traction control HUMMER H2 2004 Owners Manual

Instrument Panel Overview...............................3-2
Hazard Warning Flashers................................3-4
Other Warning Devices...................................3-5
Horn.............................................................3-5
Tilt Wheel.....................................................3-5
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever.........................3-6
Exterior Lamps.............................................3-13
Interior Lamps..............................................3-16
Accessory Power Outlets...............................3-18
Ashtrays and Cigarette Lighter........................3-18
Climate Controls............................................3-19
Automatic Climate Control System...................3-19
Outlet Adjustment.........................................3-25
Climate Controls Personalization.....................3-25
Warning Lights, Gages, and Indicators............3-26
Instrument Panel Cluster................................3-27
Speedometer and Odometer...........................3-28
Tachometer.................................................3-28
Safety Belt Reminder Light.............................3-28
Air Bag Readiness Light................................3-28
Air Bag Off Light..........................................3-30
Charging System Light..................................3-32
Voltmeter Gage............................................3-32
Brake System Warning Light..........................3-33
Anti-Lock Brake System Warning Light.............3-34
Traction Off Light..........................................3-35Engine Coolant Temperature Gage..................3-35
Transmission Temperature Gage.....................3-36
Malfunction Indicator Lamp.............................3-38
Oil Pressure Gage........................................3-41
Security Light...............................................3-42
Cruise Control Light......................................3-42
Tow/Haul Mode Light....................................3-42
Fuel Gage...................................................3-43
Low Fuel Warning Light.................................3-43
Driver Information Center (DIC).......................3-44
DIC Operation and Displays...........................3-44
DIC Warnings and Messages.........................3-56
Audio System(s).............................................3-62
Setting the Time...........................................3-62
Radio with Cassette and CD..........................3-63
Radio with Six-Disc CD.................................3-74
Navigation/Radio System...............................3-86
Rear Seat Audio (RSA).................................3-87
Theft-Deterrent Feature..................................3-88
Audio Steering Wheel Controls.......................3-89
Radio Reception...........................................3-90
Care of Your Cassette Tape Player.................3-90
Care of Your CDs and DVDs.........................3-92
Care of Your CD and DVD Player...................3-92
Fixed Mast Antenna......................................3-92
Chime Level Adjustment................................3-92
Section 3 Instrument Panel
3-1

The main components of your instrument panel are the
following:
A. Air Outlets. SeeOutlet Adjustment on page 3-25.
B. Exterior Lamps Control. SeeExterior Lamps
on page 3-13.
C. OnStar
®and Radio Steering Wheel Buttons (If
Equipped). SeeOnStar®System on page 2-40and
Audio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-89.
D. Instrument Panel Cluster. SeeInstrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-27.
E. Locking Rear Axle and All-wheel Drive Buttons. See
Locking Rear Axle on page 4-11andAll-Wheel
Drive on page 2-25.
F. Audio System. SeeAudio System(s) on page 3-62.
G. Air Bag Switch. SeeAir Bag Off Switch on
page 1-68.
H. Glove Box. SeeGlove Box on page 2-45.
I. Rear Wiper/Washer Control. See “Rear Window
Washer/Wiper” underTurn Signal/Multifunction Lever
on page 3-6.
J. Dome Override Button. SeeInterior Lamps on
page 3-16.
K. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. SeeTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-6.L. Tilt Lever. SeeTilt Wheel on page 3-5.
M. Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons. SeeDriver
Information Center (DIC) on page 3-44.
N. Parking Brake Release. SeeParking Brake on
page 2-29.
O. Traction Control Button. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9.
P. Tow/Haul Selector Button. See “Tow/Haul Mode”
underAutomatic Transmission Operation on
page 2-22.
Q. Ride Height Selector Button (If Equipped). See
Selectable Extended Rear Ride Height on page 4-73.
R. Cigarette Lighter (If Equipped). SeeAshtrays and
Cigarette Lighter on page 3-18.
S. Shift Lever. SeeAutomatic Transmission Operation
on page 2-22.
T. Accessory Power Outlets (If Equipped). See
Accessory Power Outlets on page 3-18.
U. OnStar Buttons. SeeOnStar
®System on page 2-40.
V. Rear Window Defogger Button. See “Rear Window
Defogger” underAutomatic Climate Control
System on page 3-19.
W. Comfort Control System. SeeAutomatic Climate
Control System on page 3-19.
3-3

If you apply your brakes, the cruise control will shut off.
{CAUTION:
Cruise control can be dangerous where you
can not drive safely at a steady speed. So, do
not use your cruise control on winding roads
or in heavy traffic.
Cruise control can be dangerous on slippery
roads. On such roads, fast changes in tire
traction can cause needless wheel spinning,
and you could lose control. Do not use cruise
control on slippery roads.
Setting Cruise Control
{CAUTION:
If you leave your cruise control on when you
are not using cruise, you might hit a button
and go into cruise when you do not want to.
You could be startled and even lose control.
Keep the cruise control switch off until you
want to use cruise control.
1. Move the cruise control switch to on.
2. Get up to the speed you want.
3. Press in the set button at the end of the lever and
release it.
4. Take your foot off the accelerator pedal.
3-10

Reducing Speed While Using Cruise
Control

Press in the button at the end of the lever until you
reach the lower speed you want, then release it.
To slow down in very small amounts, briey press
the set button. Each time you do this, you’ll go
about 1 mph (1.6 km/h) slower.
Passing Another Vehicle While Using
Cruise Control
Use the accelerator pedal to increase your speed.
When you take your foot off the pedal, your vehicle will
slow down to the cruise control speed you set earlier.
Using Cruise Control on Hills
How well your cruise control will work on hills depends
upon your speed, load and the steepness of the
hills. When going up steep hills, you may want to step
on the accelerator pedal to maintain your speed.
When going downhill, you may have to brake or shift to
a lower gear to keep your speed down. Of course,
applying the brake takes you out of cruise control. Many
drivers nd this to be too much trouble and don’t use
cruise control on steep hills.
Ending Cruise Control
There are four ways to turn off the cruise control:
Step lightly on the brake pedal,
move the cruise control switch to off, or
shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N).
If road conditions cause the traction control system
to activate, cruise control will turn off.
If the accelerator pedal is held for 60 seconds or
longer, cruise control will turn off.
Erasing Speed Memory
When you turn off the cruise control or the ignition, your
cruise control set speed memory is erased.
3-12

Traction Off Light
The traction off light will
come on when a traction
control system or anti-lock
brake system problem
has been detected.
The vehicle may need
service.
When this light is on, the system will not limit wheel
spin. Adjust your driving accordingly. SeeTraction
Control System (TCS) on page 4-9.
If the Traction Control System (TCS) detects that the
vehicle’s brake’s are overheating, the TCS will shut off
and the traction off light will come on. When the
brakes cool off, the TCS will turn back on automatically
and the traction off light will go out.
Engine Coolant Temperature Gage
This gage shows the engine coolant temperature.
It also provides an indicator of how hard your vehicle is
working. During a majority of the operation, the gage
will read 210°F (100°C) or less. If you are pulling a load
or going up hills, it is normal for the temperature to
uctuate and approach the 250°F (122°C) mark. If the
gage reaches the 260°F (125°C) mark, it indicates
that the cooling system is working beyond its capacity.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-27.
United StatesCanada
3-35

TIGHTEN FUEL CAP
If the vehicle’s fuel cap is not tightened properly this
message may appear along with the check engine light
on the instrument panel. SeeMalfunction Indicator
Lamp on page 3-38. Reinstall the fuel cap, making sure
to fully install the cap. SeeFilling Your Tank on
page 5-7. The diagnostic system can determine if the
fuel cap has been left off or improperly installed. A loose
or missing fuel cap will allow fuel to evaporate into
the atmosphere. A few driving trips with the cap properly
installed should turn the light and message off.
CHECK WASHER FLUID
If the washer uid level is low, this message will appear
on the DIC. Adding washer uid will clear the message.
Pressing the select button will clear it from the DIC
display. This message will clear itself after 10 seconds
until the next ignition cycle.
TRACTION ACTIVE
When the traction control system has detected that any
of the vehicle’s wheels are slipping, the traction
control system will activate and this message will appear
on the DIC. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on
page 4-9for more information.
TRANSMISSION HOT
If the transmission uid temperature becomes high, the
message center will display this message.
When the transmission enters the protection mode, you
may notice a change in the transmission shifting
patterns. When the transmission uid temperature
returns to normal, the display will turn off and the
transmission shifting patterns will return to normal.
Notice:If you drive your vehicle while the
transmission uid is overheating and the
transmission temperature warning is displayed on
the instrument panel cluster and/or DIC, you
can damage the transmission. This could lead to
costly repairs that would not be covered by
your warranty. Do not drive your vehicle with
overheated transmission uid or while transmission
temperature warning is displayed.
3-59

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...........................................4-47Before 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
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

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 seeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-9.
Braking
Braking action involvesperception timeand
reaction time.
First, you have to decide to push on the brake pedal.
That isperception time.Then you have to bring up your
foot and do it. That isreaction time.
Averagereaction timeis 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.
4-6

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 rmly 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” underTurn 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.
TC2 only operates in the following transfer case modes:
4HI Lock
4LO Lock
4LO Lock and Rear Axle Lock
SeeLocking Rear Axle on page 4-11for more
information on the rear axle lock.It will not operate in 4HI. If the TC2 button is pressed
while in 4HI, the light will ash for about 15 seconds and
then go out. The light should also come on briey
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. SeeTraction Off
Light on page 3-35.
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