2007 Hummer H2 Owners Manual

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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 will be active again. 298 A non-scrubbing action, wet-type cleaner which uses a cassette with a fabric belt to clean the tape head can be used. 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 the player is cleaned, 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 the tape player is serviced. Care of Your CDs and DVDs Handle CDs and DVDs carefully. Store them in their original cases or other protective cases and away from direct sunlight and dust. The CD and DVD player scans the bottom surface of the disc. If the surface of a CD or DVD is damaged, such as cracked, broken, or scratched, the CD or DVD will not play properly or not at all. If the surface of a CD or DVD is soiled, take a soft, lint free cloth or dampen a clean, soft cloth in a mild, neutral detergent solution mixed with water, and clean it. Make sure the wiping process starts from the center to the edge. If a dampened cloth was used to clean the disc, dry it with a dry cotton cloth. Do not touch the bottom side of a CD or DVD while handling it; this could damage the surface. Pick up CDs or DVDs by grasping the outer edges or the edge of the hole and the outer edge. 299 Loading items onto the roof of your vehicle can interfere with the performance of the XM™ system. Make sure the XM™ Satellite Radio antenna is not obstructed. Chime Level Adjustment The radio is used to adjust the vehicle’s chime level. To change the volume level of the chime, press and hold pushbutton 6 with the ignition on and the radio power off. The volume level will change from the normal level to loud, and LOUD CHIME will appear on the radio display. To change back to the default or normal setting, press and hold pushbutton 6 again. The volume level will change from the loud level to normal, and NORMAL CHIME will appear on the radio display. Removing the radio and not replacing it with a factory radio or chime module will disable vehicle chimes. Care of the CD and DVD Player The use of CD or DVD lens cleaners for CDs or DVDs are not advised, due to the risk of contaminating the lens of the CD optics with lubricants internal to the CD or DVD mechanism. Fixed Mast Antenna The ﬁxed mast antenna can withstand most car washes without being damaged. If the mast should ever become slightly bent, straighten it out by hand. If the mast is badly bent, replace it. Check occasionally to make sure the mast is still tightened. XM™ Satellite Radio Antenna System The XM™ Satellite Radio antenna is located on the roof of your vehicle. Keep this antenna clear of snow and ice build up for clear radio reception. If your vehicle has a sunroof, the performance of the XM™ system may be affected if the sunroof is open. 300 Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle ............................................ 302 Defensive Driving ...................................... 302 Drunken Driving ........................................ 303 Control of a Vehicle .................................. 306 Braking ...................................................... 306 Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) .................. 307 Braking in Emergencies ............................. 309 Traction Control System (TCS) .................. 309 Locking Rear Axle ..................................... 311 Steering .................................................... 312 Off-Road Recovery .................................... 314 Passing ..................................................... 314 Loss of Control .......................................... 316 Off-Road Driving ........................................ 317 Assist Steps .............................................. 338 Driving at Night ......................................... 342 Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads ............ 344 City Driving ............................................... 347 Freeway Driving ........................................ 348 Before Leaving on a Long Trip .................. 349 Highway Hypnosis ..................................... 350 Hill and Mountain Roads ........................... 351 Winter Driving ........................................... 353 If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow .......................................... 357 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out ........... 358 Recovery Loops ........................................ 358 First Aid Kit and Tool Kit ........................... 360 Front Mounted Receiver ............................ 360 Power Winch Platform ............................... 361 Loading Your Vehicle ................................ 362 Towing ........................................................ 369 Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 369 Recreational Vehicle Towing ...................... 369 Selectable Extended Rear Ride Height ...... 371 Electronically Controlled Air Suspension System .................................................. 372 Towing a Trailer ........................................ 374 Trailer Recommendations .......................... 388 301 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 24. 302 {CAUTION: Defensive driving really means “Be ready for anything.” On city streets, rural roads, or expressways, 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 and be ready. Rear-end collisions are about the most preventable of accidents. Yet they are common. Allow enough following distance. Defensive driving requires that a driver concentrate on the driving task. Anything that distracts from the driving task makes proper defensive driving more difficult and can even cause a collision, with resulting injury. Ask a passenger to help do these things, or pull off the road in a safe place to do them. These simple defensive driving techniques could save your life. 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: (cid:127) 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: (cid:127) The amount of alcohol consumed (cid:127) The drinker’s body weight (cid:127) The amount of food that is consumed before and during drinking (cid:127) The length of time it has taken the drinker to consume the alcohol 303 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 most 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. 304 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. 305 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. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 309. Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 392. Braking See Brake System Warning Light on page 211. 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 three-fourths 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 three-fourths 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, whether it is wet, dry, or icy; tire tread; the condition of the brakes; the weight of the vehicle; and the amount of brake force applied. 306 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. The brakes may not have time to cool between hard stops. The 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 vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are driving, brake normally but do not pump the brakes. If you do, the pedal may get harder to push down. If the 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. Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 392. Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Your vehicle has the Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS), an advanced electronic braking system that will help prevent a braking skid. When you start your engine and begin to drive away, ABS 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 ABS, this warning light will stay on. See Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light on page 212. 307 ABS 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. 308 As you brake, your computer keeps receiving updates on wheel speed and controls braking pressure accordingly. Remember: ABS 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 ABS. Using ABS 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 ABS, 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 on page 183. 309 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 Four-Wheel-High. If the TC2 button is pressed while in Four-Wheel High, 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. TC2 only operates in the following transfer case modes: (cid:127) Four-Wheel-High Lock (cid:127) Four-Wheel-Low Lock (cid:127) Four-Wheel-Low Lock and Rear Axle Lock See Locking Rear Axle on page 311 for more information on the rear axle lock. See Traction Off Light on page 212. 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. Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 392 for more information. 310 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 Four-Wheel-Low Lock mode. This is the only mode which will allow the rear axle to lock. See Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive on page 128 for more information regarding the transfer case and Four-Wheel-Low-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 Four-Wheel-Low-Lock mode. Notice: on 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 311 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 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. 312 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 309. 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. Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s performance. See Accessories and Modiﬁcations on page 392. 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 cannot; 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 306. 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. 313 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. 314 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: (cid:127) 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) 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. (cid:127) 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 vehicle’s 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 vehicle’s inside mirror, activate the right lane change signal and move back into the right lane. Remember that, if your vehicle’s passenger side outside mirror is convex, the vehicle you just passed may seem to be farther away from you than it really is. (cid:127) 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. (cid:127) 315 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. 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. 316 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 reducing vehicle speed 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. 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 306. 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. 317 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. Remove any removable side steps. See Assist Steps on page 338. 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. 318 Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving {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. (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. There are some important things to remember about how to load your vehicle. (cid:127) 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. You will ﬁnd other important information in this manual. See Loading Your Vehicle on page 362 and Tires on page 448. 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. (cid:127) 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. 319 High Mobility Characteristics The HUMMER H2 has a 10 inch (25.4 cm) running ground 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. 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. 320 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. 321 Also, your vehicle should be able to traverse a 40% (22°) side slope at 6 mph (9.7 km/h) while fully loaded on high friction surfaces. Your vehicle 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. 322 Brake and Accelerator 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 rev 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 Traction Control System (TCS) to control the wheel spin. TCS will not operate if the brakes are applied, even slightly. 4. If wheel spin cannot 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 so that a new approach can be tried. 6. As the ﬁrst wheel crosses the obstacle, be prepared to alternate the brake and accelerator pedal to maintain control and avoid tire drop-off from obstacles. Repeat this process for the other wheels. For mounds, washouts, loose up-hill slopes, ditches, etc. 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 occurring on this terrain. The operator should: 1. Reduce speed and apply the brakes. 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 alternate between braking and accelerating through the adverse terrain. 323 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: (cid:127) You approach things faster and you have less time to scan the terrain for obstacles. (cid:127) You have less time to react. (cid:127) You have more vehicle bounce when you drive over obstacles. (cid:127) You will need more distance for braking, especially since you are on an unpaved surface. 324 {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 are driving on or off the road, you and your passengers should wear safety belts. 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: (cid:127) (cid:127) Will the surface texture change abruptly Is the path ahead clear? 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 cannot 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 303. 325 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 cover 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. 326 Log Crossing Using the proper technique, your vehicle 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” your vehicle over, one tire at a time. 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 cannot do. There are some hills that simply cannot 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 cannot 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. 327 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: (cid:127) 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) (cid:127) (cid:127) Are there obstructions on the hill that can block your path, such as boulders, trees, logs, or ruts? 328 (cid:127) What is beyond the hill? Is there a cliff, an (cid:127) 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. (cid:127) Let the traction system work to control any wheel slippage. The traction control system allows for moderate wheel spin with some capability to dig in and power up the hill. (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. (cid:127) 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. 329 Q: What should I do if my vehicle stalls, or is about to stall, and I cannot 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) (cid:127) 330 (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. 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 cannot make it up the hill, you must back straight down the hill. Q: Suppose, after stalling, I try to back down the hill and decide I just cannot 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. 331 {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. 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. 332 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: 1. Stop your vehicle by applying the regular brakes. Apply the parking brake. 2. Shift to PARK (P) and, while still braking, restart the engine. 3. Shift back to a low gear, release the parking brake, and drive straight down. 4. If the engine will not start, get out and get help. 333 (cid:127) Hidden obstacles can make the steepness of the incline even worse. If you drive across a rock with the uphill wheels, or if the downhill wheels drop into a rut or depression, your vehicle can tilt even more. For reasons like these, you need to decide carefully whether to try to drive across an incline. Just because the trail goes across the incline does not mean you have to drive it. The last vehicle to try it might have rolled over. {CAUTION: Driving across an incline that is too steep will make your vehicle roll over. You could be seriously injured or killed. If you have any doubt about the steepness of the incline, do not drive across it. Find another route instead. 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) Surface conditions can be a problem when you drive across a hill. Loose gravel, muddy spots, or even wet grass can cause your tires to slip sideways, downhill. If the vehicle slips sideways, it can hit something that will trip it — a rock, a rut, etc. — and roll over. 334 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 is like before you drive it. Stalling on an Incline If your vehicle stalls when you are crossing an incline, be sure you, and any passengers, get out on the uphill side, even if the door there is harder to open. If you get out on the downhill side and the vehicle starts to roll over, you will be right in its path. If you have to walk down the slope, stay out of the path the vehicle will take if it does roll over. {CAUTION: Getting out on the downhill (low) side of a vehicle stopped across an incline is dangerous. If the vehicle rolls over, you could be crushed or killed. Always get out on the uphill (high) side of the vehicle and stay well clear of the rollover path. 335 Driving in Mud, Sand, Snow, or Ice When you drive in mud, snow, or sand, your wheels will not get good traction. You cannot accelerate as quickly, turning is more difficult, and you will need longer braking distances. It is best to use a low gear when you are in mud —the deeper the mud, the lower the gear. In really deep mud, the idea is to keep your vehicle moving so you do not get stuck. Be careful to keep mud from building up and washing onto the engine cooling system. When you drive on sand, you will sense a change in wheel traction. But it will depend upon how loosely packed the sand is. On loosely packed sand, such as on beaches or sand dunes, your tires will tend to sink into the sand. This has an effect on steering, accelerating, and braking. Drive at a reduced speed and avoid sharp turns or abrupt maneuvers. Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction. On these surfaces, it is very easy to lose control. On wet ice, for example, the traction is so poor that you will have difficulty accelerating. And if you do get moving, poor steering and difficult braking can cause you to slide out of control. {CAUTION: Driving on frozen lakes, ponds, or rivers can be dangerous. Underwater springs, currents under the ice, or sudden thaws can weaken the ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice and you and your passengers could drown. Drive your vehicle on safe surfaces only. 336 Driving in Water Heavy rain can mean ﬂash ﬂooding, and ﬂood waters demand extreme caution. Find out how deep the water is before you drive through it. If it is deep enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust pipe, do not try it — you probably will not get through. Also, water that deep can damage your axle and other vehicle parts. Your vehicle is capable of depths up to 20 inches. Know how to judge whether the water is deeper than this before proceeding into it. If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it. At faster speeds, water splashes on your ignition system and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also occur if you get your tailpipe under water. And, as long as your tailpipe is under water, you will never be able to start your engine. When you go through water, remember that when your brakes get wet, it may take you longer to stop. {CAUTION: Driving through rushing water can be dangerous. Deep water can sweep your vehicle downstream and you and your passengers could drown. If it is only shallow water, it can still wash away the ground from under your tires, and you could lose traction and roll the vehicle over. Do not drive through rushing water. See Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 344 for more information on driving through water. 337 After Off-Road Driving Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the underbody, chassis, or under the hood. These accumulations can be a ﬁre hazard. After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings cleaned and checked. These substances can cause glazing and uneven braking. Check the engine and oil coolers for mud accumulation. Thoroughly and carefully clean these devices to allow proper cooling. Check the body structure, steering, suspension, wheels, tires, and exhaust system for damage. Also, check the fuel lines and cooling system for any leakage. Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to off-road use. See the Maintenance Schedule for additional information. Assist Steps 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. 338 U-Type Side Steps The following instructions show how to install the optional U-type 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. 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. 339 4. Thread the knob through the remaining hole — ﬁrst into the rocker panel protector and then into the threaded hole in the side step bracket. Notice: Threading the knob into the side step and then into the rocker panel will not secure the step. The step could fall off the vehicle and be damaged. Always thread the knob through the rocker panel ﬁrst. After the knob is installed, try moving the step left and right to be sure the step is secure. 340 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 the tool as shown. Tubular Side Steps 6. Once the knob is torqued, install the cotter pin through the hole in the end of the knob’s threaded shaft. This will help prevent the knob from coming completely loose and falling out. 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. 341 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 side 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). Driving at Night Night driving is more dangerous than day driving. One reason is that some drivers are likely to be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night vision problems, or by fatigue. Here are some tips on night driving. (cid:127) Drive defensively. (cid:127) Do not drink and drive. (cid:127) Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the glare from headlamps behind you. (cid:127) Since you cannot see as well, you may need to slow down and keep more space between you and other vehicles. (cid:127) Slow down, especially on higher speed roads. Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so much road ahead. In remote areas, watch for animals. If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe place and rest. (cid:127) (cid:127) 342 No one can see as well at night as in the daytime. But as we get older these differences increase. A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as much light to see the same thing at night as a 20-year-old. What you do in the daytime can also affect your night vision. For example, if you spend the day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear sunglasses. Your eyes will have less trouble adjusting to night. But if you are driving, do not wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on glare from headlamps, but they also make a lot of things invisible. You can be temporarily blinded by approaching headlamps. It can take a second or two, or even several seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust to the dark. When you are faced with severe glare, as from a driver who does not lower the high beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlamps, slow down a little. Avoid staring directly into the approaching headlamps. Keep the windshield and all the glass on your vehicle clean — inside and out. Glare at night is made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even the inside of the glass can build up a ﬁlm caused by dust. Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and ﬂash more than clean glass would, making the pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly. Remember that the headlamps light up far less of a roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly lighted objects. Just as the headlamps should be checked regularly for proper aim, so should your eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer from night blindness — the inability to see in dim light — and are not even aware of it. 343 It is always wise to go slower and be cautious if rain starts to fall while you are driving. The surface may get wet suddenly when your reﬂexes are tuned for driving on dry pavement. The heavier the rain, the harder it is to see. Even if your windshield wiper blades are in good shape, a heavy rain can make it harder to see road signs and traffic signals, pavement markings, the edge of the road, and even people walking. It is wise to keep your wiping equipment in good shape and keep your windshield washer ﬂuid reservoir ﬁlled with washer ﬂuid. Replace your windshield wiper inserts when they show signs of streaking or missing areas on the windshield, or when strips of rubber start to separate from the inserts. Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads Rain and wet roads can mean driving trouble. On a wet road, you cannot stop, accelerate, or turn as well because your tire-to-road traction is not as good as on dry roads. And, if your tires do not have much tread left, you will get even less traction. 344 {CAUTION: Wet brakes can cause accidents. They may not work as well in a quick stop and may cause pulling to one side. You could lose control of the vehicle. After driving through a large puddle of water or a car wash, apply your brake pedal lightly until your brakes work normally. Driving too fast through large water puddles or even going through some car washes can cause problems, too. The water may affect your brakes. Try to avoid puddles. But if you cannot, try to slow down before you hit them. Hydroplaning Hydroplaning is dangerous. So much water can build up under your tires that they can actually ride on the water. This can happen if the road is wet enough and you are going fast enough. When your vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or no contact with the road. Hydroplaning does not happen often. But it can if your tires do not have much tread or if the pressure in one or more is low. It can happen if a lot of water is standing on the road. If you can see reﬂections from trees, telephone poles, or other vehicles, and raindrops dimple the water’s surface, there could be hydroplaning. Hydroplaning usually happens at higher speeds. There just is not a hard and fast rule about hydroplaning. The best advice is to slow down when it is raining. 345 Driving Through Deep Standing Water Notice: If you drive too quickly through deep puddles or standing water, water can come in through your engine’s air intake and badly damage your engine. Never drive through water that is slightly lower than the underbody of your vehicle. If you cannot avoid deep puddles or standing water, drive through them very slowly. Driving Through Flowing Water {CAUTION: Flowing or rushing water creates strong forces. If you try to drive through ﬂowing water, as you might at a low water crossing, your vehicle can be carried away. As little as six inches of ﬂowing water can carry away a smaller vehicle. CAUTION: (Continued) CAUTION: (Continued) If this happens, you and other vehicle occupants could drown. Do not ignore police warning signs, and otherwise be very cautious about trying to drive through ﬂowing water. Some Other Rainy Weather Tips (cid:127) Besides slowing down, allow some extra following distance. And be especially careful when you pass another vehicle. Allow yourself more clear room ahead, and be prepared to have your view restricted by road spray. (cid:127) Have good tires with proper tread depth. See Tires on page 448. 346 City Driving One of the biggest problems with city streets is the amount of traffic on them. You will want to watch out for what the other drivers are doing and pay attention to traffic signals. Here are ways to increase your safety in city driving: (cid:127) Know the best way to get to where you are going. Get a city map and plan your trip into an unknown part of the city just as you would for a cross-country trip. (cid:127) Try to use the freeways that rim and crisscross most large cities. You will save time and energy. See Freeway Driving on page 348. (cid:127) Treat a green light as a warning signal. A traffic light is there because the corner is busy enough to need it. When a light turns green, and just before you start to move, check both ways for vehicles that have not cleared the intersection or may be running the red light. 347 Freeway Driving Mile for mile, freeways — also called thruways, parkways, expressways, turnpikes, or superhighways — are the safest of all roads. But they have their own special rules. 348 The most important advice on freeway driving is: Keep up with traffic and keep to the right. Drive at the same speed most of the other drivers are driving. Too-fast or too-slow driving breaks a smooth traffic ﬂow. Treat the left lane on a freeway as a passing lane. At the entrance, there is usually a ramp that leads to the freeway. If you have a clear view of the freeway as you drive along the entrance ramp, you should begin to check traffic. Try to determine where you expect to blend with the ﬂow. Try to merge into the gap at close to the prevailing speed. Switch on your turn signal, check your mirrors, and glance over your shoulder as often as necessary. Try to blend smoothly with the traffic ﬂow. Once you are on the freeway, adjust your speed to the posted limit or to the prevailing rate if it is slower. Stay in the right lane unless you want to pass. Before changing lanes, check your mirrors. Then use your turn signal. Just before you leave the lane, glance quickly over your shoulder to make sure there is not another vehicle in your blind spot. Once you are moving on the freeway, make certain you allow a reasonable following distance. Expect to move slightly slower at night. When you want to leave the freeway, move to the proper lane well in advance. If you miss your exit, do not, under any circumstances, stop and back up. Drive on to the next exit. The exit ramp can be curved, sometimes quite sharply. The exit speed is usually posted. Reduce your speed according to your speedometer, not to your sense of motion. After driving for any distance at higher speeds, you may tend to think you are going slower than you actually are. Before Leaving on a Long Trip Make sure you are ready. Try to be well rested. If you must start when you are not fresh — such as after a day’s work — do not plan to make too many miles that ﬁrst part of the journey. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes you can easily drive in. Is your vehicle ready for a long trip? If you keep it serviced and maintained, it is ready to go. If it needs service, have it done before starting out. Of course, you will ﬁnd experienced and able service experts in GM dealerships all across North America. They will be ready and willing to help if you need it. Here are some things you can check before a trip: (cid:127) Windshield Washer Fluid: Is the reservoir full? Are all windows clean inside and outside? (cid:127) Wiper Blades: Are they in good shape? (cid:127) Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids: Have you checked all levels? (cid:127) Lamps: Are they all working? Are the lenses clean? (cid:127) Tires: They are vitally important to a safe, trouble-free trip. Is the tread good enough for long-distance driving? Are the tires all inﬂated to the recommended pressure? (cid:127) Weather Forecasts: What is the weather outlook along your route? Should you delay your trip a short time to avoid a major storm system? (cid:127) Maps: Do you have up-to-date maps? 349 Highway Hypnosis Is there actually such a condition as highway hypnosis? Or is it just plain falling asleep at the wheel? Call it highway hypnosis, lack of awareness, or whatever. There is something about an easy stretch of road with the same scenery, along with the hum of the tires on the road, the drone of the engine, and the rush of the wind against the vehicle that can make you sleepy. Do not let it happen to you! If it does, your vehicle can leave the road in less than a second, and you could crash and be injured. What can you do about highway hypnosis? First, be aware that it can happen. Then here are some tips: (cid:127) Make sure your vehicle is well ventilated, with a comfortably cool interior. (cid:127) Keep your eyes moving. Scan the road ahead and to the sides. Check your mirrors and your instruments frequently. If you get sleepy, pull off the road into a rest, service, or parking area and take a nap, get some exercise, or both. For safety, treat drowsiness on the highway as an emergency. (cid:127) 350 Hill and Mountain Roads Driving on steep hills or mountains is different from driving in ﬂat or rolling terrain. If you drive regularly in steep country, or if you are planning to visit there, here are some tips that can make your trips safer and more enjoyable. See Off-Road Driving on page 317 for information about driving off-road. (cid:127) Keep your vehicle in good shape. Check all ﬂuid levels and also the brakes, tires, cooling system, and transmission. These parts can work hard on mountain roads. {CAUTION: If you do not shift down, your brakes could get so hot that they would not work well. You would then have poor braking or even none going down a hill. You could crash. Shift down to let your engine assist your brakes on a steep downhill slope. 351 (cid:127) Stay in your own lane when driving on two-lane roads in hills or mountains. Do not swing wide or cut across the center of the road. Drive at speeds that let you stay in your own lane. (cid:127) As you go over the top of a hill, be alert. There could be something in your lane, like a stalled car or an accident. (cid:127) You may see highway signs on mountains that warn of special problems. Examples are long grades, passing or no-passing zones, a falling rocks area, or winding roads. Be alert to these and take appropriate action. {CAUTION: Coasting downhill in NEUTRAL (N) or with the ignition off is dangerous. Your brakes will have to do all the work of slowing down. They could get so hot that they would not work well. You would then have poor braking or even none going down a hill. You could crash. Always have your engine running and your vehicle in gear when you go downhill. (cid:127) Know how to go down hills. The most important thing to know is this: let your engine do some of the slowing down. Shift to a lower gear when you go down a steep or long hill. (cid:127) Know how to go uphill. You may want to shift down to a lower gear. The lower gears help cool your engine and transmission, and you can climb the hill better. 352 Winter Driving Include an ice scraper, a small brush or broom, a supply of windshield washer ﬂuid, a rag, some winter outer clothing, a small shovel, a ﬂashlight, a red cloth, and a couple of reﬂective warning triangles. And, if you will be driving under severe conditions, include a small bag of sand, a piece of old carpet, or a couple of burlap bags to help provide traction. Be sure you properly secure these items in your vehicle. Here are some tips for winter driving: (cid:127) Have your vehicle in good shape for winter. (cid:127) You may want to put winter emergency supplies in your vehicle. Also see Tires on page 448. 353 Driving on Snow or Ice Most of the time, those places where the tires meet the road probably have good traction. However, if there is snow or ice between the tires and the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You will have a lot less traction, or grip, and will need to be very careful. What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold snow or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice can be even more trouble because it may offer the least traction of all. You can get wet ice when it is about freezing, 32°F (0°C), and freezing rain begins to fall. Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand crews can get there. Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed, blowing, or loose snow — drive with caution. The Traction Control System (TCS) improves your ability to accelerate when driving on a slippery road. If you are driving in deep snow, turn your TCS to the TC2 mode. It will improve your ability to accelerate. See If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 357. Even though your vehicle has TCS, you will want to slow down and adjust your driving to the road conditions. Under certain conditions, you may want to turn the TCS off, such as when driving through deep snow and loose gravel, to help maintain vehicle motion at lower speeds. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 309. 354 The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) improve your vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a slippery road. Even though you have ABS, you will want to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry pavement. See Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on page 307. (cid:127) Allow greater following distance on any slippery road. (cid:127) Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ﬁne until you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such as around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an overpass may remain icy when the surrounding roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of you, brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while you are actually on the ice, and avoid sudden steering maneuvers. If You Are Caught in a Blizzard If you are stopped by heavy snow, you could be in a serious situation. You should probably stay with your vehicle unless you know for sure that you are near help and you can hike through the snow. Here are some things to do to summon help and keep yourself and your passengers safe: (cid:127) Turn on your hazard ﬂashers. (cid:127) Tie a red cloth to your vehicle to alert police that you have been stopped by the snow. (cid:127) Put on extra clothing or wrap a blanket around you. If you do not have blankets or extra clothing, make body insulators from newspapers, burlap bags, rags, ﬂoor mats — anything you can wrap around yourself or tuck under your clothing to keep warm. 355 {CAUTION: Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle. This can cause deadly CO (carbon monoxide) gas to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill you. You cannot see it or smell it, so you might not know it is in your vehicle. Clear away snow from around the base of your vehicle, especially any that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check around again from time to time to be sure snow does not collect there. Open a window just a little on the side of the vehicle that is away from the wind. This will help keep CO out. Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the battery charged. You can run the engine to keep warm, but be careful. 356 You will need a well-charged battery to restart the vehicle, and possibly for signaling later on with your headlamps. Let the heater run for a while. Then, shut the engine off and close the window almost all the way to preserve the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this only when you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But do it as little as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you can. To help keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or so until help comes. If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to spin your wheels too fast. The method known as rocking can help you get out when you are stuck, but you must use caution. {CAUTION: If you let your vehicle’s tires spin at high speed, they can explode, and you or others could be injured. And, the transmission or other parts of the vehicle can overheat. That could cause an engine compartment ﬁre or other damage. When you are stuck, spin the wheels as little as possible. Do not spin the wheels above 35 mph (55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer. Notice: Spinning the wheels can destroy parts of your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the wheels too fast while shifting the transmission back and forth, you can destroy the transmission. For information about using tire chains on your vehicle, see Tire Chains on page 465. 357 Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out First, turn the steering wheel left and right. That will clear the area around the front wheels. Your vehicle has a traction control system that will activate when the system senses that the wheels are spinning. See Traction Control System (TCS) on page 309 for more information. Then, with the wheels straight ahead, shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible. Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transmission is in gear. By slowly spinning the wheels in the forward and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking motion that may free your vehicle. If that does not get your vehicle out after a few tries, it may need to be towed out. Or, you can use the recovery loops. If your vehicle does need to be towed out, see Towing Your Vehicle on page 369. Recovery Loops {CAUTION: These loops, when used, are under a lot of force. Keep people away from the vicinity of the loops and any chains or cables during use. Always pull the vehicle straight out. Never pull on the loops at a sideways angle. The loops could break off and you or others could be injured from the chain or cable snapping back. Notice: Never use the recovery loops to tow the vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged and it would not be covered by warranty. 358 Front of Vehicle Your vehicle may have recovery loops at the front and rear of the vehicle. You may need to use them if you are stuck off-road and need to be pulled to some place where you can continue driving. Rear of Vehicle 359 First Aid Kit and Tool Kit The ﬁrst aid and tool kit is located in the storage bin on top of the spare tire on SUV models. It is held in place with a hook and loop fastener strap. On SUT models, the kit is in the rear cargo compartment on the passenger side of the vehicle. Front Mounted Receiver Your vehicle is equipped with a front mounted receiver. You can use the receiver with a power winch platform (described later in this section) or with other accessories. The kit includes a ﬁrst aid kit (A), a ﬂashlight (C), a tire pressure gage (B), and a multi-purpose tool set (D). The tire pressure gage has a reset button in the gage stem. After taking a pressure reading, press the button to reset the gage to zero. 360 Never use the front mounted receiver to tow a trailer. You can use the front mounted receiver to tow your vehicle behind another. See Recreational Vehicle Towing on page 369. Power Winch Platform You can use the power winch platform (if equipped) with an aftermarket winch. Connect the winch to the platform and wiring to the vehicle following the winch manufacturer’s guidelines. Notice: Do not use the winch platform to winch at a tension of more than 9,000 lbs. (4 082 kg). This would damage your vehicle’s frame. This damage would not be covered by your vehicle’s warranty. If you are using a winch to pull out another vehicle, follow the winch manufacturer’s guidelines and observe the following to prevent damage to your vehicle: (cid:127) If possible, have your vehicle anchored from the opposite side of the winch to a solid, immovable object. If winching from the front, use both of the rear recovery loops. If winching from the rear, use both of the front recovery loops. (cid:127) Put your transmission in NEUTRAL (N). (cid:127) Use your regular brakes to hold your vehicle

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2007 Hummer H2 Owners Manual