engine overheat HUMMER H2 2005 Owners Manual

To Use the Engine Coolant Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Locate the electrical cord near the front recovery
loop on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded 110-volt AC outlet.
{CAUTION:
Plugging the cord into an ungrounded outlet
could cause an electrical shock. Also, the
wrong kind of extension cord could overheat
and cause a re. You could be seriously
injured. Plug the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet. If the cord will
not reach, use a heavy-duty three-prong
extension cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and
store the cord as it was before to keep it away
from moving engine parts. If you do not, it could be
damaged.How long should you keep the coolant heater plugged
in? The answer depends on the outside temperature, the
kind of oil you have, and some other things. Instead
of trying to list everything here, we ask that you contact
your dealer in the area where you will be parking
your vehicle. The dealer can give you the best advice
for that particular area.
Automatic Transmission Operation
Your vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmission
and features an electronic shift position indicator
located within the instrument panel cluster.
There are several different positions for your shift lever.
PARK (P):This position locks your drive wheels. It
is the best position to use when you start your engine
because your vehicle cannot move easily.
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Shifting Into Park (P)
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your vehicle
if the shift lever is not fully in PARK (P) with
the parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine running, the
vehicle can move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure your vehicle will
not move, even when you are on fairly level
ground, use the steps that follow. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 4-68.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot and
set the parking brake.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by pressing and
holding the button on the end of the shift lever and
moving the lever forward as far as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK.
4. Remove the key and take it with you. If you can
leave your vehicle with the ignition key in your
hand, your vehicle is in PARK (P).
Leaving Your Vehicle With the Engine
Running
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to leave your vehicle with
the engine running. Your vehicle could move
suddenly if the shift lever is not fully in
PARK (P) with the parking brake rmly set.
And, if you leave the vehicle with the engine
running, it could overheat and even catch re.
You or others could be injured. Do not leave
your vehicle with the engine running.
If you have to leave your vehicle with the engine
running, be sure your vehicle is in PARK (P) and the
parking brake is rmly set before you leave it. After you
move the shift lever into PARK (P), hold the regular
brake pedal down. Then, see if you can move the shift
lever away from PARK (P) without rst pulling it
toward you. If you can, it means that the shift lever was
not fully locked into PARK (P).
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Anti-Lock Brake System Warning
Light
With the anti-lock brake
system, this light will come
on when you start your
engine and may stay on for
several seconds.
That’s normal. If the light doesn’t come on then, have it
xed so it will be ready to warn you if there is a
problem.
If the light stays on, or comes on when you’re driving,
your vehicle needs service. You will also hear a
chime sound when the light is on steady. If the regular
brake system warning light isn’t on, you still have
brakes, but you don’t have anti-lock brakes. If the
regular brake system warning light is also on you don’t
have anti-lock brakes and there’s a problem with
your regular brakes. In addition to both lights, you will
also hear a chime sound on the rst occurrence of
a problem and each time the vehicle is shut off and then
restarted. SeeBrake System Warning Light on
page 3-32.
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.
3-34

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 5-26.
Transmission Temperature Gage
Your vehicle is equipped with a transmission
temperature gage.
When your ignition is on, the gage shows the
temperature of the transmission uid. The normal
operating range is from 100°F (38°C) to about
265°F (130°C). United States
CanadaUnited StatesCanada
3-35

C4(Personalization):Press this button to access the
vehicle settings menu and customize the personal
settings on your vehicle.
D
r(Select):Press this button to reset certain DIC
functions and set your personalization settings.
Pressing any of the four DIC buttons or the trip odometer
reset stem will acknowledge DIC messages and clear
them from the DIC display.
DIC Operation and Displays
The Driver Information Center (DIC) comes on when the
ignition is on. After a short delay, the DIC will display
the information that was last displayed before the engine
was turned off.
If a problem is detected, a warning message will appear
on the display. Pressing any of the four DIC buttons
or the trip odometer reset stem will acknowledge or clear
most current warnings or service messages. Some
warnings that cannot be acknowledged or cleared are:
ENGINE OVERHEATED, OIL PRESSURE LOW,
REDUCED ENGINE POWER, TRANS HOT IDLE
ENGINE. These warnings must be dealt with
immediately and therefore cannot be cleared until the
problem has been corrected.You should take any message that appears on the
display seriously and remember that clearing the
message will only make the message disappear, not
correct the problem.
The DIC has different modes which can be accessed by
pressing the four DIC buttons located on the steering
wheel. These buttons are trip information, fuel
information, personalization and select. The button
functions are detailed in the following pages.
Trip Information Button
Press the trip information button to scroll through the
ODOMETER, TRIP A, TRIP B, TIRE PRESSURES,
TIMER and ENGINE HOURS.
Odometer:Press the trip information button until
ODOMETER appears on the display. This mode shows
the total distance the vehicle has been driven in
either miles or kilometers. Pressing the reset stem
located on the instrument cluster with the vehicle off will
also display the odometer.
Trip A:Press the trip information button until TRIP A
appears on the display. This mode shows the current
distance traveled since the last reset for TRIP A in either
miles or kilometers.
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ENGINE OVERHEATED
If the engine cooling system reaches unsafe
temperatures for operation, this message will appear in
the DIC and you will hear a chime. Stop and turn off
the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so to avoid severe
damage. This message will clear when the engine
has cooled to a safe operating temperature.
FUEL LEVEL LOW
If the fuel level is low, this message will appear on the
DIC and you will hear a chime. Refuel as soon as
possible. Pressing any of the four DIC buttons or the
trip odometer reset stem will clear the message from the
DIC display. It will also clear itself after 10 seconds.
The low fuel light near the fuel gage will still remain on
in either case.
KEYFOB X BATTERY LOW
If a remote keyless entry transmitter battery is low, this
message will appear on the DIC. The battery needs
to be replaced in the transmitter. See “Battery
Replacement” underRemote Keyless Entry System
Operation on page 2-5. Pressing any of the four
DIC buttons or the trip odometer reset stem will clear
the message from the DIC display.
LEFT REAR DOOR AJAR
If the driver’s side rear door is not fully closed and the
vehicle is in a drive gear, this message will appear
on the display and you will hear a chime. Stop and turn
off the vehicle, check the door for obstacles, and
close the door again. Check to see if the message still
appears on the DIC. Pressing any of the four DIC
buttons or the trip odometer reset stem will clear the
message from the DIC display.
LOW COOLANT LEVEL
If your vehicle has a low coolant sensor and the engine
coolant level is low, this message will appear on the
DIC. Adding coolant will clear the message. This
message will clear itself after 10 seconds until the next
ignition cycle.
OIL LIFE RESET
This message will appear on the display for about
10 seconds after resetting the change engine oil
message.
3-49

OIL PRESSURE LOW
If low oil pressure levels occur, this message will be
displayed on the DIC and a chime will sound. Stop the
vehicle as soon as safely possible and do not operate
it until the cause of the low oil pressure has been
corrected. Check your oil as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced by your GM dealer.
PASSENGER DOOR AJAR
If the passenger’s door is not fully closed and the
vehicle is in a drive gear, this message will appear on
the display and you will hear a chime. Stop and turn off
the vehicle, check the door for obstacles, and close
the door again. Check to see if the message still
appears on the DIC. Pressing any of the four DIC
buttons or the trip odometer reset stem will clear the
message from the DIC display.
REAR ACCESS OPEN
On the SUV, if the liftgate is open while the ignition is in
RUN, this message will appear on the DIC and you will
hear a chime. Turn off the vehicle and check the liftgate.
Restart the vehicle and check for the message on the DIC
display. Pressing any of the four DIC buttons or the trip
odometer reset stem will clear the message from the DIC
display.On the SUT, if the midgate is open or one or both of the
midgate latches are not fully closed, this message will
appear on the DIC. Turn off the vehicle and check that
the midgate and the latches are closed. Restart the
vehicle and check for the message on the DIC display.
Pressing any of the four DIC buttons or the trip odometer
reset stem will clear the message from the DIC display.
REDUCED ENGINE POWER
This message is displayed when the cooling system
temperature gets too hot and the engine further enters
the engine coolant protection mode.
SeeEngine Overheating on page 5-26for further
information.
You may also see this message when the vehicle
determines a problem with the electronic throttle control.
See your GM dealer for service.
REPLACE LIFTGATE FUSE
This message will be displayed if the liftgate lock
malfunctions and/or the liftgate fuse blows. For more
information on fuses, seeInstrument Panel Fuse Block
on page 5-103andUnderhood Fuse Block on
page 5-107.
If the message returns after replacing the fuse, see your
GM dealer for service.
3-50

If you decide you can go down a hill safely, then try to
keep your vehicle headed straight down, and use a
low gear. This way, engine drag can help your brakes
and they will not have to do all the work. Descend
slowly, keeping your vehicle under control at all times.
{CAUTION:
Heavy braking when going down a hill can
cause your brakes to overheat and fade. This
could cause loss of control and a serious
accident. Apply the brakes lightly when
descending a hill and use a low gear to keep
vehicle speed under control.
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:
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.
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.
4-34

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 You Are 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 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 re 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 your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transmission
back and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For more information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 5-67.
4-52

Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on your instrument panel will ash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also ash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will ash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbeforeyou start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
You can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the
transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower
gear selection if the transmission shifts too often
(e.g., under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions).You may also want to activate the tow/haul mode if
the transmission shifts too often. See “Tow/Haul
Mode” earlier.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn your
engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK (P) for a
few minutes before turning the engine off. If you do get
the overheat warning, seeEngine Overheating on
page 5-26.
4-76