brake HUMMER H3 2006 Owner's Manual

FLUID
This message will be displayed if the brake uid is low.
Check the brake uid as soon as possible and have
your vehicle serviced by your GM dealer. SeeBrakes on
page 5-36for more information. Press and release
the reset stem to acknowledge the message and clear it
from the DIC display.
FUEL CAP
This message will be displayed if the vehicle’s fuel cap
is either off or loose. You should pull over and check
to see if your vehicle’s fuel cap is secure as soon
as possible. You may also see the check engine light
on the instrument panel cluster. If the check engine light
does come on when your vehicle’s fuel cap was
loose, it may take a few driving trips before the light
turns off. SeeMalfunction Indicator Lamp on page 3-35
for more information if the light still remains on. Press
and release the reset stem to acknowledge the message
and clear it from the display.
LOW FUEL
This message will be displayed if the level of fuel in the
vehicle is low. You should also check the fuel gage.
SeeFuel Gage on page 3-40for more information. You
should ll your vehicle’s fuel tank as soon as possible.
LOW TIRE
This message will be displayed if a low tire pressure is
detected in any of the vehicle’s tires. Press and
release the reset stem to acknowledge the message
and clear it from the display. The message will appear at
each ignition cycle until the tires are inated to the
correct ination pressure. SeeTires on page 5-53and
Ination - Tire Pressure on page 5-60for more
information on tires and the correct ination pressures.
OIL
This message will be displayed when the oil pressure is
low. SeeOil Pressure Light on page 3-38andEngine
Oil on page 5-13for more information.
PARK BRK (Brake)
This message will be displayed when the parking brake
is set. SeeParking Brake on page 2-27andBrake
System Warning Light on page 3-32for more
information. The message will clear from the display
after the parking brake is released.
REDUCED POWER
This message will be displayed when the vehicle’s
engine power is reduced. Press and release the reset
stem to acknowledge the message and clear it from
the display.
3-46

Notice:The chime signals related to seat belts,
parking brake, and other functions of your vehicle
operate through the GM radio/entertainment system.
If that equipment is replaced or additional
equipment is added to your vehicle, the chimes may
not work. Make sure that replacement or additional
equipment is compatible with your vehicle before
installing it. SeeAccessories and Modifications on
page 5-3.
Figure out which audio system is in your vehicle, nd
out what your audio system can do, and how to operate
all of its controls.
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. See
Retained Accessory Power (RAP) on page 2-16for
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.
Radio with CD
XM™ Satellite Radio Service
XM™ is a satellite radio service that is based in the
48 contiguous United States and in Canada (if available).
XM™ offers over 100 coast-to-coast channels including
music, news, sports, talk, and children’s programming.
XM™ provides digital quality audio and text information
that includes song title and artist name. A service fee is
required in order to receive the XM™ service. For more
information, contact XM™ at www.xmradio.com or
call 1-800-852-XMXM (9696).
3-49

Your Driving, the Road, and Your Vehicle..........4-2
Defensive Driving...........................................4-2
Drunken Driving.............................................4-3
Control of a Vehicle........................................4-5
Braking.........................................................4-6
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS).........................4-7
Braking in Emergencies...................................4-8
Traction Control System (TCS).........................4-9
Locking Rear Axle........................................4-10
StabiliTrak
®System
(Automatic Transmission)............................4-11
Steering......................................................4-12
Off-Road Recovery.......................................4-14
Passing.......................................................4-14
Loss of Control.............................................4-16
Off-Road Driving...........................................4-17
Driving at Night............................................4-36Driving in Rain and on Wet Roads..................4-37
City Driving..................................................4-40
Freeway Driving...........................................4-41
Before Leaving on a Long Trip.......................4-42
Highway Hypnosis........................................4-43
Hill and Mountain Roads................................4-43
Winter Driving..............................................4-45
If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud,
Ice or Snow..............................................4-50
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out.................4-50
Recovery Loops...........................................4-51
Loading Your Vehicle....................................4-52
Towing..........................................................4-57
Towing Your Vehicle.....................................4-57
Recreational Vehicle Towing...........................4-57
Towing a Trailer...........................................4-59
Trailer Recommendations...............................4-70
Section 4 Driving Your Vehicle
4-1

Your Driving, the Road, and
Your Vehicle
Defensive Driving
The best advice anyone can give about driving is: Drive
defensively.
Please start with a very important safety device in your
vehicle: Buckle up. SeeSafety Belts: They Are for
Everyone on page 1-9.
{CAUTION:
Defensive driving really means “be ready for
anything.” On city streets, rural roads, or
expressways, it means “always expect the
unexpected.”
Assume that pedestrians or other drivers are
going to be careless and make mistakes.
Anticipate what they might do. Be ready for
their mistakes.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
Rear-end collisions are about the most
preventable of accidents. Yet they are
common. Allow enough following distance.
It is the best defensive driving maneuver, in
both city and rural driving. You never know
when the vehicle in front of you is going to
brake or turn suddenly.
Defensive driving requires that a driver
concentrate on the driving task. Anything that
distracts from the driving task — such as
concentrating on a cellular telephone call,
reading, reaching for something on the oor,
adjusting settings, or programming vehicle
systems — makes proper defensive driving
more difficult and can even cause a collision,
with resulting injury. Ask a passenger to help
do these things, or pull off the road in a safe
place to do them. These simple defensive
driving techniques could save your life.
4-2

Statistics show that the chance of being in a collision
increases sharply for drivers who have a BAC of
0.05 percent or above. A driver with a BAC level of
0.06 percent has doubled his or her chance of having a
collision. At a BAC level of 0.10 percent, the chance
of this driver having a collision is 12 times greater; at a
level of 0.15 percent, the chance is 25 times greater!
The body takes about an hour to rid itself of the alcohol
in one drink. No amount of coffee or number of cold
showers will speed that up. “I will be careful” is not the
right answer. What if there is an emergency, a need to
take sudden action, as when a child darts into the street?
A person with even a moderate BAC might not be able to
react quickly enough to avoid the collision.
There is something else about drinking and driving that
many people do not know. Medical research shows that
alcohol in a person’s system can make crash injuries
worse, especially injuries to the brain, spinal cord, or
heart. This means that when anyone who has been
drinking — driver or passenger — is in a crash, that
person’s chance of being killed or permanently disabled
is higher than if the person had not been drinking.
{CAUTION:
Drinking and then driving is very dangerous.
Your reexes, perceptions, attentiveness, and
judgment can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You can have a serious — or
even fatal — collision if you drive after drinking.
Please do not drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking. Ride home in a
cab; or if you are with a group, designate a
driver who will not drink.
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 4-9.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3.
4-5

Braking
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 your 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. Your brakes may not have time to cool
between hard stops. Your brakes will wear out much
faster if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace
with the traffic and allow realistic following distances,
you will eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking.
That means better braking and longer brake life.
If your vehicle ever loses electrical power while you are
driving, brake normally but do not pump your brakes.
If you do, the pedal may get harder to push down. If your
vehicle loses electrical power, you will still have some
power brake assist. But you will use it when you brake.
Once the power assist is used up, it may take longer
to stop, the brake pedal will be harder to push, and you
may experience longer pedal travel.
Adding non-GM accessories can affect your vehicle’s
performance. SeeAccessories and Modications
on page 5-3.
4-6

Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has anti-lock brakes. ABS is an advanced
electronic braking system that will help prevent a
braking skid.
When you start your engine and begin to drive away,
your anti-lock brake system will check itself. You
may hear a momentary motor or clicking noise while
this test is going on. This is normal.
If there is a problem with
the anti-lock brake system,
this warning light will
stay on. SeeAnti-Lock
Brake System Warning
Light on page 3-33.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each wheel.
4-7

The anti-lock system can change the brake pressure
faster than any driver could. The computer is
programmed to make the most of available tire and road
conditions. This can help you steer around the obstacle
while braking hard.
As you brake, your computer keeps receiving
updates on wheel speed and controls braking
pressure accordingly.Remember: Anti-lock 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 anti-lock brakes.
Using Anti-Lock
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 anti-lock brakes, you can steer and brake at the
same time. In many emergencies, steering can help you
more than even the very best braking.
4-8

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. See
Cruise Control on page 3-11.
If your vehicle has a Driver information Center (DIC), a
TRACTION FAILED message will appear when a
Traction Control System or Anti-Lock Brake System
problem has been detected and the vehicle needs
service. SeeDIC Warnings and Messages on page 3-44
for more information.When this message is on, the system will not limit
wheel spin. Adjust your driving accordingly.
The traction control system automatically comes on
whenever you start your vehicle. To limit wheel
spin, especially in slippery road conditions, you should
always leave the system on. But you can turn the
traction control system off if you ever need to.
To turn the system off,
press and release the TCS
button located on the
instrument panel.
This light will come on
steady when the traction
control system has
been turned off. This
light ashes when TCS
is active.
4-9

StabiliTrak®System (Automatic
Transmission)
Your vehicle may be equipped with a vehicle stability
enhancement system called StabiliTrak®.Itisan
advanced computer controlled system that assists you
with directional control of the vehicle in difficult
driving conditions.
StabiliTrak
®activates when the computer senses a
discrepancy between your intended path and the
direction the vehicle is actually traveling. StabiliTrak
®
selectively applies braking pressure at any one of
the vehicle’s brakes to assist the driver with keeping the
vehicle on the intended path.
When you rst start your vehicle and begin to drive
away, the system performs several diagnostic checks to
insure there are no problems. You may hear or feel
the system working. This is normal and does not mean
there is a problem with your vehicle.
If there is a problem detected with StabiliTrak
®,a
SERVICE STAB SYS message will be displayed on the
Driver Information Center (DIC). SeeDIC Warningsand Messages on page 3-44for more information.
When this message is displayed, the system is
not operational. Adjust your driving accordingly.
StabiliTrak
®comes on automatically whenever you start
your vehicle. However, when the transfer case is
placed in Four-Wheel-Low Lock mode, StabiliTrak
®is
automatically disabled. SeeAll-Wheel Drive on
page 2-22for more information. To help assist you with
directional control of the vehicle, you should always
leave the system on. You can turn StabiliTrak
®off if you
ever need to using the TC (traction control) on/off
button. If you press and hold the TC button for
ve seconds, the StabiliTrak
®system and the traction
control system will turn off. When this is done, the STAB
SYS OFF message will be displayed on the DIC.
Press the TC button again to turn StabiliTrak
®back on.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-9.
If your vehicle is in cruise control when the StabiliTrak
®
activates, the cruise control will automatically
disengage. When road conditions allow you to safely
use it again, you may reengage the cruise control. See “
Cruise Control on page 3-11for more information.
4-11