steering HUMMER H3 2007 User Guide

Audio System(s)
Determine which radio your vehicle has and then
read the pages following to familiarize yourself
with its features.
Driving without distraction is a necessity for a
safer driving experience. SeeDefensive Driving on
page 234. By taking a few moments to read this
manual and get familiar with your vehicle’s
audio system, you can use it with less effort, as
well as take advantage of its features. While your
vehicle is parked, set up your audio system by
presetting your favorite radio stations, setting the
tone and adjusting the speakers. Then, when
driving conditions permit, you can tune to
your favorite stations using the presets and
steering wheel controls if the vehicle has them.{CAUTION:
This system provides you with a far greater
access to audio stations and song listings.
Giving extended attention to entertainment
tasks while driving can cause a crash and
you or others can be injured or killed.
Always keep your eyes on the road and
your mind on the drive — avoid engaging
in extended searching while driving.
Keeping your mind on the drive is important for
safe driving. For more information, seeDefensive
Driving on page 234.
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Here are some ways in which you can help avoid
distraction while driving.
While your vehicle is parked:
Familiarize yourself with all of its controls.
Familiarize yourself with its operation.
Set up your audio system by presetting your
favorite radio stations, setting the tone, and
adjusting the speakers. Then, when driving
conditions permit, you can tune to your favorite
radio stations using the presets and steering
wheel controls if the vehicle has them.
Notice:Before adding any sound equipment
to your vehicle, such as an audio system,
CD player, CB radio, mobile telephone, or
two-way radio, make sure that it can be added
by checking with your dealer. Also, check
federal rules covering mobile radio and
telephone units. If sound equipment can be
added, it is very important to do it properly.Added sound equipment may interfere with
the operation of your vehicle’s engine, radio,
or other systems, and even damage them.
Your vehicle’s systems may interfere with
the operation of sound equipment that has
been added.
Your vehicle has a feature called Retained
Accessory Power (RAP). With RAP, the audio
system can be played even after the ignition
is turned off. SeeRetained Accessory Power
(RAP) on page 103for more information.
Setting the Time
Press and hold H until the correct hour appears
on the display. AM or PM will appear on the
display (Radio with CD (UpLevel, MP3, and
Six-Disc CD)). Press and hold M until the correct
minute appears on the display. The time can
be set with the ignition on or off.
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Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle.... 234
Defensive Driving...................................... 234
Drunken Driving........................................ 235
Control of a Vehicle.................................. 238
Braking...................................................... 238
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).................. 239
Braking in Emergencies............................. 241
Traction Control System (TCS).................. 241
Locking Rear Axle..................................... 243
StabiliTrak
®System................................... 244
Steering.................................................... 245
Off-Road Recovery.................................... 247
Passing..................................................... 247
Loss of Control.......................................... 249
Off-Road Driving........................................ 250
Assist Steps.............................................. 271
Driving at Night......................................... 272Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads............ 273
City Driving............................................... 276
Freeway Driving........................................ 277
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.................. 278
Highway Hypnosis..................................... 279
Hill and Mountain Roads........................... 279
Winter Driving........................................... 281
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice, or Snow ................................. 286
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out........... 286
Recovery Loops........................................ 287
Loading Your Vehicle................................ 289
Towing........................................................ 294
Towing Your Vehicle ................................. 294
Recreational Vehicle Towing...................... 295
Towing a Trailer........................................ 297
Trailer Recommendations.......................... 310
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
233

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.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 241.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your
vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 314.
Braking
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 182.
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.
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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 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 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 and also reduces engine power. You may
feel or hear the system working, but this is normal.
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. SeeCruise Control on page 159.
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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.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.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 241
andStabiliTrak
®System on page 244.
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. SeeAccessories and
Modications on page 314.
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Steering in Emergencies
There are times when steering can be more
effective than braking. For example, you come over
a hill and nd 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. SeeBraking
on page 238. 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.
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Off-Road Recovery
You may nd 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.
Passing
The driver of a vehicle about to pass another on
a two-lane highway waits for just the right moment,
accelerates, moves around the vehicle ahead,
then goes back into the right lane again.
A simple maneuver?
Not necessarily! Passing another vehicle on a
two-lane highway is a potentially dangerous move,
since the passing vehicle occupies the same
lane as oncoming traffic for several seconds.
A miscalculation, an error in judgment, or a brief
surrender to frustration or anger can suddenly
put the passing driver face to face with the worst
of all traffic accidents — the head-on collision.
So here are some tips for passing:
Drive ahead. Look down the road, to the
sides, and to crossroads for situations
that might affect your passing patterns.
If you have any doubt whatsoever about
making a successful pass, wait for a
better time.
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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.
Remember: Any traction control system helps avoid
only the acceleration skid. If your traction system is
off, then an acceleration skid is also best handled
by easing your foot off the accelerator pedal.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 241
andStabiliTrak
®System on page 244.
If your vehicle starts to slide, ease your foot
off the accelerator pedal and quickly steer the way
you want the vehicle to go. If you start steering
quickly enough, your vehicle may straighten
out. Always be ready for a second skid if it occurs.
Of course, traction is reduced when water,
snow, ice, gravel, or other material is on the
road. For safety, you will want to slow down
and adjust your driving to these conditions.
It is important to slow down on slippery surfaces
because stopping distance will be longer and
vehicle control more limited.
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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, seeBraking on page 238.
Off-road driving can be great fun. But it does have
some denite 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 nd many driving tips and
suggestions. These will help make your off-road
driving safer and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out.
For example, be sure to have all necessary
maintenance and service work done. Check to
make sure all underbody shields are properly
attached. Make sure any equipment you
may need — rst aid kit, cell phone, ashlight,
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 inated?
Are the uid 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.
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