2009 HUMMER H3 engine

While backing down the hill, put
your left hand on the steering
wheel at the 12 o’clock position
so you can tell if the wheels
are straight and can maneuver
as you back down. It is best
to back down the hill with
the wheels straight rather than
in the left or right direction.
Turning the wheel too far to the
left or right will increase the
possibility of a rollover.
Things not to do if the vehicle stalls,
or is about to stall, when going
up a hill:
Never attempt to prevent a stall
by shifting into N (Neutral) to
rev-up the engine and regain
forward momentum. This will
not work. The vehicle can
roll backward very quickly and
could go out of control.
Never try to turn around if about
to stall when going up a hill. If
the hill is steep enough to
stall the vehicle, it is steep
enough to cause it to roll over. If
you cannot make it up the hill,
back straight down the hill.
If, after stalling, you try to back
down the hill and decide you just
cannot do it, set the parking brake.
If the vehicle has an automatic
transmission, shift to P (Park). Turn
off the engine. Leave the vehicle
and go get some help. Exit on
the uphill side and stay clear of the
path the vehicle would take if it
rolled downhill. Do not shift
the transfer case to Neutral when
you leave the vehicle. Leave it
in some gear.{CAUTION
Shifting the transfer case to
Neutral can cause your vehicle to
roll even if the transmission is in
P (Park). This is because the
Neutral position on the transfer
case overrides the transmission.
You or someone else could be
injured. If you are going to leave
your vehicle, set the parking
brake and shift the transmission
to P (Park). But do not shift the
transfer case to Neutral.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-23

Driving Downhill
When off-roading takes you
downhill, consider:
How steep is the downhill? Will I
be able to maintain vehicle
control?
What is the surface like?
Smooth? Rough? Slippery?
Hard-packed dirt? Gravel?
Are there hidden surface
obstacles? Ruts? Logs?
Boulders?
What is at the bottom of the hill?
Is there a hidden creek bank or
even a river bottom with large
rocks?
If you decide you can go down a hill
safely, try to keep the vehicle
headed straight down. Use a low
gear so engine drag can help
the brakes so they do not have to
do all the work. Descend slowly,
keeping the vehicle under control at
all times.
{CAUTION
Heavy braking when going down
a hill can cause your brakes to
overheat and fade. This could
cause loss of control and a
serious accident. Apply the brakes
lightly when descending a hill and
use a low gear to keep vehicle
speed under control.
Things not to do when driving down
a hill:
When driving downhill, avoid
turns that take you across
the incline of the hill. A hill that
is not too steep to drive down
might be too steep to drive
across. The vehicle could
roll over.
Never go downhill with the
transmission in N (Neutral), called
free-wheeling. The brakes will
have to do all the work and could
overheat and fade.Vehicles are much more likely to
stall when going uphill, but if it
happens when going downhill:
1. Stop the vehicle by applying the
regular brakes and apply the
parking brake.
2. With an automatic transmission,
shift to P (Park). While still
braking, restart the engine.
3. Shift back to a low gear, release
the parking brake, and drive
straight down.
4. If the engine will not start, get
out and get help.
4-24 Driving Your Vehicle

Driving in Water
{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.
Heavy rain can mean ash ooding,
and ood waters demand extreme
caution.Find out how deep the water is
before driving through it. Do not
try it if it is deep enough to cover
the wheel hubs, axles, or exhaust
pipe — you probably will not get
through. Deep water can damage the
axle and other vehicle parts. The
vehicle is capable of depths up to
20 inches (50 cm). 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 the ignition
system and the vehicle can stall.
Stalling can also occur if you get the
tailpipe under water. If the tailpipe
is under water, you will never
be able to start the engine. When
going through water, remember that
when the brakes get wet, it might
take longer to stop. SeeDriving
in Rain and on Wet Roads on
page 4-29.
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 and check the fuel lines
and cooling system for any
leakage.
The vehicle requires more frequent
service due to off-road use.
Refer to the Maintenance Schedule
for additional information.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-27

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

Use the following procedure to tow
the vehicle:
1. Put the transmission in P (Park)
for an automatic transmission or
in 1 (First) for a manual
transmission.
2. Turn the engine off, but leave the
ignition in ACC/ACCESSORY.
3. Firmly set the parking brake.
4. Securely attach the vehicle being
towed to the tow vehicle.
{CAUTION
Shifting a full-time
four-wheel-drive vehicle’s
transfer case into N (Neutral)
can cause the vehicle to roll
even if the automatic transmission
is in P (Park) or the manual
transmission is in any gear. You
or others could be injured. Make
sure the parking brake is rmly
set before the transfer case is
shifted to N (Neutral).5. Shift the transfer case to
N (Neutral). SeeFull-Time
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-24
for the proper procedure to
select the N (Neutral) position for
the vehicle.
6. Release the parking brake only
after the vehicle being towed is
rmly attached to the tow vehicle.
7. Make sure the ignition is in
ACC/ACCESSORY.
When towing the vehicle for
extended periods of time, start the
vehicle as often as possible to
prevent battery drain. This should
only be done when the tow
vehicle is parked.
After towing, see “Shifting Out of
NEUTRAL” underFull-Time
Four-Wheel Drive on page 2-24.
Dolly Towing
Notice:Dolly towing the vehicle
will damage drivetrain
components. Do not dolly tow the
vehicle.
The vehicle cannot be dolly towed.
If the vehicle must be towed
behind another vehicle, use the
dinghy towing procedure explained
previously.
Driving Your Vehicle 4-41