weight HUMMER H3 2009 Owners Manual

The manufacturer’s instructions that
come with the booster seat, state the
weight and height limitations for that
booster. Use a booster seat with a
lap-shoulder belt until the child
passes the below t test:
Sit all the way back on the seat.
Do the knees bend at the seat
edge? If yes, continue. If no,
return to the booster seat.
Buckle the lap-shoulder belt.
Does the shoulder belt rest on the
shoulder? If yes, continue. If no,
try using the rear safety belt
comfort guide. See “Rear Safety
Belt Comfort Guides” under
Lap-Shoulder Belt on page 1-20
for more information. If the
shoulder belt still does not rest on
the shoulder, then return to the
booster seat.
Does the lap belt t low and snug
on the hips, touching the thighs?
If yes, continue. If no, return to the
booster seat.
Can proper safety belt t be
maintained for the length of the
trip? If yes, continue. If no, return
to the booster seat.
Q:What is the proper way to
wear safety belts?
A:An older child should wear a
lap-shoulder belt and get the
additional restraint a shoulder belt
can provide. The shoulder belt
should not cross the face or neck.
The lap belt should t snugly
below the hips, just touching the
top of the thighs. This applies belt
force to the child’s pelvic bones in
a crash. It should never be worn
over the abdomen, which could
cause severe or even fatal
internal injuries in a crash.Also see “Rear Safety Belt Comfort
Guides” underLap-Shoulder Belt
on page 1-20.
According to accident statistics,
children and infants are safer when
properly restrained in a child
restraint system or infant restraint
system secured in a rear seating
position.
In a crash, children who are not
buckled up can strike other people
who are buckled up, or can be
thrown out of the vehicle. Older
children need to use safety belts
properly.
1-26 Seats and Restraint System

Q:What are the different types of
add-on child restraints?
A:Add-on child restraints, which
are purchased by the vehicle’s
owner, are available in four basic
types. Selection of a particular
restraint should take into
consideration not only the child’s
weight, height, and age but also
whether or not the restraint will be
compatible with the motor vehicle
in which it will be used.
For most basic types of child
restraints, there are many
different models available.
When purchasing a child
restraint, be sure it is designed
to be used in a motor vehicle.
If it is, the restraint will have a
label saying that it meets federal
motor vehicle safety standards.The restraint manufacturer’s
instructions that come with the
restraint state the weight and
height limitations for a particular
child restraint. In addition,
there are many kinds of restraints
available for children with
special needs.
{CAUTION
To reduce the risk of neck and
head injury during a crash, infants
need complete support. This is
because an infant’s neck is not
fully developed and its head
weighs so much compared with
the rest of its body. In a crash, an
infant in a rear-facing child
restraint settles into the restraint,
so the crash forces can be
distributed across the strongest
part of an infant’s body, the back
and shoulders. Infants should
always be secured in rear-facing
child restraints.
{CAUTION
A young child’s hip bones are still
so small that the vehicle’s regular
safety belt may not remain low on
the hip bones, as it should.
Instead, it may settle up around
the child’s abdomen. In a crash,
the belt would apply force on a
body area that is unprotected by
any bony structure. This alone
could cause serious or fatal
injuries. To reduce the risk of
serious or fatal injuries during a
crash, young children should
always be secured in appropriate
child restraints.
1-30 Seats and Restraint System

Passenger Sensing
System
The vehicle has a passenger sensing
system for the right front passenger
position. The passenger airbag
status indicator will be visible on the
instrument panel when the vehicle
is started.
The words ON and OFF, or the
symbol for on and off, are visible
during the system check. When the
system check is complete, the
word ON or OFF, or the symbol foron or off, will be visible. See
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator
on page 3-26.
The passenger sensing system will
turn off the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat-mounted side
impact airbag (if equipped) under
certain conditions. The driver
airbags and the roof-rail airbags are
not affected by the passenger
sensing system.
The passenger sensing system
works with sensors that are part of
the right front passenger seat and
safety belt. The sensors are
designed to detect the presence of a
properly-seated occupant and
determine if the right front passenger
frontal airbag and seat-mounted side
impact airbag (if equipped) should be
enabled (may inate) or not.
According to accident statistics,
children are safer when properly
secured in a rear seat in the
correct child restraint for their
weight and size.We recommend that children be
secured in a rear seat, including: an
infant or a child riding in a rear-facing
child restraint; a child riding in a
forward-facing child seat; an older
child riding in a booster seat; and
children, who are large enough,
using safety belts.
A label on the sun visor says,
“Never put a rear-facing child seat
in the front.” This is because the risk
to the rear-facing child is so great,
if the airbag deploys.
{CAUTION
A child in a rear-facing child
restraint can be seriously injured or
killed if the right front passenger
airbag inates. This is because
the back of the rear-facing child
restraint would be very close to
the inating airbag. A child in a
forward-facing child restraint can
(Continued) United States
Canada
1-54 Seats and Restraint System

CAUTION (Continued)
be seriously injured or killed if
the right front passenger airbag
inates and the passenger seat
is in a forward position.
Even if the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag
and seat-mounted side impact
airbag (if equipped), no system is
fail-safe. No one can guarantee
that an airbag will not deploy under
some unusual circumstance, even
though the airbag(s) are off.
Secure rear-facing child
restraints in a rear seat, even
if the airbag(s) are off. If you
secure a forward-facing child
restraint in the right front seat,
always move the front passenger
seat as far back as it will go. It is
better to secure the child restraint
in a rear seat.The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the right
front passenger frontal airbag if:The right front passenger seat is
unoccupied.
The system determines that an
infant is present in a rear-facing
infant seat.
The system determines that a
small child is present in a
child restraint.
The system determines that a
small child is present in a
booster seat.
A right front passenger takes
his/her weight off of the seat
for a period of time.
The right front passenger seat is
occupied by a smaller person,
such as a child who has
outgrown child restraints.
Or, if there is a critical problem
with the airbag system or the
passenger sensing system.When the passenger sensing
system has turned off the right
front passenger frontal airbag and
seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped), the off indicator will
light and stay lit to remind you
that the airbag or airbags are off.
SeePassenger Airbag Status
Indicator on page 3-26.
The passenger sensing system is
designed to turn on (may inate) the
right front passenger frontal airbag
and seat-mounted side impact airbag
(if equipped) anytime the system
senses that a person of adult size
is sitting properly in the right front
passenger seat.
When the passenger sensing
system has allowed the airbag or
airbags to be enabled, the on
indicator will light and stay lit to
remind you that the airbag or
airbags are active.
Seats and Restraint System 1-55

Then, see if you can move the shift
lever away from P (Park) without
rst pressing the shift lever button.
If you can, it means that the
shift lever was not fully locked into
P (Park).
Torque lock is when the weight of
the vehicle puts too much force
on the parking pawl in the
transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting
the transmission into P (Park) is
not done properly and then it
is difficult to shift out of P (Park).
To prevent torque lock, set the
parking brake and then shift into
P (Park). To nd out how, see
“Shifting Into P (Park)” listed
previously.
If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so
you can shift out of P (Park).Shifting Out of Park
(Automatic
Transmission)
This vehicle is equipped with an
electronic shift lock release system.
The shift lock release is designed to:
Prevent ignition key removal
unless the shift lever is in P (Park)
with the shift lever button fully
released, and
Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park) unless
the ignition is in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY and the
regular brake pedal is applied.
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of
a an uncharged or low voltage
(less than 9 volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. SeeJump Starting on
page 5-34for more information.To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Then press the shift lever button.
3. Move the shift lever to the
desired position.
If you still are unable to shift out
of P (Park):
1. Fully release the shift lever
button.
2. While holding down the brake
pedal, press the shift lever
button again.
3. Move the shift lever to the
desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), consult your
dealer/retailer or a professional
towing service.
2-30 Features and Controls

Rear Storage Area
The H3 has a rear storage area
located on the passenger side of the
cargo area. To open it, pull the
two tabs out and open lid.
Convenience Net
Use the convenience net, located in
the rear, to store small loads as far
forward as possible. The net should
not be used to store heavy loads.
Cargo Cover (H3)
Notice:Do not put items onto
the cargo cover. The weight of the
items could cause the attachment
clips to break. The cargo cover
could no longer be attached
and used. The repairs would not
be covered by the warranty.
Never put anything on top of the
cargo cover.
The vehicle may have a cargo
cover. It can be used to cover
items in the rear of the vehicle.To install the cover, place the loops
on each corner of the cover on
the four hooks in the rear of
the vehicle. The cover should be
stored securely when not in use.
Cargo Tie Downs
There may be four cargo tie-downs
that can be moved on the tracks
located on the roof. To move, loosen
the tie-down counterclockwise.
Turn clockwise to tighten and lock
in place.
Cargo Management
System (H3T)
The vehicle comes with a cargo
management system located in the
bed of the vehicle. The system
contains three rails located on the
front and sides of the bed.
The system has four adjustable
cargo tie-downs, that can be placed
on the upper and lower slides of
the rail.To adjust a tie-down, pull the locator
pin out and move the tie-down to
another location making sure
the locator pin lines up with a locator
hole on the rail. The tie-down pin
may not be installed correctly if the
pin does not line up, turn it over
and reinstall. The tie-down will not
move when the pin is completely
installed. The maximum load
for each rail is 500 lbs (227 kg).
The rails are notched at each end
which allows the tie-downs to
be removed and placed on another
rail. To remove, pull the locator
pin out and slide the tie-down to the
end of the rail and pull back.
Features and Controls 2-49

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.
Avoid needless heavy
braking. Some people drive in
spurts — heavy acceleration
followed by heavy braking — rather
than keeping pace with traffic.
This is a mistake. The brakes might
not have time to cool between
hard stops. The brakes will wear out
much faster with a lot of heavy
braking. Keeping pace with
the traffic and allowing realistic
following distances eliminates a lot
of unnecessary braking. That
means better braking and longer
brake life.
If the vehicle ever loses electrical
power while it is being driven, brake
normally but do not pump the
brakes. If the brakes are pumped,the pedal could get harder to push
down. If the vehicle loses electrical
power, there will still be some
power brake assist but it will be
used when the brake is applied.
Once the power assist is used up, it
can take longer to stop, the brake
pedal will be harder to push,
and you might experience longer
pedal travel.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer
accessories can affect vehicle
performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
Hill Start Assist
This vehicle has a Hill Start Assist
(HSA) feature, which may be
useful when the vehicle is stopped
on a grade. This feature is
designed to prevent the vehicle from
rolling, either forward or rearward,
during vehicle drive off. After
the vehicle is stopped on an incline,
push the brake pedal completely
to the oor to activate Hill StartAssist. When the system activates,
a chime will sound and the HSA
ON message will be displayed.
Letting off the brake pedal slightly or
applying the accelerator pedal to
disengage Hill Start Assist gives the
driver two seconds to pull forward
or back up before the vehicle
starts to roll. Lightly ease off the
brake pedal to disengage Hill
Start Assist. The brakes will
automatically be held for a maximum
of two seconds while the driver
switches from applying the brakes
to pushing the accelerator pedal.
When Hill Start Assist is active, the
driver might experience a “hard
pedal.” This is normal and does not
affect safe brake operation.
On steeper hills, Hill Start Assist will
only activate if the driver tries to
move the vehicle up the hill. It will
not activate if the vehicle is in a
drive gear and facing downhill or if
the vehicle is facing uphill and
in R (Reverse).
4-4 Driving Your Vehicle

Driving Across an Incline
An off-road trail will probably go
across the incline of a hill. To decide
whether to try to drive across the
incline, consider the following:
{CAUTION
Driving across an incline that is
too steep will make your vehicle
roll over. You could be seriously
injured or killed. If you have any
doubt about the steepness of the
incline, do not drive across it. Find
another route instead.
A hill that can be driven
straight up or down might be
too steep to drive across. When
going straight up or down a
hill, the length of the wheel
base — the distance from
the front wheels to the rear
wheels —reduces the likelihoodthe vehicle will tumble end over
end. But when driving across
an incline, the narrower
track width — the distance
between the left and right
wheels — might not prevent the
vehicle from tilting and rolling
over. Driving across an incline
puts more weight on the downhill
wheels which could cause a
downhill slide or a rollover.
Surface conditions can be a
problem. Loose gravel, muddy
spots, or even wet grass can
cause the tires to slip sideways,
downhill. If the vehicle slips
sideways, it can hit something
that will trip it — a rock, a rut,
etc. — and roll over.
Hidden obstacles can make the
steepness of the incline even
worse. If you drive across a rock
with the uphill wheels, or if the
downhill wheels drop into a rut or
depression, the vehicle can tilt
even more.
For these reasons, carefully
consider whether to try to drive
across an incline. Just because the
trail goes across the incline does
not mean you have to drive it.
The last vehicle to try it might have
rolled over.
If you feel the vehicle starting to
slide sideways, turn downhill. This
should help straighten out the
vehicle and prevent the side
slipping. The best way to prevent
this is to “walk the course” rst,
so you know what the surface is like
before driving it.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-25

If the vehicle has a brush guard,
never tow or apply any loads
onto the brush guard.
Loading the Vehicle
It is very important to know how
much weight the vehicle can
carry. This weight is called the
vehicle capacity weight and
includes the weight of all
occupants, cargo and all
nonfactory-installed options.Two labels on the vehicle show
how much weight it may
properly carry, the Tire and
Loading Information label and
the Certication/Tire label.
{CAUTION
Do not load the vehicle any
heavier than the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating (GVWR), or
either the maximum front or
rear Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). If you do, parts on
the vehicle can break, and it
can change the way your
vehicle handles. These could
cause you to lose control and
crash. Also, overloading can
shorten the life of the vehicle.
Tire and Loading Information
Label
A vehicle specic Tire and
Loading Information label
is attached to the vehicle’s
center pillar (B-pillar). With the
driver’s door open, you will
nd the label attached below the
door latch post.
Label Example
Driving Your Vehicle 4-35

The Tire and Loading
Information label shows the
number of occupant seating
positions (A), and the maximum
vehicle capacity weight (B) in
kilograms and pounds.
The Tire and Loading Information
label also shows the size of the
vehicle’s original equipment
tires (C) and the recommended
cold tire ination pressures (D).
For more information on tires and
ination seeTires on page 5-44
andInflation - Tire Pressure on
page 5-51.
There is also important
information on the
Certication/Tire label. It tells
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR) and the Gross
Axle Weight Rating (GAWR)
for the front and rear axles. See
“Certication/Tire Label” later
in this section.Steps for Determining Correct
Load Limit
1.
Locate the statement “The
combined weight of occupants
and cargo should never
exceed XXX kg or XXX lbs” on
your vehicle’s placard.
2.Determine the combined
weight of the driver and
passengers that will be riding
in your vehicle.
3.Subtract the combined weight
of the driver and passengers
from XXX kg or XXX lbs.
4.The resulting gure equals the
available amount of cargo and
luggage load capacity. For
example, if the “XXX” amount
equals 1400 lbs and there will
be ve 150 lb passengers in
your vehicle, the amount
of available cargo and
luggage load capacity is
650 lbs (1400−750
(5 x 150) = 650 lbs).
5.Determine the combined
weight of luggage and
cargo being loaded on the
vehicle. That weight may not
safely exceed the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity calculated in Step 4.
6.If your vehicle will be towing a
trailer, the load from your
trailer will be transferred to
your vehicle. Consult
this manual to determine how
this reduces the available
cargo and luggage load
capacity of your vehicle.
SeeTowing a Trailer
on page 4-42for important
information on towing a
trailer, towing safety, and
trailering tips.
4-36 Driving Your Vehicle