headlamp HUMMER H3 2009 User Guide
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Headlamps on Reminder
A headlamp reminder chime will
sound if the following conditions
are met:
The driver door is open.
Parking lamps or headlamps are
manually turned on.
The key is either not in the
ignition switch, or it is in the
LOCK/OFF position of the ignition
switch.
The headlamp reminder cannot be
turned off if the conditions listed
above are met.
In the automatic mode, the
headlamps turn off once the ignition
is in ACC/ACCESSORY.
Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can
make it easier for others to see
the front of your vehicle during the
day. Fully functional daytime
running lamps are required on all
vehicles rst sold in Canada.
The DRL system will come on when
the following conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamps control is
in AUTO.
The transmission is not in
P (Park), if the vehicle has
an automatic transmission.
The light sensor determines it is
daytime.When the DRL are on, no other
lamps are on. The instrument panel
will not be lit up either. For
vehicles rst sold in Canada, if
parking lamps are manually turned
on, DRL will stay on.
When it begins to get dark, the
automatic headlamp system will
switch from DRL to the headlamps.
The regular headlamp system
should be turned on when needed.
To turn off the DRL, seeExterior
Lamps on page 3-11.
Vehicles rst sold in Canada cannot
turn off DRL unless certain
conditions are met. SeeExterior
Lamps on page 3-11.
Instrument Panel 3-13
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Automatic Headlamp
System
When it is dark enough outside,
the automatic headlamp system
will turn on after the transmission
has been shifted from P (Park) to
D (Drive). The headlamps, taillamps,
sidemarker, parking lamps, roof
marker lamps, and the instrument
panel lights turn on at normal
brightness. The radio lights will
become dimmer when the
headlights are off compared to
when the headlights are on.
The vehicle has a light sensor
located on the top of the instrument
panel. Do not cover the sensor,
or the system will be on whenever
the ignition is on.
The system can turn on the
headlamps when driving in a parking
garage, through a tunnel or when
there is overcast weather. This
is normal.There is a delay in the transition
between the daytime and nighttime
operation of the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) and the automatic
headlamp system so that driving
under bridges or bright overhead
street lights does not affect the
system. The DRL and automatic
headlamp system will only be
affected when the light sensor
detects a change in lighting lasting
longer than the delay.
If the vehicle is started in a dark
garage, the automatic headlamp
system will come on immediately.
Once the vehicle leaves the garage,
it will take about one minute for
the automatic headlamp system to
change to DRL if it is light
outside. During that delay, the
instrument panel cluster may not be
as bright as usual. Make sure the
instrument panel brightness
control is in the full bright position.
SeeInstrument Panel Brightness on
page 3-15.
Off-Road Lamps
The off-road lamps, if the vehicle
has them, provide auxiliary lighting
when the vehicle is used off
road. These lamps are not intended
to be used in place of existing
vehicle lighting. The lamps are not
to be used on any public street
or highway and are to be covered
when not in use. Check your
state and local laws before installing
or using any auxiliary lighting. In
some states it may be necessary to
remove the roof lamps when
operating the vehicle on the
highway.
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Page 133 of 382
The off-road lamps button is located
on the instrument panel below
the climate controls.
To use the lamps, remove the
covers from the lamps and press
the button to turn them on or off. An
indicator light turns on when the
lamps are on.
Notice:Turning on the off-road
lamps before removing the
lamp covers could damage the
off-road lamps and the covers.
Always remove the covers before
turning on the off-road lamps. The off-road lamps remain on even
after the ignition is turned off.
The off-road lamp button must be
pressed to turn them off.
Fog Lamps
The vehicle has fog lamps that
provide better visibility in foggy or
misty conditions.
The fog lamp button is located in
the exterior lamps control.
#(Fog Lamps):
The headlamps
or parking lamps must be on for
the fog lamps to work. Press
#to turn the fog lamps on or off. An
indicator light turns on when the fog
lamps are on.
Never use the fog lamps in the dark
without turning on the headlamps.
When the high-beam headlamps are
turned on, the fog lamps turn off
automatically. When the high-beam
headlamps are turned off, the
fog lamps come on again.
Some localities have laws that
require the headlamps to be
on along with the fog lamps.
Instrument Panel
Brightness
This feature controls the brightness
of the instrument panel lights.
The instrument panel brightness
thumbwheel is located next to
the exterior lamp control.
D(Instrument Panel Brightness):
Turn the thumbwheel up or down
to brighten or dim the instrument
panel lights and the radio display.
Instrument Panel 3-15
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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 bring the charge
back up. When the state of charge is
high, the voltage is lowered
slightly to prevent overcharging. If
the vehicle has a voltmeter gage or
a voltage display on the Driver
Information Center (DIC), 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 fastenough 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 are on, such
as: 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.
EPM works to prevent excessive
discharge of the battery. It does this
by balancing the generator’s
output and the vehicle’s electrical
needs. It can increase engine
idle speed to generate more power,
whenever needed. It can temporarily
reduce the power demands of
some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in
steps or levels, without being
noticeable. In rare cases at the
highest levels of corrective action,this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a Driver Information
Center (DIC) message might be
displayed, such as BATTERY
SAVER ACTIVE, BATTERY
VOLTAGE LOW, or LOW BATTERY.
If this message is displayed, it is
recommended that the driver reduce
the electrical loads as much as
possible. SeeDIC Warnings and
Messages on page 3-37.
Battery Run-Down
Protection
This feature shuts off the dome
lamp if it is left on for more
than 20 minutes when the ignition is
in LOCK/OFF. This helps to
prevent the battery from being
drained.
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Notice:Lack of proper engine oil
maintenance can damage the
engine. The repairs would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.
Always follow the maintenance
schedule in this manual for
changing engine oil.
The oil pressure light should come
on brie y as the engine is started.
If it does not come on have the
vehicle serviced by your
dealer/retailer.
If the light comes on and stays on, it
means that oil is not owing
through the engine properly. The
vehicle could be low on oil and
might have some other system
problem.Security Light
For information regarding this light
and the vehicle’s security system,
seeContent Theft-Deterrent
on page 2-11.
Cruise Control Light
This light comes on whenever the
cruise control is set.
The light goes out when the cruise
control is turned off. SeeCruise
Control on page 3-9for more
information.
Highbeam On Light
This light comes on when the
high-beam headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam
Changer on page 3-7for more
information.
Fuel Gage
The fuel gage indicates about how
much fuel there is remaining in
the fuel tank. The ignition must be
in ON/RUN.
United StatesCanada
Instrument Panel 3-33
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Bluetooth Controls
Use thegbutton, located on the
driver side of the instrument
panel near the headlamp controls,
to operate the in-vehicle Bluetooth
system.
g(Push To Talk):Press to
answer incoming calls, to con rm
system information, and to start
speech recognition.
Pairing
A Bluetooth enabled cell phone
must be paired to the in-vehicle
Bluetooth system rst and then
connected to the vehicle before it
can be used. See the cell phone
manufacturers user guide for
Bluetooth functions before pairing
the cell phone. If a Bluetooth phone
is not connected, calls will be
made using OnStar
®Hands-Free
Calling, if available. Refer to
the OnStar owner’s guide for more
information.Pairing Information:
Up to ve cell phones can be
paired to the in-vehicle
Bluetooth system.
The pairing process is disabled
when the vehicle is moving.
The in-vehicle Bluetooth system
automatically links with the rst
available paired cell phone in the
order the phone was paired.
Only one paired cell phone can
be connected to the in-vehicle
Bluetooth system at a time.
Pairing should only need to be
completed once, unless
changes to the pairing
information have been made or
the phone is deleted.
To link to a different paired phone,
see Linking to a Different Phone
later in this section.Pairing a Phone
1. Press and release
g. The
system responds with “Ready”
followed by a tone.
2. Say “Bluetooth”. The system
responds with “Bluetooth
ready” followed by a tone.
3. Say “Pair”. The system responds
with instructions and a four digit
PIN number. The PIN number
will be used in Step 4.
4. Start the pairing process on the
cell phone that will be paired to
the vehicle. Reference the
cell phone manufacturers user
guide for information on this
process.
Locate the device named
“General Motors” in the list on
the cellular phone and follow the
instructions on the cell phone
to enter the four digit PIN number
that was provided in Step 3.
Instrument Panel 3-53
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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 the vehicle warranty.
{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.
Try to drive straight up the hill if
at all possible. If the path twists
and turns, you might want to
nd another route.
Ease up on the speed as you
approach the top of the hill.
Attach a ag to the vehicle to be
more visible to approaching
traffic on trails or hills.
Sound the horn as you approach
the top of the hill to let opposing
traffic know you are there.
Use headlamps even during the
day to make the vehicle 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.If the vehicle stalls, or is about to
stall, and you cannot make it up
the hill:
Push the brake pedal to stop the
vehicle and keep it from rolling
backwards and apply the parking
brake.
If the engine is still running, shift
the transmission to R (Reverse),
release the parking brake,
and slowly back down the hill in
R (Reverse).
If the engine has stopped
running, you need to restart
it. With the brake pedal
pressed, apply the parking
brake. If the vehicle has an
automatic transmission, shift the
transmission to P (Park).
Restart the engine. Then, shift to
R (Reverse), release the
parking brake, and slowly back
down the hill as straight as
possible in R (Reverse).
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Assist Steps
If your vehicle has 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.
Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous
than day driving because
some drivers are likely to be
impaired — by alcohol or drugs,
with night vision problems, or
by fatigue.
Night driving tips include:
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Reduce headlamp glare by
adjusting the inside rearview
mirror.
Slow down and keep more space
between you and other vehicles
because headlamps can only
light up so much road ahead.
Watch for animals.
When tired, pull off the road.
Do not wear sunglasses.
Avoid staring directly into
approaching headlamps.
Keep the windshield and all glass
on your vehicle clean — inside
and out.
Keep your eyes moving,
especially during turns or curves.
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 might need at
least twice as much light to see the
same thing at night as a 20-year-old.
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Run the engine for short periods
only as needed to keep warm,
but be careful.
To save fuel, run the engine for
only short periods as needed to
warm the vehicle and then shut the
engine off and close the window
most of the way to save heat.
Repeat this until help arrives
but only when you feel really
uncomfortable from the cold. Moving
about to keep warm also helps.
If it takes some time for help to
arrive, now and then when you run
the engine, push the accelerator
pedal slightly so the engine
runs faster than the idle speed. This
keeps the battery charged to
restart the vehicle and to signal for
help with the headlamps. Do
this as little as possible to save fuel.If Your Vehicle is
Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice, or Snow
Slowly and cautiously spin the
wheels to free the vehicle when
stuck in sand, mud, ice, or snow.
SeeRocking Your Vehicle to Get It
Out on page 4-34.
If the vehicle has a traction system,
it can often help to free a stuck
vehicle. Refer to the vehicle’s
traction system in the Index. If stuck
too severely for the traction
system to free the vehicle, turn the
traction system off and use the
rocking method.
{CAUTION
If you let your vehicle’s tires spin
at high speed, they can explode,
and you or others could be
injured. The vehicle can overheat,
causing an engine compartment
re or other damage. Spin the
wheels as little as possible and
avoid going above 35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the
speedometer.
For information about using tire
chains on the vehicle, seeTire
Chains on page 5-65.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-33
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The trailer towing harness contains
the following seven trailer circuits:
Yellow: Left Stop/Turn Signal
Dark Green: Right Stop/Turn
Signal
Brown: Taillamps
White: Ground
Light Green: Back-up Lamps
Red: Battery Feed
Dark Blue: Trailer Brake
If charging a remote (non-vehicle)
battery, turn on the headlamps
to boost the vehicle system voltage
to properly charge the battery.Four-Wire Harness Adapter
If towing a light-duty trailer with a
standard four-way, at pin
connector, an adapter is available
from your dealer/retailer.
Hold the adapter with the tab
pointing up.Connect the adapter to the
seven-pin universal heavy-duty
trailer connector attached to
the bracket on the hitch platform.
The ip cap on the vehicle’s harness
locks onto the tab and helps hold
the adapter in place. Plug the
four-way pin connector onto the
adapter.
4-52 Driving Your Vehicle