traction control HUMMER H3 2008 Owner's Manual

Driving on Snow or Ice
Most of the time, those places where the tires meet the
road probably have good traction.
However, if there is snow or ice between the tires and
the road, you can have a very slippery situation. You
have a lot less traction, or grip, and need to be very
careful.What is the worst time for this? Wet ice. Very cold snow
or ice can be slick and hard to drive on. But wet ice can
be even more trouble because it can offer the least
traction of all. You can get wet ice when it is about
freezing, 32°F (0°C), and freezing rain begins to fall.
Try to avoid driving on wet ice until salt and sand
crews can get there.
Whatever the condition — smooth ice, packed, blowing,
or loose snow — drive with caution.
The Traction Control System (TCS) improves your ability
to accelerate when driving on a slippery road. TCS
improves your ability to accelerate. SeeIf Your Vehicle
is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on page 4-39. Even
though you have TCS, slow down and adjust your driving
to the road conditions. Under certain conditions, you
might want to turn the TCS off, such as when driving
through deep snow and loose gravel, to help maintain
vehicle motion at lower speeds. SeeTraction Control
System (TCS) on page 4-5andStabiliTrak
®System on
page 4-7.
4-36

Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn the steering wheel left and right to clear
the area around the front wheels. The traction control
system activates when the system senses that the
wheels are spinning. Turn off any traction or stability
system. SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-5
andStabiliTrak
®System on page 4-7. Then, with the
wheels straight ahead, shift back and forth between
REVERSE (R) and a forward gear, or with a manual
transmission, between FIRST (1) or SECOND (2)
and REVERSE (R), spinning the wheels as little as
possible. To prevent transmission wear, wait until
the wheels stop spinning before shifting gears. Release
the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press lightly
on the accelerator pedal when the transmission is
in gear. By slowly spinning the wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking motion
that could free your vehicle. If that does not get your
vehicle out after a few tries, it might need to be towed
out. Or, you can use the recovery loops. If your
vehicle does need to be towed out, seeTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-48.
Recovery Loops
{CAUTION:
These loops, when used, are under a lot of
force. Keep people away from the vicinity of
the loops and any chains or cables during use.
Always pull the vehicle straight out. Never pull
on the loops at a sideways angle. The loops
could break off and you or others could be
injured from the chain or cable snapping back.
Notice:Never use the recovery loops to tow the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged and it would
not be covered by warranty.
4-40

Service
For service and parts needs, visit your dealer/retailer.
You will receive genuine GM parts and GM-trained and
supported service people.
Genuine GM parts have one of these marks:
Accessories and Modications
When non-dealer/non-retailer accessories are added to
your vehicle they can affect your vehicle’s performance
and safety, including such things as, airbags, braking,
stability, ride and handling, emissions systems,
aerodynamics, durability, and electronic systems like
antilock brakes, traction control and stability control.
Some of these accessories could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered by warranty.
GM Accessories are designed to complement and
function with other systems on your vehicle. Your
GM dealer/retailer can accessorize your vehicle using
genuine GM Accessories. When you go to your
GM dealer/retailer and ask for GM Accessories, you will
know that GM-trained and supported service technicians
will perform the work using genuine GM Accessories.
Also, seeAdding Equipment to Your Airbag-Equipped
Vehicle on page 1-68.
5-3

The rubber in tires degrades over time, even if they are
not being used. This is also true for the spare tire, if
your vehicle has one. Multiple conditions affect how fast
this aging takes place, including temperatures, loading
conditions, and ination pressure maintenance. With
proper care and maintenance tires will typically wear out
before they degrade due to age. If you are unsure
about the need to replace your tires as they get older,
consult the tire manufacturer for more information.
Buying New Tires
GM has developed and matched specic tires for
your vehicle. The original equipment tires installed
on your vehicle, when it was new, were designed to
meet General Motors Tire Performance Criteria
Specication (TPC spec) system rating. If you need
replacement tires, GM strongly recommends that
you get tires with the same TPC Spec rating.This way, your vehicle will continue to have tires
that are designed to give the same performance
and vehicle safety, during normal use, as the
original tires.
GM’s exclusive TPC Spec system considers over
a dozen critical specications that impact the
overall performance of your vehicle, including
brake system performance, ride and handling,
traction control, and tire pressure monitoring
performance. GM’s TPC Spec number is molded
onto the tire’s sidewall near the tire size. If the
tires have an all-season tread design, the
TPC spec number will be followed by a MS,
for mud and snow. SeeTire Sidewall Labeling
on page 5-55for additional information.
GM recommends replacing tires in sets of four.
This is because uniform tread depth on all
tires will help keep your vehicle performing
most like it did when the tires were new.
5-71

Your vehicle’s original equipment tires are listed
on the Tire and Loading Information Label.
SeeLoading Your Vehicle on page 4-42, for more
information about the Tire and Loading Information
Label and its location on your vehicle.
Different Size Tires and Wheels
If you add wheels or tires that are a different size than
your original equipment wheels and tires, this could
affect the way your vehicle performs, including its
braking, ride and handling characteristics, stability, and
resistance to rollover. Additionally, if your vehicle
has electronic systems such as anti-lock brakes, rollover
airbags, traction control, and electronic stability control,
the performance of these systems can be affected.
{CAUTION:
If you add different sized wheels, your vehicle
may not provide an acceptable level of
performance and safety if tires not
recommended for those wheels are selected.
You may increase the chance that you will
crash and suffer serious injury. Only use
GM specic wheel and tire systems developed
for your vehicle, and have them properly
installed by a GM certied technician.
SeeBuying New Tires on page 5-71andAccessories
and Modifications on page 5-3for additional information.
5-73

Uniform Tire Quality Grading
Quality grades can be found where applicable on
the tire sidewall between tread shoulder and
maximum section width. For example:
Treadwear 200 Traction AA Temperature A
The following information relates to the system
developed by the United States National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which
grades tires by treadwear, traction, and
temperature performance. This applies only to
vehicles sold in the United States. The grades are
molded on the sidewalls of most passenger car
tires. The Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
system does not apply to deep tread, winter-type
snow tires, space-saver, or temporary use
spare tires, tires with nominal rim diameters of
10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 cm), or to some
limited-production tires.
While the tires available on General Motors
passenger cars and light trucks may vary with
respect to these grades, they must also conform
to federal safety requirements and additional
General Motors Tire Performance Criteria (TPC)
standards.
Treadwear
The treadwear grade is a comparative rating
based on the wear rate of the tire when tested
under controlled conditions on a specied
government test course. For example, a tire
graded 150 would wear one and a half (1.5) times
as well on the government course as a tire
graded 100. The relative performance of tires
depends upon the actual conditions of their use,
however, and may depart signicantly from
the norm due to variations in driving habits, service
practices, and differences in road characteristics
and climate.
Traction – AA, A, B, C
The traction grades, from highest to lowest, are AA,
A, B, and C. Those grades represent the tire’s
ability to stop on wet pavement as measured under
controlled conditions on specied government test
surfaces of asphalt and concrete. A tire marked C
may have poor traction performance.
Warning
:The traction grade assigned to this
tire is based on straight-ahead braking
traction tests, and does not include
acceleration, cornering, hydroplaning,
or peak traction characteristics.
5-74

Tire Chains
{CAUTION:
If your vehicle has LT285/75R16 or P265/65R18
size tires, do not use tire chains. They can
damage your vehicle because there is not
enough clearance. Tire chains used on a
vehicle without the proper amount of clearance
can cause damage to the brakes, suspension,
or other vehicle parts. The area damaged by
the tire chains could cause you to lose control
of your vehicle and you or others may be
injured in a crash.
Use another type of traction device only if its
manufacturer recommends it for use on your
vehicle and tire size combination and road
conditions. Follow that manufacturer’s
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)
instructions. To help avoid damage to your
vehicle, drive slowly, readjust, or remove the
device if it is contacting your vehicle, and do
not spin your vehicle’s wheels.
If you do nd traction devices that will t,
install them on the rear tires.
Notice:If your vehicle has a tire size other than
LT285/75R16 or P265/65R18 use tire chains only
where legal and only when you must. Use chains that
are the proper size for your tires. Install them on the
tires of the rear axle. Do not use chains on the tires of
the front axle. Tighten them as tightly as possible
with the ends securely fastened. Drive slowly and
follow the chain manufacturer’s instructions. If you
can hear the chains contacting your vehicle, stop and
retighten them. If the contact continues, slow down
until it stops. Driving too fast or spinning the wheels
with chains on will damage your vehicle.
5-77

L
Labeling, Tire Sidewall.....................................5-55
Lamps
Dome........................................................3-19
Dome Lamp Override...................................3-20
Off-Road....................................................3-18
Reading.....................................................3-20
Lap-Shoulder Belt...........................................1-24
LATCH System
Child Restraints...........................................1-42
License Plate Lamps.......................................5-51
Light
Airbag Readiness........................................3-29
Antilock Brake System Warning.....................3-34
Brake System Warning.................................3-33
Charging System.........................................3-32
Cruise Control.............................................3-39
Highbeam On.............................................3-39
Malfunction Indicator....................................3-36
Oil Pressure...............................................3-38
Passenger Airbag Status Indicator..................3-30
Safety Belt Reminders..................................3-28
Security.....................................................3-39
StabiliTrak
®Not Ready.................................3-34Light (cont.)
Tire Pressure..............................................3-35
Traction Off................................................3-34
Up-Shift.....................................................3-32
Lighting
Exit...........................................................3-20
Lights
Exterior Lamps............................................3-15
Flash-to-Pass............................................... 3-9
High/Low Beam Changer................................ 3-9
On Reminder..............................................3-16
Loading Your Vehicle.......................................4-42
Locking Rear Axle............................................ 4-6
Lockout Protection............................................ 2-9
Locks
Door........................................................... 2-7
Lockout Protection......................................... 2-9
Power Door.................................................. 2-8
Programmable Automatic Door Locks............... 2-8
Rear Door Security Locks............................... 2-9
Loss of Control...............................................4-10
Luggage Carrier..............................................2-57
Lumbar
Power Controls............................................. 1-3
7

Towing
Recreational Vehicle.....................................4-48
Towing a Trailer..........................................4-50
Your Vehicle...............................................4-48
Traction
Control System (TCS).................................... 4-5
Off Light.....................................................3-34
StabiliTrak
®System....................................... 4-7
Trailer
Recommendations.......................................4-62
Transmission
Fluid, Automatic...........................................5-21
Fluid, Manual..............................................5-24
Up-Shift Light..............................................3-32
Transmission Operation, Automatic....................2-23
Transmission Operation, Manual........................2-26
Trip Odometer................................................3-27
Turn and Lane-Change Signals.......................... 3-8
Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever........................... 3-7
U
Uniform Tire Quality Grading............................5-74
Universal Home Remote System.......................2-51
Operation...................................................2-52
Up-Shift Light.................................................3-32
Using this Manual............................................... iii
V
Vehicle
Control........................................................ 4-3
Damage Warnings........................................... iv
Loading......................................................4-42
Parking Your...............................................2-35
Symbols......................................................... iv
Vehicle Data Recording and Privacy..................7-16
Vehicle Identication
Number (VIN)............................................5-100
Service Parts Identication Label..................5-101
Ventilation Adjustment......................................3-24
Visors...........................................................2-13
13