicle is skidding. Learn to recognize warning clues — such as enough water, ice or packed snow on the road to make a “mirrored surface” — and slow down when you have any doubt. Remember: Any anti-lock brake system (ABS) helps avoid only the braking skid. Loss of Control Let us review what driving experts say about what happens when the three control systems (brakes, steering and acceleration) do not have enough friction where the tires meet the road to do what the driver has asked. In any emergency, do not give up. Keep trying to steer and constantly seek an escape route or area of less danger. Skidding In a skid, a driver can lose control of the vehicle. Defensive drivers avoid most skids by taking reasonable care suited to existing conditions, and by not “overdriving” those conditions. But skids are always possible. The three types of skids correspond to your vehicle’s three control systems. In the braking skid, your wheels are not rolling. In the steering or cornering skid, too much speed or steering in a curve causes tires to slip and lose cornering force. And in the acceleration skid, too much throttle causes the driving wheels to spin. A cornering skid is best handled by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal. 4-16 Off-Road Driving This off-road guide is meant to provide advice for when you drive your vehicle off paved roads. Also, see Braking on page 4-6. Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have some deﬁnite hazards. The greatest of these is the terrain itself. “Off-roading” means you have left the great North American road system behind. Traffic lanes are not marked. Curves are not banked. There are no road signs. Surfaces can be slippery, rough, uphill or downhill. In short, you have gone right back to nature. Off-road driving involves some new skills. And that is why it is very important that you read this guide. You will ﬁnd many driving tips and suggestions. These will help make your off-road driving safer and more enjoyable. Before You Go Off-Roading There are some things to do before you go out. For example, be sure to have all necessary maintenance and service work done. Check to make sure all underbody shields are properly attached. Make sure any equipment you may need (ﬁrst aid kit, cell phone, ﬂashlight, etc.) is securely stored in the vehicle. Be sure you read all the information about your four-wheel-drive vehicle in this manual. Is there enough fuel? Is the spare tire fully inﬂated? Are the ﬂuid levels up where they should be? What are the local laws that apply to off-roading where you will be driving? If you do not know, you should check with law enforcement people in the area. Will you be on someone’s private land? If so, be sure to get the necessary permission. 4-17 “U” Type Assist Steps The following instructions show how to install the optional “U” steps. If you want to remove them, just reverse the instructions: 1. Start with the side step brackets pointing up and away from you. Or just make sure the HUMMER logo faces up. 2. For the front step, use the ﬁrst and third brackets on the vehicle from the front tire. For the rear step, use the ﬁrst and third brackets on the vehicle from the rear tire. You will notice that the side steps have pins on both sides of the step brackets. This is because the steps are interchangeable between front/back and the driver/passenger sides of the vehicle. Use the pins as follows: (cid:127) Driver Side: Look at the side step with the HUMMER logo facing you. You will use the pins which are on the right side of each side step bracket. This works for the front or rear of the vehicle. (cid:127) Passenger Side: Look at the side step with the HUMMER logo facing you. You will use the pins which are on the left side of each side step bracket. This works for the front or rear of the vehicle. Your vehicle may be equipped with removable side steps. Remove the steps prior to off roading to give your vehicle more ground clearance and to prevent damage to the vehicle from the side steps dragging and/or catching on obstacles. Notice: Do not drive off road with the side steps attached to your vehicle. You can damage the side steps and/or your vehicle’s frame if they get caught or drag against an obstacle. This damage would not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty. Always remove the side steps prior to any off road driving. 4-18 3. Guide the pins on the side step brackets into the holes in the vehicle’s rocker panel protector brackets. If you have difficulty doing this, it may help to have someone hold up the step while you guide the pins into the holes. You will be guiding three pins into the holes with the fourth hole in the vehicle’s rocker panel protector brackets empty until the next step. 4. Thread the knob through the remaining hole — ﬁrst into the rocker panel protector and then into the threaded hole in the assist step bracket. If you thread the knob into the step and then the rocker panel protector, you may think the step is secure. It will fall out this way. To be sure the step is secure, try moving the step left and right after installing the knob. Notice: Threading the knob into the step and then into the rocker panel will not secure the assist step. The step could fall off the vehicle and be damaged. Always thread the knob through the rocker panel ﬁrst. 4-19 6. Once the knob is torqued, install the cotter pin through the hole (see arrow) in the end of the knob’s threaded shaft. This will help prevent the knob from coming completely loose and falling out. 5. Hand-tighten the knob by turning it clockwise until it is seated against the rocker panel protector bracket and then tighten it to 10 lb ft (13.5 Y) with a wrench as shown. 4-20 Tubular Assist Steps The driver’s side of the vehicle is shown with the body removed for clarity. To remove a step: 1. Remove the nuts and bolts attaching the step to the vehicle. 2. Remove the step from the vehicle. To install a step: 1. Before installing the bolts: (cid:127) Remove all traces of the original adhesive patch. (cid:127) Clean the threads of the bolts with denatured alcohol or equivalent and allow threads to dry. (cid:127) Apply Threadlocker (GM Part No. 12345382, in Canada 10953489) or equivalent. 2. Install the assist step to the vehicle. You may need someone to assist you in the installation. 3. Install the nuts and bolts for the two inner brackets ﬁrst, but do not tighten them. 4. Using a level, make sure the step is level in relationship to the vehicle. Then, tighten the inner bracket nuts and bolts. 5. Install the other nuts and bolts. Tighten all nuts and bolts to 39 lb ft (50 Y). 4-21 CAUTION: (Continued) (cid:127) Unsecured cargo on the load ﬂoor can be tossed about when driving over rough terrain. You or your passengers can be struck by ﬂying objects. Secure the cargo properly. (cid:127) Heavy loads on the roof raise the vehicle’s center of gravity, making it more likely to roll over. You can be seriously or fatally injured if the vehicle rolls over. Put heavy loads inside the cargo area, not on the roof. Keep cargo in the cargo area as far forward and low as possible. You will ﬁnd other important information in this manual. See Loading Your Vehicle on page 4-67 and Tires on page 5-60. Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving There are some important things to remember about how to load your vehicle. The heaviest things should be on the load ﬂoor and forward of your rear axle. Put heavier items in the rear area, as far forward as you can. (cid:127) Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on the off-road terrain does not toss things around. {CAUTION: (cid:127) Cargo on the load ﬂoor piled higher than the seatbacks can be thrown forward during a sudden stop. You or your passengers could be injured. Keep cargo below the top of the seatbacks. CAUTION: (Continued) 4-22 (cid:127) Environmental Concerns Off-road driving can provide wholesome and satisfying recreation. However, it also raises environmental concerns. We recognize these concerns and urge every off-roader to follow these basic rules for protecting the environment: (cid:127) Always use established trails, roads and areas that have been specially set aside for public off-road recreational driving; obey all posted regulations. (cid:127) Avoid any driving practice that could damage the environment — shrubs, ﬂowers, trees, grasses — or disturb wildlife (this includes wheel-spinning, breaking down trees or unnecessary driving through streams or over soft ground). (cid:127) Always carry a litter bag — make sure all refuse is removed from any campsite before leaving. Take extreme care with open ﬁres (where permitted), camp stoves and lanterns. (cid:127) Never park your vehicle over dry grass or other combustible materials that could catch ﬁre from the heat of the vehicle’s exhaust system. Traveling to Remote Areas It makes sense to plan your trip, especially when going to a remote area. Know the terrain and plan your route. You are much less likely to get bad surprises. Get accurate maps of trails and terrain. Try to learn of any blocked or closed roads. It is also a good idea to travel with at least one other vehicle. If something happens to one of them, the other can help quickly. Does your vehicle have a winch? If so, be sure to read the winch instructions. In a remote area, a winch can be handy if you get stuck. But you will want to know how to use it properly. 4-23 (cid:127) High Mobility Characteristics The HUMMER H2 has a 10 inch (25.4 cm) running groung clearance (A) and a 9 inch (22.8 cm) axle to ground clearance (B) while maintaining a low silhouette and a low center of gravity. 4-24 The HUMMER H2 has an approximate approach angle (A) of 42° and a departure angle (B) of 37°, depending on suspension packages. Design speciﬁcations required a minimum gradeability of 60% (31°) slope, with the vehicle fully loaded, on high friction surfaces at 6 mph (9.7 km/h). The vehicle is expected to traverse this grade only for short durations. Never stop and idle the vehicle or park it on this grade. 4-25 Also, speciﬁcations required that the HUMMER H2 be able to traverse a 40% (22°) side slope at 6 mph (9.7 km/h) while fully loaded on high friction surfaces. The HUMMER H2 can climb a 16 inch (40.6 cm) vertical step. Step climbing is best done by approaching the step at an angle rather than straight on. 4-26 Brake and Throttle Operation Techniques for Off-Road Driving For logs, walls, rocks, severe ditches, hills, sand, etc. 1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop. Do not overspeed the engine. 2. Select the proper transmission and transfer case gear range; usually FIRST (1) gear, 4LO LOCK for such obstacles. 3. If wheel spin is experienced, maintain steady throttle, with your foot off the brake pedal, to allow the TCS to control the wheel spin. TCS will not operate if the brakes are applied, even slightly. 4. If wheel spin can not be controlled by the system, fully press the brake pedal with your left foot so all wheel spin is halted. 5. Back away from the obstacle such that a new approach can be tried. For mounds, washouts, loose up-hill slopes, ditches, etc. 6. As the ﬁrst wheel crosses the obstacle, be prepared to modulate the brake and throttle to maintain control and avoid tire drop-off from obstacles. Repeat the controlled process for the other wheels. 4-27 When wheel spin occurs as the vehicle is moving, the driver may notice a slight shaking or shuddering of the vehicle. This should be stopped as soon as possible to prevent damage to vehicle components. This is the indication that a loss of traction is occuring on this terrain. The operator should: 1. Reduce throttle, brake wheels. 2. Assess the terrain properly and adjust vehicle speed and gear ranges accordingly: 4HI position for higher speeds and 4LO LOCK for more torque and lower speeds. Transmission FIRST (1) gear is generally recommended. 3. Apply slight pressure to the brake when the shaking or shuddering sensation is felt, keeping the vehicle moving in a controlled manner. 4. Be prepared to modulate the brake and throttle through the adverse terrain. Getting Familiar with Off-Road Driving It is a good idea to practice in an area that is safe and close to home before you go into the wilderness. Off-road driving does require some new and different skills. Here is what we mean. Tune your senses to different kinds of signals. Your eyes, for example, need to constantly sweep the terrain for unexpected obstacles. Your ears need to listen for unusual tire or engine sounds. With your arms, hands, feet and body, you will need to respond to vibrations and vehicle bounce. Controlling your vehicle is the key to successful off-road driving. One of the best ways to control your vehicle is to control your speed. Here are some things to keep in mind. At higher speeds: you approach things faster and you have less time to scan the terrain for obstacles. you have less time to react. you have more vehicle bounce when you drive over obstacles. you will need more distance for braking, especially since you are on an unpaved surface. {CAUTION: When you are driving off-road, bouncing and quick changes in direction can easily throw you out of position. This could cause you to lose control and crash. So, whether you’re driving on or off the road, you and your passengers should wear safety belts. 4-28 (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) Scanning the Terrain Off-road driving can take you over many different kinds of terrain. You need to be familiar with the terrain and its many different features. Here are some things to consider. Surface Conditions: Off-roading can take you over hard-packed dirt, gravel, rocks, grass, sand, mud, snow or ice. Each of these surfaces affects the steering, acceleration and braking of your vehicle in different ways. Depending upon the kind of surface you are on, you may experience slipping, sliding, wheel spinning, delayed acceleration, poor traction and longer braking distances. Surface Obstacles: Unseen or hidden obstacles can be hazardous. A rock, log, hole, rut or bump can startle you if you are not prepared for them. Often these obstacles are hidden by grass, bushes, snow or even the rise and fall of the terrain itself. Here are some things to consider: Is the path ahead clear? (cid:127) Will the surface texture change abruptly up ahead? (cid:127) Does the travel take you uphill or downhill? (There is more discussion of these subjects later.) (cid:127) Will you have to stop suddenly or change direction quickly? When you drive over obstacles or rough terrain, keep a ﬁrm grip on the steering wheel. Ruts, troughs or other surface features can jerk the wheel out of your hands if you are not prepared. When possible, it is a good practice to survey the landscape ahead on foot prior to driving to observe hidden obstacles. When you drive over bumps, rocks, or other obstacles, your wheels can leave the ground. If this happens, even with one or two wheels, you can not control the vehicle as well or at all. Because you will be on an unpaved surface, it is especially important to avoid sudden acceleration, sudden turns or sudden braking. In a way, off-road driving requires a different kind of alertness from driving on paved roads and highways. There are no road signs, posted speed limits or signal lights. You have to use your own good judgment about what is safe and what is not. Drinking and driving can be very dangerous on any road. And this is certainly true for off-road driving. At the very time you need special alertness and driving skills, your reﬂexes, perceptions and judgment can be affected by even a small amount of alcohol. You could have a serious — or even fatal — accident if you drink and drive or ride with a driver who has been drinking. See Drunken Driving on page 4-3. 4-29 (cid:127) Crossing Obstacles Approach Angle — a Key to Mobility. If you encounter a large dip in the terrain, do not enter straight on; enter at an angle — 15° minimum approach (A), 75° maximum approach angle (B). For very large dips, ditches or small washes, coast in, using the engine as a brake (transmission and transfer case lowest gears). Then, use the low ranges in the transmission and transfer case to power out. Roll Your Tires Over Large Rocks. Do not straddle large rocks; drive over them, letting the tire envelop the rock. The tread of the tire is thicker and tougher than the sidewall of the tire and is more resilient to impact than underbody components. 4-30 Log Crossing. Using the proper technique, the HUMMER H2 will cross logs up to 10 inches (25.4 cm) in diameter. Approach the log at approximately a 15° angle (A) with the transmission in FIRST (1) and the transfer case in 4LO LOCK and “walk” the HUMMER H2 over, one tire at a time. As with all obstacles, face your tires perpendicular to the object for best traction and tire life. It may be necessary to modulate your brake pedal and accelerator to avoid spin-out. Ease the vehicle down from the log with your brake. Driving on Off-Road Hills Off-road driving often takes you up, down or across a hill. Driving safely on hills requires good judgment and an understanding of what your vehicle can and can not do. There are some hills that simply can not be driven, no matter how well built the vehicle. {CAUTION: Many hills are simply too steep for any vehicle. If you drive up them, you will stall. If you drive down them, you can not control your speed. If you drive across them, you will roll over. You could be seriously injured or killed. If you have any doubt about the steepness, do not drive the hill. 4-31 Approaching a Hill When you approach a hill, you need to decide if it is one of those hills that is just too steep to climb, descend or cross. Steepness can be hard to judge. On a very small hill, for example, there may be a smooth, constant incline with only a small change in elevation where you can easily see all the way to the top. On a large hill, the incline may get steeper as you near the top, but you may not see this because the crest of the hill is hidden by bushes, grass or shrubs. Here are some other things to consider as you approach a hill. Is there a constant incline, or does the hill get sharply steeper in places? Is there good traction on the hillside, or will the surface cause tire slipping? Is there a straight path up or down the hill so you will not have to make turning maneuvers? (cid:127) Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your path (boulders, trees, logs or ruts)? (cid:127) What is beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an embankment, a drop-off, a fence? Get out and walk the hill if you do not know. It is the smart way to ﬁnd out. Is the hill simply too rough? Steep hills often have ruts, gullies, troughs and exposed rocks because they are more susceptible to the effects of erosion. Driving Uphill Once you decide you can safely drive up the hill, you need to take some special steps. (cid:127) Use transmission and transfer case low gear and get a ﬁrm grip on the steering wheel. (cid:127) Get a smooth start up the hill and try to maintain your speed. Do not use more power than you need, because you do not want your wheels to start spinning or sliding. Let the traction system work to control any wheel slippage. TC2 is designed to allow moderate wheel spin with some capability to dig in and power up the hill. 4-32 (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) (cid:127) Sound the horn as you approach the top of the hill to let opposing traffic know you are there. (cid:127) Use your headlamps even during the day. They make you more visible to oncoming traffic. {CAUTION: Driving to the top (crest) of a hill at full speed can cause an accident. There could be a drop-off, embankment, cliff, or even another vehicle. You could be seriously injured or killed. As you near the top of a hill, slow down and stay alert. (cid:127) Do not continue if the vehicle shudders or exhibits suspension hopping. This can cause damage to the driveline or suspension components. Improper driving technique is not covered by your vehicle warranty Try to drive straight up the hill if at all possible. If the path twists and turns, you might want to ﬁnd another route. {CAUTION: Turning or driving across steep hills can be dangerous. You could lose traction, slide sideways, and possibly roll over. You could be seriously injured or killed. When driving up hills, always try to go straight up. (cid:127) Ease up on your speed as you approach the top of the hill. (cid:127) Attach a ﬂag to the vehicle to make you more visible to approaching traffic on trails or hills. 4-33 (cid:127) Here are some things you must not do if you stall, or are about to stall, when going up a hill. (cid:127) Never attempt to prevent a stall by shifting into NEUTRAL (N) 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. (cid:127) 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 can not make it up the hill, you must back straight down the hill. Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and I can not make it up the hill? A: If this happens, there are some things you should do, and there are some things you must not do. First, here is what you should do: (cid:127) Push the brake pedal to stop the vehicle and keep it from rolling backwards. Also, apply the parking brake. If your engine is still running, shift the transmission to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill in REVERSE (R). If your engine has stopped running, you will need to restart it. With the brake pedal pressed and the parking brake still applied, shift the transmission to PARK (P) and restart the engine. Then, shift to REVERSE (R), release the parking brake, and slowly back down the hill as straight as possible in REVERSE (R). (cid:127) As you are backing down the hill, put your left hand on the steering wheel at the 12 o’clock position. This way, you will be able to tell if your wheels are straight and maneuver as you back down. It is best that you back down the hill with your wheels straight rather than in the left or right direction. Turning the wheel too far to the left or right will increase the possibility of a rollover. 4-34 (cid:127) (cid:127) Q: Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the hill and decide I just can not do it. What should I do? A: Set the parking brake, put your transmission in PARK (P) 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. Do not shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL when you leave the vehicle. Leave it in some gear. {CAUTION: Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can cause your vehicle to roll even if the transmission is in PARK (P). This is because the NEUTRAL position on the transfer case overrides the transmission. You or someone else could be injured. If you are going to leave your vehicle, set the parking brake and shift the transmission to PARK (P). But do not shift the transfer case to NEUTRAL. Leave the transfer case in the 4 HI, 4 HI Lock or 4 LO Lock position. Driving Downhill When off-roading takes you downhill, you will want to consider a number of things: (cid:127) How steep is the downhill? Will I be able to maintain vehicle control? (cid:127) What is the surface like? Smooth? Rough? Slippery? Hard-packed dirt? Gravel? (cid:127) Are there hidden surface obstacles? Ruts? Logs? Boulders? (cid:127) 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 your brakes and they will not have to do all the work. Descend slowly, keeping your vehicle under control at all times. {CAUTION: Heavy braking when going down a hill can cause your brakes to overheat and fade. This could cause loss of control and a serious accident. Apply the brakes lightly when descending a hill and use a low gear to keep vehicle speed under control. 4-35 Q: Are there some things I should not do when driving down a hill? A: Yes! These are important because if you ignore them you could lose control and have a serious accident. (cid:127) When driving downhill, avoid turns that take you across the incline of the hill. A hill that is not too steep to drive down may be too steep to drive across. You could roll over if you do not drive straight down. (cid:127) Never go downhill with the transmission in NEUTRAL (N). This is called “free-wheeling.” Your brakes will have to do all the work and could overheat and fade. Q: Am I likely to stall when going downhill? A: It is much more likely to happen going uphill. But if it happens going downhill, here is what to do. Driving Across an Incline Sooner or later, an off-road trail will probably go across the incline of a hill. If this happens, you have to decide whether to try to drive across the incline. Here are some things to consider: (cid:127) A hill that can be driven straight up or down may be too steep to drive across. When you go straight up or down a hill, the length of the wheel base (the distance from the front wheels to the rear wheels) reduces the likelihood the vehicle will tumble end over end. But when you drive across an incline, the much more narrow track width (the distance between the left and right wheels) may not prevent the vehicle from tilting and rolling over. Also, driving across an incline puts more weight on the downhill wheels. This could cause a downhill slide or a rollover. (cid:127) Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes. Apply the parking brake. (cid:127) Shift to PARK (P) and, while still braking, restart the engine. (cid:127) Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight down. If the engine will not start, get out and get help. 4-36 (cid:127) Q: What if I am driving across an incline that is not too steep, but I hit some loose gravel and start to slide downhill. What should I do? A: If you feel your vehicle starting to slide sideways, turn downhill. This should help straighten out the vehicle and prevent the side slipping. However, a much better way to prevent this is to get out and “walk the course” so you know what the surface

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2004 Hummer H2 Owners Manual