2008 HUMMER H2 transmission

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 4-6.
Notice:Operating your 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 your vehicle in
Four-Wheel-Low Lock above 50 mph (80 km/h)
for extended periods.
{CAUTION:
Shifting the transfer case to NEUTRAL can
cause your vehicle to roll even if the
transmission is in PARK (P). You or someone
else could be seriously injured. Be sure to set
the parking brake before placing the transfer
case in NEUTRAL. SeeParking Brake on
page 2-40.N (NEUTRAL):Shift the vehicle’s transfer case to
NEUTRAL only when towing your vehicle. See
Recreational Vehicle Towing on page 4-51orTowing
Your Vehicle on page 4-51for more information.
Indicator lights in the dial shows 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 your 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 for some reason 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 your vehicle to your dealer/retailer for service.
See “Service 4WD message” underDriver Information
Center (DIC) on page 3-49.
2-37

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 RUN and the vehicle must be stopped or moving
less than 3 mph (5 km/h) with the transmission in
NEUTRAL (N). The preferred method for shifting into
Four-Wheel Low is to have your 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 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 3-56for 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 your vehicle to have engagement noise
and bump when shifting between Four-Wheel Low
and Four-Wheel High or Four-Wheel-High Lock ranges
or from NEUTRAL with the engine running.
If the Four-Wheel-Low Lock position is selected when
your 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 your vehicle is moving less
than 3 mph (5 km/h) and the transmission is in
NEUTRAL (N). After 15 seconds the transfer case will
return to the setting last chosen.
2-38

Shifting Out of Four-Wheel Low Lock
To shift from Four-Wheel-Low Lock to Four-Wheel High
or Four-Wheel-High Lock, your vehicle must be
stopped or moving less than 3 mph (5 km/h) with the
transmission in NEUTRAL (N) and the ignition
in RUN. The preferred method for shifting out of
Four-Wheel-Low Lock is to have your vehicle moving
1 to 2 mph (1.6 to 3.2 km/h). Turn the dial to the
Four-Wheel High or Four-Wheel-High Lock position.
You must wait for the Four-Wheel High or
Four-Wheel-High Lock indicator light to stop ashing
and remain lit before shifting your transmission into gear.
It is normal for your vehicle to have engagement
noise and bump when shifting between Four-Wheel Low
and Four-Wheel High or Four-Wheel-High Lock ranges
or from NEUTRAL with the engine running.
If the Four-Wheel High or Four-Wheel-High Lock position
is selected when your vehicle is in gear and/or moving,
the Four-Wheel High or Four-Wheel-High Lock indicator
light will ash for 30 seconds but will not complete the
shift unless your vehicle is moving less than 3 mph
(5 km/h) and the transmission is in NEUTRAL (N).
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.
Shifting into NEUTRAL
To shift the transfer case to 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 2-40
3. Start the vehicle or turn the ignition to ON/RUN.
4. Put the transmission in NEUTRAL (N).
5. Shift the transfer case to Two-Wheel Drive High.
6. Turn the transfer case dial clockwise to NEUTRAL
position. The transfer case will not shift to NEUTRAL
unless this position is held for 10 seconds.
The 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 NEUTRAL with the NEUTRAL light on.
7. If the engine is running, make sure that the transfer
case is in NEUTRAL (N) by shifting the transmission
to REVERSE (R) for one second, then shift the
transmission to DRIVE (D) for one second.
8. Turn the ignition to ACC/ACCESSORY, which will
turn the engine off.
9. Place the transmission shift lever in PARK (P).
10. Release the parking brake prior to moving
the vehicle.
11. Turn the ignition to LOCK/OFF.
2-39

Shifting Out of NEUTRAL
To shift out of NEUTRAL do the following:
1. Set the parking brake and apply the regular brake
pedal.
2. Shift the transmission to NEUTRAL (N) and turn
the ignition to RUN with the engine off.
3. Turn the transfer case dial to Four-Wheel High,
Four-Wheel High Lock or Four-Wheel Low Lock.
After the transfer case has shifted out of NEUTRAL
the 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 your 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.
Parking Brake
To set the parking brake, hold the regular brake pedal
down with your right foot. Push down the parking
brake pedal with your left foot.
A chime will activate and
the warning light will ash
when the parking brake
is applied and the vehicle
is moving at least 3 mph
(5 km/h) for at least
three seconds.
To release the parking brake, hold the regular brake
pedal down. Pull the bottom edge of the lever, located
above the parking brake pedal, with the parking
brake symbol, to release the parking brake.
If the ignition is on when the parking brake is released,
the brake system warning light will go off.
Notice:Driving with the parking brake on can
overheat the brake system and cause premature
wear or damage to brake system parts. Make sure
that the parking brake is fully released and the brake
warning light is off before driving.
If you are towing a trailer and are parking on any hill,
seeTowing a Trailer on page 4-55.
2-40

Torque Lock
If you are parking on a hill and you do not shift your
transmission into PARK (P) 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 PARK (P). This is called “torque
lock.” To prevent torque lock, set the parking brake and
then shift into PARK (P) properly before you leave
the driver’s seat. To nd out how, seeShifting
Into PARK (P) on page 2-41.
When you are ready to drive, move the shift lever out of
PARK (P) 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 PARK (P).
Shifting Out of PARK (P)
This 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 PARK (P) with the shift lever button
fully released, and
Prevent movement of the shift lever out of
PARK (P), 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 your vehicle has an uncharged battery or a battery
with low voltage, try charging or jump starting the
battery. SeeJump Starting on page 5-40for more
information.
To shift out of PARK (P) use the following:
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Then press the shift lever button.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
2-42

The main components of the instrument panel are the following:
A. Air Outlets. SeeOutlet Adjustment on page 3-29.
B. Midgate Window Switch (SUT). SeePower Windows
on page 2-20. Rear Wiper/Washer Switch (SUV).
SeeRear Window Wiper/Washer on page 3-11.
C. Turn Signal/Multifunction Lever. SeeTurn
Signal/Multifunction Lever on page 3-7.
D. Instrument Panel Cluster. SeeInstrument Panel
Cluster on page 3-32.
E. Audio Steering Wheel Buttons. SeeAudio Steering
Wheel Controls on page 3-116.
F. Driver Information Center (DIC) Buttons. SeeDriver
Information Center (DIC) on page 3-49.
G. Analog Clock.Analog Clock on page 3-21.
H. Airbag Switch. SeeAirbag Off Switch on page 1-72.
I. Global Window Switch. SeePower Windows
on page 2-20.
J. Exterior Lamps Control. SeeExterior Lamps
on page 3-15.
K. Dome Lamp Override Button. SeeDome Lamp
Override on page 3-19Instrument Panel Brightness
Control. SeeInstrument Panel Brightness on
page 3-18. Heated Windshield Washer Control
(If Equipped). SeeWindshield Washer on page 3-10.L. Cruise Control Buttons. SeeCruise Control
on page 3-12.
M. Tilt Lever. SeeTilt Wheel on page 3-6.
N. Horn. SeeHorn on page 3-6.
O. Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive Buttons. SeeFull-Time
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-36.
P. Locking Rear Axle. SeeLocking Rear Axle on
page 4-6. Tow/Haul Selector Button. SeeTow/Haul
Mode on page 2-36. Traction Control (TCS) Button.
SeeTraction Control System (TCS) on page 4-5.
Ride Height Selector Button (If Equipped). See
Selectable Extended Rear Ride Height on page 4-53.
Q. Shift Lever. SeeAutomatic Transmission Operation
on page 2-32.
R. Accessory Power Outlet. SeeAccessory Power
Outlet(s) on page 3-20.
S. Climate Control System. SeeDual Automatic
Climate Control System on page 3-22.
T. Audio System. SeeAudio System(s) on page 3-72.
U. Glove Box. SeeGlove Box on page 2-64.
3-5

Headlamps on Reminder
If a door is open, a reminder chime will sound when
your headlamps or parking lamps are manually turned
on and your 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 or may remain on until the headlamp
delay ends (if enabled in the DIC). See “Exit Lighting”
underDIC Vehicle Customization (With DIC Buttons)
on page 3-63.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier
for others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
DRL can be helpful in many different driving conditions,
but they can be especially helpful in the short periods
after dawn and before sunset. 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 PARK (P).
The light sensor determines it is daytime.
When the DRL are on, only the DRL lamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker, and other lamps will not
be on. The instrument panel will not be lit up either.
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 PARK (P) position, before the
DRL lamps can be turned off.
3-17

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 PARK (P) position, before
the automatic headlamp system can be turned off.
The vehicle has a light sensor located on the top of
the instrument panel. Be sure it is not covered,
or the system will be 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 3-18.
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.
3-18