2009 HUMMER H2 Owners Manual

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.
4-35

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.
{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 4-15for information
about driving off-road.
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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 wheels to 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 4-9
improves 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.
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.
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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 7-7. To get help and
keep everyone in the vehicle safe:
Turn on theHazard Warning Flashers on page 3-6.
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.
CAUTION: (Continued)
CAUTION: (Continued)

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.
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, see
Engine Exhaust on page 2-45.
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.
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.
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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. See
Rocking Your Vehicle to Get It Out on page 4-40.
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 5-77.
4-39

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. Shift back and forth between R (Reverse) and a
forward gear, 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. 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. Or, you can use the recovery loops. If the
vehicle does need to be towed out, seeTowing Your
Vehicle on page 4-50.
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

Your vehicle may have
recovery loops at the front
and rear of the vehicle.
You may need to use them
if you are stuck off-road
and need to be pulled
to some place where you
can continue driving.
Front of Vehicle
Rear of Vehicle
4-41

First Aid Kit and Tool Kit
If the vehicle has a rst aid and tool kit, it is located in
the storage bin behind the spare tire on SUV models.
It is held in place with a hook and loop fastener strap.
On SUT models, the kit is in the rear cargo compartment
on the passenger side of the vehicle.
The kit includes a rst aid kit, a ashlight, a tire pressure
gage, and a multi-purpose tool set.The tire pressure gage has a reset button in the gage
stem. After taking a pressure reading, press the
button to reset the gage to zero.
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