2006 HUMMER H2 steering

Hard packed snow and ice offer the worst tire traction.
On these surfaces, it is very easy to lose control.
On wet ice, for example, the traction is so poor that you
will have difficulty accelerating. And if you do get
moving, poor steering and difficult braking can cause
you to slide out of control.
{CAUTION:
Driving on frozen lakes, ponds, or rivers can
be dangerous. Underwater springs, currents
under the ice, or sudden thaws can weaken the
ice. Your vehicle could fall through the ice and
you and your passengers could drown. Drive
your vehicle on safe surfaces only.
Driving in Water
Heavy rain can mean ash ooding, and ood waters
demand extreme caution.
Find out how deep the water is before you drive through
it. If it is deep enough to cover your wheel hubs, axles, or
exhaust pipe, do not try it — you probably will not get
through. Also, water that deep can damage your axle and
other vehicle parts. Your vehicle is capable of depths up
to 20 inches. Know how to judge whether the water is
deeper than this before proceeding into it.If the water is not too deep, drive slowly through it. At
faster speeds, water splashes on your ignition
system and your vehicle can stall. Stalling can also
occur if you get your tailpipe under water. And, as long
as your tailpipe is under water, you will never be
able to start your engine. When you go through water,
remember that when your brakes get wet, it may
take you longer to stop.
{CAUTION:
Driving through rushing water can be
dangerous. Deep water can sweep your
vehicle downstream and you and your
passengers could drown. If it is only shallow
water, it can still wash away the ground from
under your tires, and you could lose traction
and roll the vehicle over. Do not drive through
rushing water.
SeeDriving in Rain and on Wet Roads on page 4-39for
more information on driving through water.
4-33

After Off-Road Driving
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis, or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a re hazard.
After operation in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the engine and oil
coolers for mud accumulation. Thoroughly and carefully
clean these devices to allow proper cooling. Check
the body structure, steering, suspension, wheels, tires,
and exhaust system for damage. Also, check the
fuel lines and cooling system for any leakage.
Your vehicle will require more frequent service due to
off-road use. See the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
Assist Steps
Your vehicle may be equipped with removable side steps.
Remove the steps prior to off-roading to give your
vehicle more ground clearance and to prevent damage
to the vehicle from the side steps dragging and/or
catching on obstacles.
Notice:Do not drive off-road with the side steps
attached to your vehicle. You can damage the side
steps and/or your vehicle’s frame if they get caught
or drag against an obstacle. This damage would not
be covered by your vehicle’s warranty. Always
remove the side steps prior to any off-road driving.
U-Type Side Steps
The following instructions show how to install the
optional U-type steps. If you want to remove them, just
reverse the instructions:
1. Start with the side step brackets pointing up and
away from you, or just make sure the HUMMER
logo faces up.
2. For the front step, use the rst and third brackets
on the vehicle from the front tire. For the rear step,
use the rst and third brackets on the vehicle
from the rear tire.
You will notice that the side steps have pins on
both sides of the step brackets. This is because the
steps are interchangeable between front/back
and the driver/passenger sides of the vehicle. Use
the pins as follows:
Driver Side:Look at the side step with the
HUMMER logo facing you. You will use the pins
which are on the right side of each side step
bracket. This works for the front or rear of
the vehicle.
Passenger Side:Look at the side step with the
HUMMER logo facing you. You will use the pins
which are on the left side of each side step
bracket. This works for the front or rear of
the vehicle.
4-34

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 may 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. If
you are driving in deep snow, turn your TCS to the TC2mode. It will improve your ability to accelerate. SeeIf
Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow
on page 4-50. Even though your vehicle has TCS, you
will want to slow down and adjust your driving to
the road conditions. Under certain conditions, you may
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 4-9.
Your Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) improve your
vehicle’s stability when you make a hard stop on a
slippery road. Even though you have ABS, you will want
to begin stopping sooner than you would on dry
pavement. SeeAnti-Lock Brake System (ABS) on
page 4-7.
Allow greater following distance on any slippery road.
Watch for slippery spots. The road might be ne until
you hit a spot that is covered with ice. On an
otherwise clear road, ice patches may appear in
shaded areas where the sun cannot reach, such as
around clumps of trees, behind buildings, or under
bridges. Sometimes the surface of a curve or an
overpass may remain icy when the surrounding
roads are clear. If you see a patch of ice ahead of
you, brake before you are on it. Try not to brake while
you are actually on the ice, and avoid sudden
steering maneuvers.
4-47

If Your Vehicle is Stuck in Sand,
Mud, Ice or Snow
In order to free your vehicle when it is stuck, you will
need to spin the wheels, but you do not want to
spin your wheels too fast. The method known as rocking
can help you get out when you are stuck, but you
must use caution.
{CAUTION:
If you let your tires spin at high speed, they can
explode, and you or others could be injured.
And, the transmission or other parts of the
vehicle can overheat. That could cause an
engine compartment re or other damage.
When you are stuck, spin the wheels as little as
possible. Do not spin the wheels above 35 mph
(55 km/h) as shown on the speedometer.
Notice:Spinning your wheels can destroy parts of
your vehicle as well as the tires. If you spin the
wheels too fast while shifting your transmission
back and forth, you can destroy your transmission.
For more information about using tire chains on your
vehicle, seeTire Chains on page 5-67.
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out
First, turn your steering wheel left and right. That
will clear the area around your front wheels. Your vehicle
has a traction control system that will activate when
the system senses that the wheels are spinning.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-9for
more information. Then, with the wheels straight ahead,
shift back and forth between REVERSE (R) and a
forward gear, spinning the wheels as little as possible.
Release the accelerator pedal while you shift, and press
lightly on the accelerator pedal when the transmission
is in gear. By slowly spinning your wheels in the forward
and reverse directions, you will cause a rocking
motion that may free your vehicle. If that does not get
you out after a few tries, you may need to be towed out.
Or, you can use your recovery loops. If you do need
to be towed out, seeTowing Your Vehicle on page 4-59.
4-50

6. Release the parking brake only after the vehicle
being towed is rmly attached to the towing
vehicle. You can use your vehicle’s front mounted
receiver with the proper accessories to tow it.
See “Front Mounted Receiver” underIf Your Vehicle
is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice or Snow on page 4-50.
7. Turn the ignition to ACCESSORY.
8. Disconnect the battery if you are going to tow for
long distances or long periods of time.
When towing your vehicle for extended periods of time,
start your vehicle as often as possible to prevent
battery drain. This should only be done when the tow
vehicle is parked.
Dolly Towing
Your vehicle cannot be dolly towed. If you must tow
your vehicle behind another, use the dinghy towing
procedure listed previously.
Notice:Dolly towing your vehicle will damage
drivetrain components. Do not dolly tow your
vehicle.
Selectable Extended Rear
Ride Height
If your vehicle has this feature it comes as part of the
electronically controlled air suspension system.
The selectable rear ride height allows you to raise the
rear of the vehicle about 2 inches (5 cm) over the normal
ride height. This can be helpful when driving off-road
where you may need more ground clearance to clear an
obstacle.
The button that controls this
feature is located on the
instrument panel to the
right of the steering wheel.
To use this feature, ensure that the following conditions
are met:
The engine must be running.
All doors must be fully closed. The suspension will
not raise or lower if a door is open.
The vehicle speed must be less than 40 mph
(64 km/h). The system will not activate otherwise.
4-61

Tow/Haul Mode
Tow/haul mode is used when using your vehicle to pull
a large or heavy load or trailer. Tow/haul is also
useful while pulling a load in rolling terrain, in
stop-and-go traffic, or when you need improved
low-speed control, such as when parking. The purpose
of the tow/haul mode is to do the following:
Reduce the frequency and improve the predictability
of transmission shifts when pulling a heavy trailer or
a large or heavy load.
Provide the same solid shift feel when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy load as when
the vehicle is unloaded.
Improve control of vehicle speed while requiring
less accelerator pedal activity when pulling a
heavy trailer or a large or heavy load.
Tow/haul mode is most effective when the vehicle and
trailer combined weight is at least 75 percent of the
vehicle’s Gross Combination Weight Rating (GCWR).
See “Weight of the Trailer” later in this section.Press the button on the
instrument panel to the
right of the steering
wheel to enable the
tow/haul mode.
A light on the instrument
panel will illuminate to
indicate that tow/haul
mode has been selected.
Press the button again to turn off tow/haul mode. The
indicator light on the instrument panel will turn off.
The vehicle will automatically turn off tow/haul mode
every time it is started.
Driving with tow/haul mode activated without a heavy
load or with no trailer will cause reduced fuel economy
and unpleasant engine and transmission driving
characteristics, but will not cause damage.
4-65

Backing Up
Hold the bottom of the steering wheel with one hand.
Then, to move the trailer to the left, just move that hand
to the left. To move the trailer to the right, move your
hand to the right. Always back up slowly and, if possible,
have someone guide you.
Making Turns
Notice:Making very sharp turns while trailering
could cause the trailer to come in contact with the
vehicle. Your vehicle could be damaged. Avoid
making very sharp turns while trailering.
When you’re turning with a trailer, make wider turns than
normal. Do this so your trailer won’t strike soft shoulders,
curbs, road signs, trees or other objects. Avoid jerky or
sudden maneuvers. Signal well in advance.
Turn Signals When Towing a Trailer
The arrows on your instrument panel will ash whenever
you signal a turn or lane change. Properly hooked up,
the trailer lamps will also ash, telling other drivers
you’re about to turn, change lanes or stop.
When towing a trailer, the arrows on your instrument
panel will ash for turns even if the bulbs on the trailer
are burned out. Thus, you may think drivers behind
you are seeing your signal when they are not. It’s
important to check occasionally to be sure the trailer
bulbs are still working.
Driving On Grades
Reduce speed and shift to a lower gearbeforeyou start
down a long or steep downgrade. If you don’t shift
down, you might have to use your brakes so much that
they would get hot and no longer work well.
You can tow in DRIVE (D). You may want to shift the
transmission to THIRD (3) or, if necessary, a lower gear
selection if the transmission shifts too often (e.g.,
under heavy loads and/or hilly conditions).
You may also want to activate the tow/haul mode if
the transmission shifts too often. See “Tow/Haul
Mode” earlier.
When towing at high altitude on steep uphill grades,
consider the following: Engine coolant will boil at a lower
temperature than at normal altitudes. If you turn your
engine off immediately after towing at high altitude
on steep uphill grades, your vehicle may show signs
similar to engine overheating. To avoid this, let the
engine run while parked (preferably on level ground)
with the automatic transmission in PARK (P) for a
few minutes before turning the engine off. If you do get
the overheat warning, seeEngine Overheating on
page 5-27.
4-72

Service............................................................5-3
Accessories and Modications..........................5-3
California Proposition 65 Warning.....................5-3
Doing Your Own Service Work.........................5-4
Adding Equipment to the Outside of
Your Vehicle..............................................5-5
Fuel................................................................5-5
Gasoline Octane............................................5-5
Gasoline Specications....................................5-5
California Fuel...............................................5-6
Additives.......................................................5-6
Fuels in Foreign Countries...............................5-7
Filling the Tank..............................................5-8
Filling a Portable Fuel Container.....................5-10
Checking Things Under the Hood....................5-10
Hood Release..............................................5-11
Engine Compartment Overview.......................5-12
Engine Oil...................................................5-14
Engine Oil Life System..................................5-17
Engine Air Cleaner/Filter................................5-19
Automatic Transmission Fluid.........................5-22
Engine Coolant.............................................5-24
Coolant Surge Tank Pressure Cap..................5-26
Engine Overheating.......................................5-27
Overheated Engine Protection
Operating Mode........................................5-28Cooling System............................................5-29
Power Steering Fluid.....................................5-33
Windshield Washer Fluid................................5-34
Brakes........................................................5-35
Battery........................................................5-38
Jump Starting...............................................5-39
Rear Axle.......................................................5-43
Four-Wheel Drive............................................5-44
Front Axle......................................................5-45
Bulb Replacement..........................................5-46
Halogen Bulbs..............................................5-46
Headlamps..................................................5-47
Front Turn Signal and Parking Lamps..............5-48
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL).......................5-48
Roof Marker Lamps......................................5-49
Taillamps, Turn Signal, Stoplamps and
Back-up Lamps.........................................5-50
Replacement Bulbs.......................................5-51
Windshield Wiper Blade Replacement..............5-52
Tires..............................................................5-53
Tire Sidewall Labeling...................................5-54
Tire Terminology and Denitions.....................5-57
Ination - Tire Pressure.................................5-59
Tire Inspection and Rotation...........................5-61
When It Is Time for New Tires.......................5-62
Section 5 Service and Appearance Care
5-1