trailer HUMMER H3 2007 Owners Manual

Starting and Operating Your
Vehicle
New Vehicle Break-In
Notice:Your vehicle does not need an
elaborate break-in. But it will perform better in
the long run if you follow these guidelines:
Keep your speed at 55 mph (88 km/h)
or less for the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not drive at any one constant speed,
fast or slow, for the rst 500 miles (805 km).
Do not make full-throttle starts. Avoid
downshifting to brake, or slow, the vehicle.
Avoid making hard stops for the rst
200 miles (322 km) or so. During this time
your new brake linings are not yet broken
in. Hard stops with new linings can mean
premature wear and earlier replacement.
Follow this breaking-in guideline every
time you get new brake linings.
Do not tow a trailer during break-in.
SeeTowing a Trailer on page 297for the
trailer towing capabilities of your vehicle
and more information.
Following break-in, engine speed and load
can be gradually increased.
Ignition Positions
With the key in the
ignition switch, you can
turn to four different
positions.
LOCK (A):This position locks the ignition. It also
locks the transmission on automatic transmission
vehicles. It will locks the steering wheel on
manual transmission vehicles when the key is
removed. It is a theft-deterrent feature. You
will only be able to remove your key when the
ignition is turned to LOCK.
If you have an automatic transmission, the ignition
switch cannot be turned to LOCK unless the
shift lever is in PARK (P).
101

Automatic Transmission Operation
The automatic transmission has a shift lever on
the console.
It features an electronic shift position indicator
within the instrument cluster. This display must be
powered anytime the shift lever is capable of
being moved out of PARK (P). This means that if
your key is turned off, but not in LOCK, there
will be a small current drain on your battery which
could discharge your battery over a period of
time. If you need to leave your key in the ignition
but not in LOCK for an extended period, it is
recommended that you disconnect the battery
cable from the battery to prevent discharging your
battery.
There are several different positions for your shift
lever.PARK (P):This position locks your rear wheels.
It is the best position to use when you start the
engine because your vehicle cannot move easily.
{CAUTION:
It is 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.
Do not leave your vehicle when the engine
is running unless you have to. 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, always set your parking brake and
move the shift lever to PARK (P).
SeeShifting Into Park (P) (Automatic
Transmission) on page 117. If you are
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on
page 297.
106

DRIVE (D):This position is for normal driving.
It provides the best fuel economy for your vehicle.
If you need more power for passing, and you are:
Going less than about 35 mph (55 km/h), push
your accelerator pedal about halfway down.
Going about 35 mph (55 km/h) or more, push
the accelerator all the way down.
Downshifting the transmission in slippery road
conditions could result in skidding, see “Skidding”
underLoss of Control on page 249.
DRIVE (D) can be used when towing a trailer.
You may want to shift the transmission to
THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often under heavy loads
and/or hilly conditions.
THIRD (3):This position is also used for normal
driving. However it reduces vehicle speed
more than DRIVE (D) without using your brakes.
You might choose THIRD (3) instead of DRIVE (D)
when driving on hilly, winding roads, when
towing a trailer, so there is less shifting between
gears and when going down a steep hill.SECOND (2): This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than THIRD (3) without using your
brakes. You can use SECOND (2) on hills. It can
help control your speed as you go down steep
mountain roads, but then you would also want to
use your brakes off and on.
FIRST (1): This position reduces vehicle speed
even more than SECOND (2) without using
your brakes. You can use it on very steep hills, or
in deep snow or mud. If the shift lever is put in
FIRST (1) while the vehicle is moving forward, the
transmission will not shift into rst gear until the
vehicle is going slowly enough.
Notice:Spinning the tires or holding the
vehicle in one place on a hill using only
the accelerator pedal may damage the
transmission. The repair will not be covered
by your warranty. If you are stuck, do not spin
the tires. When stopping on a hill, use the
brakes to hold the vehicle in place.
108

Parking Brake
The parking brake pedal
is located to the left of
the regular brake pedal,
near the driver’s door.
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down with your right foot. Push the
parking brake pedal down to its fully-applied
position with your left foot.
A chime will activate and the brake warning light,
located on the instrument panel, will ash
when the parking brake is applied and the vehicle
is moving at least 3 mph (5 km/h) for at least
three seconds. The chime will deactivate and the
light will turn off when the parking brake is set
and the vehicle is moving below 3 mph (5 km/h).
SeeBrake System Warning Light on page 182.To release the parking brake, hold the regular
brake pedal down. Pull the bottom edge of
the lever, located above the parking brake pedal,
with the parking brake symbol, directly rearward
to release the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is
released, the brake system warning light will go off.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Verify
that the parking brake is fully released and the
brake warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any
hill, seeTowing a Trailer on page 297.
116

Shifting Into Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
{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 297.
1. Hold the brake pedal down with your right foot
and set the parking brake.
{CAUTION:
With all-wheel drive, your vehicle will be
free to roll — even if your shift lever is in
PARK (P) — if your transfer case is in
NEUTRAL. So, be sure the transfer case is
in a drive gear, four-wheel high (4H) or
four-wheel low (4L) — not in NEUTRAL.
2. Move the shift lever into PARK (P) by pressing
the shift lever button and moving the lever as
far forward 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 key, your
vehicle is in PARK (P).
117

Shifting Out of Park (P)
(Automatic Transmission)
Your vehicle has an automatic transmission shift
lock control system. You have to apply your
regular brake before you can shift from PARK (P)
when the ignition is in ON. SeeAutomatic
Transmission Operation on page 106.
If you cannot shift out of PARK (P), ease pressure
on the shift lever and push the shift lever all the way
into PARK (P) as you maintain brake application.
Then move the shift lever into the gear you wish.
Press the shift lever button before moving the
shift lever.
Parking Your Vehicle
(Manual Transmission)
Your vehicle has a manual transmission. Before
you get out of your vehicle, move the shift
lever into REVERSE (R), and rmly apply the
parking brake. Once the shift lever has been
placed into REVERSE (R) with the clutch pedal
pressed in, turn the ignition key to LOCK, remove
the key and release the clutch.
If you are parking on a hill, or if your vehicle is
pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 297.
Parking Over Things That Burn
{CAUTION:
Things that can burn could touch hot
exhaust parts under your vehicle and
ignite. Do not park over papers, leaves,
dry grass, or other things that can burn.
119

Running the Engine While Parked
It is better not to park with the engine running. But if
you ever have to, here are some things to know.
{CAUTION:
Idling the engine with the climate control
system off could allow dangerous exhaust
into your vehicle. See the earlier caution
underEngine Exhaust on page 120.
Also, idling in a closed-in place can let
deadly carbon monoxide (CO) into your
vehicle even if the climate control fan is at
the highest setting. One place this can
happen is a garage. Exhaust — with
CO — can come in easily. NEVER park in
a garage with the engine running.
Another closed-in place can be a blizzard.
SeeWinter Driving on page 281.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of your
vehicle if the automatic transmission shift
lever is not fully in PARK (P) with the
parking brake rmly set. Your vehicle can
roll. Do not leave your vehicle when the
engine is running unless you have to. 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 it is on fairly
level ground, always set the parking brake
and move the automatic transmission
shift lever to PARK (P), or the manual
transmission shift lever to NEUTRAL.
Follow the proper steps to be sure your vehicle will
not move. SeeShifting Into Park (P) (Automatic
Transmission) on page 117andParking Your
Vehicle (Manual Transmission) on page 119.
If you are pulling a trailer with your vehicle, see
Towing a Trailer on page 297.
121

Dome Lamp Override
E(Dome Lamp Override):You can use the
dome override button, located below the exterior
lamps control, to set the dome and footwell
lamps to come on automatically when a door is
opened, or to remain off. To turn the lamps
off, press the button into the in position. With the
button in this position, the dome lamps will
remain off when the doors are open. To return
the lamps to automatic operation, press the
button again and return it to the out position.
With the button in this position, the dome lamps
will come on when you open a door.
Exit Lighting
With exit lighting, the interior lamps will come
on when you remove the key from the ignition.
The lamps will not come on if the dome override
button is pressed in.
Reading Lamps
Your vehicle has reading lamps. Press the button
located next to the lamp to turn them on or off.
These lamps will not come on with the dome lamps.
Electric Power Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM)
that estimates the battery’s temperature and state
of charge. It then adjusts the voltage for best
performance and extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the
voltage is raised slightly to quickly put the charge
back in. When the state of charge is high, the
voltage is lowered slightly to prevent overcharging.
If the vehicle has a voltmeter gage, you may
see the voltage move up or down. This is normal.
If there is a problem, an alert will be displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the
electrical loads are very high. This is true for all
vehicles. This is because the generator (alternator)
may not be spinning fast enough at idle to
produce all the power that is needed for very
high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following loads are on: headlamps, high beams,
fog lamps, rear window defogger, climate
control fan at high speed, heated seats, engine
cooling fans, trailer loads, and loads plugged into
accessory power outlets.
168

This light should come on, as a check to show
you it is working, when the ignition is on and
the engine is not running. If the light does
not come on, have it repaired. This light will also
come on during a malfunction in one of two ways:
Light Flashing— A misre condition has been
detected. A misre increases vehicle emissions
and may damage the emission control system
on your vehicle. Diagnosis and service may
be required.
Light On Steady— An emission control system
malfunction has been detected on your vehicle.
Diagnosis and service may be required.
If the Light is Flashing
The following may prevent more serious damage
to your vehicle:
Reducing vehicle speed
Avoiding hard accelerations
Avoiding steep uphill grades
If you are towing a trailer, reduce the amount of
cargo being hauled as soon as it is possible
If the light stops ashing and remains on steady,
see “If the Light Is On Steady” following.If the light continues to ash, when it is safe to
do so, stop the vehicle. Find a safe place to park
your vehicle. Turn the key off, wait at least
10 seconds and restart the engine. If the light
remains on steady, see “If the Light Is On Steady”
following. If the light is still ashing, follow the
previous steps, and see your dealer for service
as soon as possible.
If the Light Is On Steady
You may be able to correct the emission system
malfunction by considering the following:
Did you recently put fuel into your vehicle?
If so, reinstall the fuel cap, making sure to fully
install the cap. SeeFilling the Tank on page 318.
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 off.
Did you just drive through a deep puddle of water?
If so, your electrical system may be wet. The
condition will usually be corrected when the
electrical system dries out. A few driving trips
should turn the light off.
187

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