transmission HUMMER H2 2009 User Guide

Transfer Case Dial
The transfer case dial is
located to the right of the
instrument panel cluster.
Use this switch to shift into
and out of the different
Full-Time Four-Wheel
Drive modes.
The transfer case is a part of the Full-Time Four-Wheel
Drive system and allows the following four different
modes of operation:
4
m(Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive):This setting is
used for driving in most street and highway situations.
It can be used for light or variable off-road conditions.
4
mQ(Four-Wheel-High Lock):Use this mode
when you need extra traction in most off-road situations
such as sand, mud, snow, or level, rocky trails.4
nQ(Four-Wheel-Low Lock):This mode delivers
extra torque to all four wheels and is used for extreme
off-road conditions. Choose Four-Wheel-Low Lock
while driving off-road in deep sand, mud, or snow and
climbing or descending steep hills.
When in this mode you can also choose to lock the rear
axle for additional traction in extreme off-road situations.
SeeLocking Rear Axle on page 4-10.
Notice:Operating the vehicle in
Four-Wheel-Low Lock above 50 mph (80 km/h)
for any extended period of time could cause damage
to the transfer case. Do not operate the vehicle in
Four-Wheel-Low Lock above 50 mph (80 km/h) for
extended periods.
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to N (Neutral) can cause
the vehicle to roll even if the transmission is in
P (Park). You or someone else could be seriously
injured. Be sure to set the parking brake before
placing the transfer case in N (Neutral).
SeeParking Brake on page 2-42.
2-38

N (Neutral):Shift the transfer case to N (Neutral) only
when towing the vehicle. SeeRecreational Vehicle
Towing on page 4-50orTowing Your Vehicle on
page 4-50for more information.
Indicator lights in the dial show which mode you are in.
The indicator lights will come on briey when you turn on
the ignition and one will stay on. If the lights do not come
on, take the vehicle to your dealer/retailer for service.
An indicator light will ash while shifting the transfer case.
It will remain on when the shift is complete. If the transfer
case cannot make a requested shift, it will return to the
last chosen setting.
If the SERVICE 4WD message stays on, you should
take the vehicle to your dealer/retailer for service.
See “Service 4WD message” underDriver Information
Center (DIC) on page 3-46.
Shifting between Four-Wheel High and
Four-Wheel-High Lock
With the vehicle traveling less than 40 mph
(64 km/h), turn the dial to the Four-Wheel High or
Four-Wheel-High Lock position. The indicator light
on the dial will ash while shifting. It will remain on
when the shift is complete.
It may be necessary to drive backwards for a short
distance of 25 feet (7.5 m) to get the lock feature
to disengage.
Shifting into Four-Wheel-Low Lock
To shift into Four-Wheel-Low Lock, the ignition must be
in ON/RUN and the vehicle must be stopped or moving
less than 3 mph (5 km/h) with the transmission in
N (Neutral). The preferred method for shifting into
Four-Wheel Low Lock is to have the vehicle moving
1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Turn the dial to the
Four-Wheel-Low Lock position. You must wait for the
Four-Wheel-Low Lock indicator light on the dial to stop
ashing and remain lit before shifting the transmission
in gear.
When the transfer case is shifted into the
Four-Wheel-Low Lock position a StabiliTrak
®indicator
light will come on to show that the system has been
turned off and a message will show in the DIC.
SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-56
for more information.
Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear before
the indicator light stops ashing could cause
damage to the transfer case. Always wait until the
indicator light stops ashing before putting the
transmission back in gear.
It is normal for the vehicle to have engagement noise
and bump when shifting between Four-Wheel Low Lock,
Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive or Four-Wheel-High Lock
ranges or from N (Neutral) with the engine running.
2-39

If the Four-Wheel-Low Lock position is selected when
the vehicle is in gear and/or moving, the Four-Wheel
Low Lock indicator light will ash for 15 seconds and
not complete the shift unless the vehicle is moving
less than 3 mph (5 km/h) and the transmission is
in N (Neutral). After 15 seconds the transfer case
will return to the setting last chosen.
Shifting Out of Four-Wheel Low Lock
To shift from Four-Wheel-Low Lock to Full-Time
Four-Wheel Drive or Four-Wheel-High Lock, the vehicle
must be stopped or moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h)
with the transmission in N (Neutral) and the ignition in
ON/RUN. The preferred method for shifting out of
Four-Wheel-Low Lock is to have the vehicle moving
1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Turn the dial to the
Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive or Four-Wheel-High Lock
position. You must wait for the Full-Time Four-Wheel
Drive or Four-Wheel-High Lock indicator light to stop
ashing and remain lit before shifting the transmission
into gear.It is normal for the vehicle to have engagement noise
and bump when shifting between Four-Wheel Low Lock,
Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive or Four-Wheel-High Lock
ranges or from N (Neutral) with the engine running.
If the Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive or
Four-Wheel-High Lock position is selected when
the vehicle is in gear and/or moving, the Full-Time
Four-Wheel Drive or Four-Wheel-High Lock indicator
light will ash for 30 seconds but will not complete
the shift unless the vehicle is moving less than 3 mph
(5 km/h) and the transmission is in N (Neutral).
Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear before
the indicator light stops ashing could cause
damage to the transfer case. Always wait until the
indicator light stops ashing before putting the
transmission back in gear.
2-40

Shifting into Neutral
To shift the transfer case to N (Neutral) do the following:
1. Make sure the vehicle is parked so that it will
not roll.
2. Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake
pedal. SeeParking Brake on page 2-42.
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to ON/RUN.
4. Put the transmission in N (Neutral).
5. Shift the transfer case to Full-Time Four-Wheel
Drive.
6. Turn the transfer case dial clockwise to N (Neutral)
position. The transfer case will not shift to N (Neutral)
unless this position is held for 10 seconds. The
N (Neutral) light will come on and then the dial can
be slowly released. The dial will be in the Four-Wheel
Low Lock position but the transfer case will be in
N (Neutral) with the N (Neutral) light on.
7. If the engine is running, make sure that the transfer
case is in N (Neutral) by shifting the transmission
to R (Reverse) for one second, then shift the
transmission to D (Drive) for one second.
8. Turn the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY, which will
turn the engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in P (Park).10. Release the parking brake prior to moving the
vehicle.
11. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
Shifting Out of Neutral
To shift out of N (Neutral) do the following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake
pedal.
2. Shift the transmission to N (Neutral) and turn the
ignition to ON/RUN with the engine off.
3. Turn the transfer case dial to Full-Time Four-Wheel
Drive, Four-Wheel High Lock or Four-Wheel
Low Lock.
After the transfer case has shifted out of N (Neutral)
the N (Neutral) light will go out.
4. Release the parking brake prior to moving the
vehicle.
Notice:Shifting the transmission into gear before
the requested mode indicator light has stopped
ashing could damage the transfer case. To help
avoid damaging the vehicle, always wait for the
mode indicator lights to stop ashing before
shifting the transmission into gear.
5. Start the engine and shift the transmission to the
desired position.
2-41

Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift the
transmission into P (Park) properly, the weight of the
vehicle may put too much force on the parking pawl in
the transmission. You may nd it difficult to pull the
shift lever out of P (Park). This is called “torque lock.”
To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into P (Park) properly before you leave the
driver seat. To nd out how, seeShifting Into Park
on page 2-43.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
P (Park) before you release the parking brake.
If torque lock does occur, you may need to have another
vehicle push yours a little uphill to take some of the
pressure from the parking pawl in the transmission,
so you can pull the shift lever out of P (Park).
Shifting Out of Park
The 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 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 5-42for more information.
To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. 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),
see your dealer/retailer.
2-44

Running the Vehicle 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 a vehicle in an enclosed area with poor
ventilation is dangerous. Engine exhaust may
enter the vehicle. Engine exhaust contains Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which cannot be seen or smelled.
It can cause unconsciousness and even death.
Never run the engine in an enclosed area that
has no fresh air ventilation. For more information,
seeEngine Exhaust on page 2-45.
{CAUTION:
It can be dangerous to get out of the vehicle
if the automatic transmission shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking brake rmly set.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
The vehicle can roll. Do not leave the 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 the vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground, always set the
parking brake and move the shift lever to P (Park).
{CAUTION:
Full-time four-wheel drive vehicles with the transfer
case in (N) Neutral will allow the vehicle to roll,
even if the automatic transmission shift lever is in
P (Park). So, be sure the transfer case is in a
drive gear — not in (N) Neutral. Always set the
parking brake.
Follow the proper steps to be sure the vehicle will not
move. SeeShifting Into Park on page 2-43.
If pulling a trailer, seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-55.
2-46

The main components of the instrument panel are the following:
A.Outlet Adjustment on page 3-27.
B. Midgate Window Switch (SUT). SeePower Windows
on page 2-20.Rear Window Wiper/Washer on
page 3-11(SUV).
C.Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-8.
D.Instrument Panel Cluster on page 3-30.
E.Audio Steering Wheel Controls on page 3-129.
F.Driver Information Center (DIC) on page 3-46.
G.Analog Clock on page 3-21.
H.Airbag Off Switch on page 1-76.
I. Global Window Switch. SeePower Windows on
page 2-20.
J.Exterior Lamps on page 3-15.
K.Dome Lamp Override on page 3-18.Instrument
Panel Brightness on page 3-17. Heated Windshield
Washer Control (If Equipped). SeeWindshield
Washer on page 3-10.L.Cruise Control on page 3-12.Heated Steering Wheel
on page 3-7(If Equipped).
M.Tilt Wheel on page 3-6.
N.Horn on page 3-6.
O.Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-37.
P.Locking Rear Axle on page 4-10.Tow/Haul Mode
on page 2-36.Traction Control System (TCS) on
page 4-9. Ride Height Selector Button (If Equipped).
SeeSelectable Extended Rear Ride Height on
page 4-52.
Q. Shift Lever. SeeAutomatic Transmission Operation
on page 2-32.
R.Accessory Power Outlet(s) on page 3-20.
S.Dual Automatic Climate Control System on
page 3-22.
T.Audio System(s) on page 3-72.
U.Glove Box on page 2-64.
3-5

When the headlamps are turned on while the vehicle is
on, the headlamps will turn off automatically 10 minutes
after the ignition is turned off. When the headlamps are
turned on while the vehicle is off, the headlamps will stay
on for 10 minutes before automatically turning off to
prevent the battery from being drained. Turn the
headlamp control to off and then back to the headlamp on
position to make the headlamps stay on for an additional
10 minutes.
Headlamps on Reminder
If a door is open, a reminder chime will sound when the
headlamps or parking lamps are manually turned on and
the key is out of the ignition. To turn off the chime, turn
the headlamp switch to off or AUTO and then back on,
or close and re-open the door. In the AUTO mode, the
headlamps turn off once the ignition is in LOCK/OFF or
may remain on until the headlamp delay ends (if enabled
in the DIC). See “Exit Lighting” underDIC Vehicle
Customization on page 3-64.
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).
The light sensor determines it is daytime.
When the DRL are on, only the DRL lamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker, instrument panel lights,
and other lamps will not be on.
When it begins to get dark, the automatic headlamp
system will switch from DRL to the headlamps.
To turn off the DRL lamps, turn the exterior lamps
control to the OFF position and then release. For vehicles
rst sold in Canada, the transmission must be in the
P (Park) position, before the DRL lamps can be
turned off.
3-16

Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside and the headlamp
switch is in AUTO, the automatic headlamp system will
turn on the headlamps at the normal brightness along
with other lamps such as the taillamps, sidemarker,
parking lamps, roof marker lamps, and the instrument
panel lights. The radio lights will also be dim.
To turn off the automatic headlamp system, turn the
exterior lamps switch to the off position and then release.
For vehicles rst sold in Canada, the transmission must
be in the P (Park) position, before the automatic
headlamp system can be turned off.
The vehicle has a light sensor located on the top of
the instrument panel. Do not cover this sensor or
the system will come on whenever the ignition is on.
The system may also turn on the headlamps when
driving through a parking garage, heavy overcast
weather, or a tunnel. 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 systems 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 sees 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 takes approximately
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 3-17.
Instrument Panel Brightness
D(Instrument Panel Brightness):This feature
controls the brightness of the instrument panel lights
and is located next to the exterior lamp control.
Push the knob to extend out and then it can be turned.
Turn the knob clockwise or counterclockwise to
brighten or dim the instrument panel lights. Turning
the knob to the farthest clockwise position turns on
the dome lamps.
3-17

When the Light Flashes First and Then is
On Steady
This indicates that there could be a problem with the
Tire Pressure Monitor System. The light ashes for about
a minute and stays on steady for the remainder of the
ignition cycle. This sequence repeats with every ignition
cycle. SeeTire Pressure Monitor System on page 5-64
for more information.
Malfunction Indicator Lamp
Check Engine Light
A computer system called OBD II (On-Board
Diagnostics-Second Generation) monitors operation
of the fuel, ignition, and emission control systems.
It ensures that emissions are at acceptable levels
for the life of the vehicle, helping to produce a cleaner
environment.
This light should come on
when the ignition is on, but
the engine is not running,
as a check to show it
is working. If it does not,
have the vehicle serviced
by your dealer/retailer.If the check engine light comes on and stays on, while
the engine is running, this indicates that there is an
OBD II problem and service is required.
Malfunctions often are indicated by the system before
any problem is apparent. Being aware of the light
can prevent more serious damage to the vehicle.
This system assists the service technician in correctly
diagnosing any malfunction.
Notice:If the vehicle is continually driven with
this light on, after a while, the emission controls
might not work as well, the vehicle’s fuel economy
might not be as good, and the engine might not
run as smoothly. This could lead to costly repairs
that might not be covered by the vehicle warranty.
Notice:Modications made to the engine,
transmission, exhaust, intake, or fuel system of
the vehicle or the replacement of the original tires
with other than those of the same Tire Performance
Criteria (TPC) can affect the vehicle’s emission
controls and can cause this light to come on.
Modications to these systems could lead to costly
repairs not covered by the vehicle warranty. This
could also result in a failure to pass a required
Emission Inspection/Maintenance test. See
Accessories and Modifications on page 5-3.
3-40