HUMMER H3 2009 Owners Manual

Driving in Rain and on
Wet Roads
Rain and wet roads can reduce
vehicle traction and affect your
ability to stop and accelerate.
Always drive slower in these types
of driving conditions and avoid
driving through large puddles and
deep-standing or owing water.
{CAUTION
Wet brakes can cause crashes.
They might not work as well in a
quick stop and could cause
pulling to one side. You could
lose control of the vehicle.
After driving through a large
puddle of water or a car/vehicle
wash, lightly apply the brake
pedal until the brakes work
normally.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Flowing or rushing water creates
strong forces. Driving through
owing water could cause your
vehicle to be carried away. If this
happens, you and other vehicle
occupants could drown. Do not
ignore police warnings and be
very cautious about trying to drive
through owing water.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning is dangerous. Water
can build up under your vehicle’s
tires so they actually ride on
the water. This can happen if the
road is wet enough and you
are going fast enough. When your
vehicle is hydroplaning, it has little or
no contact with the road.
There is no hard and fast rule about
hydroplaning. The best advice is
to slow down when the road is wet.
Other Rainy Weather Tips
Besides slowing down, other wet
weather driving tips include:
Allow extra following distance.
Pass with caution.
Keep windshield wiping
equipment in good shape.
Keep the windshield washer uid
reservoir lled.
Have good tires with proper tread
depth. SeeTires on page 5-44.
Turn off cruise control.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-29

Before Leaving on a
Long Trip
To prepare your vehicle for a long
trip, consider having it serviced
by your dealer/retailer before
departing.
Things to check on your own
include:
Windshield Washer Fluid:
Reservoir full? Windows
clean — inside and outside?
Wiper Blades:In good shape?
Fuel, Engine Oil, Other Fluids:All
levels checked?
Lamps:Do they all work and are
lenses clean?
Tires:Are treads good? Are tires
inated to recommended
pressure?
Weather and Maps:Safe to
travel? Have up-to-date maps?
Highway Hypnosis
Always be alert and pay attention
to your surroundings while driving. If
you become tired or sleepy, nd
a safe place to park your vehicle
and rest.
Other driving tips include:
Keep the vehicle well ventilated.
Keep interior temperature cool.
Keep your eyes moving — scan
the road ahead and to the sides.
Check the rearview mirror and
vehicle instruments often.
Hill and Mountain Roads
Driving on steep hills or through
mountains is different than driving
on at or rolling terrain. Tips for
driving in these conditions include:
Keep the vehicle serviced
and in good shape.
Check all uid levels and brakes,
tires, cooling system, and
transmission.
Going down steep or long hills,
shift to a lower gear.
{CAUTION
If you do not shift down, the
brakes could get so hot that they
would not work well. You would
then have poor braking or even
none going down a hill. You could
crash. Shift down to let the engine
assist the brakes on a steep
downhill slope.
4-30 Driving Your Vehicle

{CAUTION
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral)
or with the ignition off is
dangerous. The brakes will have
to do all the work of slowing down
and they could get so hot that
they would not work well. You
would then have poor braking or
even none going down a hill. You
could crash. Always have the
engine running and the vehicle in
gear when going downhill.
Stay in your own lane. Do not
swing wide or cut across the
center of the road. Drive at
speeds that let you stay in your
own lane.
Top of hills: Be alert — something
could be in your lane (stalled car,
accident).
Pay attention to special road
signs (falling rocks area, winding
roads, long grades, passing or
no-passing zones) and take
appropriate action.
SeeOff-Road Driving on page 4-13
for information about driving
off-road.
Winter Driving
Driving on Snow or Ice
Drive carefully when there is snow
or ice between the tires and the
road, creating less traction or grip.
Wet ice can occur at about 32°F
(0°C) when freezing rain begins to
fall, resulting in even less traction.
Avoid driving on wet ice or in
freezing rain until roads can be
treated with salt or sand.
Drive with caution, whatever the
condition. Accelerate gently
so traction is not lost. Accelerating
too quickly causes the wheelsto spin and makes the surface
under the tires slick, so there is even
less traction.
Try not to break the fragile traction. If
you accelerate too fast, the drive
wheels will spin and polish the
surface under the tires even more.
TheTraction Control System (TCS)
on page 4-7improves the ability
to accelerate on slippery roads, but
slow down and adjust your driving
to the road conditions. When driving
through deep snow, turn off the
traction control system to help
maintain vehicle motion at lower
speeds.
TheAntilock Brake System (ABS)
on page 4-5improves vehicle
stability during hard stops on a
slippery roads, but apply the brakes
sooner than when on dry pavement.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-31

Allow greater following distance on
any slippery road and watch for
slippery spots. Icy patches
can occur on otherwise clear roads
in shaded areas. The surface of
a curve or an overpass can remain
icy when the surrounding roads
are clear. Avoid sudden steering
maneuvers and braking while on ice.
Turn off cruise control, if equipped,
on slippery surfaces.
Blizzard Conditions
Being stuck in snow can be in a
serious situation. Stay with the
vehicle unless there is help nearby.
If possible, use theRoadside
Service on page 7-6. To get help
and keep everyone in the vehicle
safe:
Turn on theHazard Warning
Flashers on page 3-5.
Tie a red cloth to an outside
mirror.
{CAUTION
Snow can trap engine exhaust
under the vehicle. This may cause
exhaust gases to get inside.
Engine exhaust contains carbon
monoxide (CO) which cannot be
seen or smelled. It can cause
unconsciousness and even death.
If the vehicle is stuck in the snow:
Clear away snow from
around the base of your
vehicle, especially any that is
blocking the exhaust pipe.
Check again from time to
time to be sure snow does
not collect there.
Open a window about two
inches (5 cm) on the side of
the vehicle that is away from
the wind to bring in fresh air.
Fully open the air outlets on
or under the instrument
panel.
(Continued)
CAUTION (Continued)
Adjust the Climate Control
system to a setting that
circulates the air inside the
vehicle and set the fan speed
to the highest setting. See
Climate Control System in the
Index.
For more information about
carbon monoxide, seeEngine
Exhaust on page 2-31.
Snow can trap exhaust gases
under your vehicle. This can
cause deadly CO (carbon
monoxide) gas to get inside. CO
could overcome you and kill you.
You cannot see it or smell it, so
you might not know it is in your
vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base of your vehicle,
especially any that is blocking the
exhaust.
4-32 Driving Your Vehicle

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

Rocking Your Vehicle to
Get It Out
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. With the wheels straight
ahead, shift back and forth between
R (Reverse) and a forward gear,
or with a manual transmission,
between 1 (First) or 2 (Second) and
R (Reverse), 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 shifting, and
press lightly on the accelerator
pedal when the transmission is in
gear. Slowly spinning the wheels in
the forward and reverse directions
causes a rocking motion that
could free the vehicle. If that does
not get the vehicle out after a
few tries, it might need to be towed
out. The recovery loops can beused. If the vehicle does need to be
towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 4-40.
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.The vehicle has two recovery loops
at the front of the vehicle and
one at the rear of the vehicle.
Use them if the vehicle is stuck
off-road and needs to be pulled to
some place where the driver
can continue driving.
4-34 Driving Your Vehicle

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

A.Vehicle Capacity Weight for
Example 1=1,000 lbs
(453 kg).
B.Subtract Occupant Weight
150 lbs (68 kg)×2=300 lbs
(136 kg).
C.Available Occupant and
Cargo Weight=700 lbs
(317 kg).
A.Vehicle Capacity Weight for
Example 2=1,000 lbs
(453 kg).
B.Subtract Occupant Weight
150 lbs (68 kg)×5=750 lbs
(340 kg).
C.Available Cargo
Weight=250 lbs (113 kg).
A.Vehicle Capacity Weight for
Example 3=1,000 lbs
(453 kg).
B.Subtract Occupant Weight
200 lbs
(91 kg)×5=1,000 lbs
(453 kg).
C.Available Cargo
Weight=0 lbs (0 kg).
Refer to the vehicle’s Tire and
Loading Information label
for specic information about the
vehicle’s capacity weight and
seating positions.
Example 1Example 2Example 3
Driving Your Vehicle 4-37

The combined weight of the
driver, passengers, cargo
and any accessories or
equipment added to the vehicle
after it left the factory should
never exceed the vehicle’s
capacity weight.
Certication/Tire Label
A vehicle specic
Certication/Tire label is
attached to the bottom section
of the center pillar (B-pillar),
on the driver’s side of the
vehicle. The label shows the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR). The GVWR includes
the weight of the vehicle, alloccupants, fuel, cargo and trailer
tongue weight, if pulling a
trailer.
The Certication/Tire label also
tells the maximum weights
for the front and rear axles,
called Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). To nd out the
actual loads on the front and
rear axles, go to a weigh station
and weigh the vehicle. Your
dealer/retailer can help with this.
Be sure to spread out the
load equally on both sides of the
centerline.
Never exceed the GVWR for the
vehicle, or the GAWR for
either the front or rear axle.
If the load is heavy, it should be
spread out.
Similar appearing vehicles may
have different GVWRs and
capacity weights. Please note
the vehicle’s Certication/Tire
label or consult your
dealer/retailer for additional
details.{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.
Using heavier suspension
components to get added
durability might not change the
weight ratings. Ask your
dealer to help you load the
vehicle the right way.
Label Example
4-38 Driving Your Vehicle