2010 HUMMER H3 fuel

Driving and Operating 9-7
Off-Road Driving
The airbag system is designed to
work properly under a wide range of
conditions, including off‐road usage.
Always wear your safety belt and
observe safe driving speeds,
especially on rough terrain.
Drinking and driving can be very
dangerous on any road and this is
certainly true for off-road driving.
At the very time you need special
alertness and driving skills, your
reflexes, perceptions, and judgment
can be affected by even a small
amount of alcohol. You could have a
serious—or even fatal —accident
if you drink and drive or ride with a
driver who has been drinking. Off-roading can be great fun but has
some definite hazards. The greatest
of these is the terrain itself. When
off-road driving, traffic lanes are not
marked, curves are not banked, and
there are no road signs. Surfaces
can be slippery, rough, uphill,
or downhill.
Avoid sharp turns and abrupt
maneuvers. Failure to operate the
vehicle correctly off‐road could
result in loss of vehicle control or
vehicle rollover.
Off-roading involves some new
skills. That is why it is very
important that you read these
driving tips and suggestions to
help make off-road driving safer
and more enjoyable.
Before You Go Off-Roading
.Have all necessary maintenance
and service work done.
.Make sure there is enough fuel,
that fluid levels are where they
should be, and that the spare
tire is fully inflated.
.Be sure to read all the
information about
four-wheel-drive vehicles
in this manual.
.Make sure all underbody
shields, if the vehicle has them,
are properly attached.
.Know the local laws that apply
to off-roading where you will
be driving or check with law
enforcement people in the area.
.Be sure to get the necessary
permission if you will be on
private land.

Driving and Operating 9-21
Driving in Water
{WARNING
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 flash flooding,
and flood 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 50 cm (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 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. See Driving on Wet
Roads on page 9‑22.
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 fire 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 and Operating 9-25
WARNING (Continued)
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 5 cm
(two inches) 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.(Continued)
WARNING (Continued)
For more information about
carbon monoxide, see Engine
Exhaust on page 9‑40.
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. 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.

Driving and Operating 9-31
Certification/Tire Label
Label Example
A vehicle specific Certification/
Tire label is attached to the
bottom section of the driver sidecenter pillar (B-pillar) or on the
end of the driver side instrument
panel. The label shows the
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR). The GVWR includes
the weight of the vehicle, all
occupants, fuel, cargo and trailer
tongue weight, if pulling a trailer.
The Certification/Tire label also
tells the maximum weights for
the front and rear axles, called
Gross Axle Weight Rating
(GAWR). To find out the actual
loads on the front and rear
axles, go to a weigh station and
weigh the vehicle. Your dealer
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.

9-36 Driving and Operating
To prevent gear damage, this
system also prevents cranking if
the engine is already running.
Engine cranking can be stopped
by turning the ignition switch to
ACC/ACCESSORY or
LOCK/OFF.
Notice: Cranking the engine for
long periods of time, by returning
the key to the START position
immediately after cranking has
ended, can overheat and damage
the cranking motor, and drain the
battery. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to let the
cranking motor cool down.
2. If the engine does not start
after 5‐10 seconds, especially
in very cold weather (below 0°F
or−18°C), it could be flooded
with too much gasoline. Push
the accelerator pedal all the way
to the floor and holding it there
as you hold the key in START
for a maximum of 15 seconds. Wait at least 15 seconds
between each try, to allow the
cranking motor to cool. When
the engine starts, let go of the
key and accelerator. If the
vehicle starts briefly but then
stops again, repeat the
procedure. This clears the extra
gasoline from the engine. Do not
race the engine immediately
after starting it. Operate the
engine and transmission gently
until the oil warms up and
lubricates all moving parts.
Notice: The engine is designed to
work with the electronics in the
vehicle. If you add electrical
parts or accessories, you could
change the way the engine
operates. Before adding electrical
equipment, check with your
dealer. If you do not, the engine
might not perform properly. Any
resulting damage would not be
covered by the vehicle warranty.Engine Coolant Heater
The engine coolant heater can
provide easier starting and better
fuel economy during engine
warm-up in cold weather conditions
at or below −18°C (0°F). Vehicles
with an engine coolant heater
should be plugged in at least
four hours before starting. An
internal thermostat in the plug-end
of the cord may exist which will
prevent engine coolant heater
operation at temperatures
above −18°C (0° F).
To Use the Engine Coolant
Heater
1. Turn off the engine.
2. Open the hood and unwrap
the electrical cord. The cord
is located in the engine
compartment behind the
underhood fuse block on the
driver side of the vehicle.

Driving and Operating 9-43
To rock the vehicle back and forth to
get out of snow, ice, or sand without
damaging the transmission, see
If the Vehicle is Stuck on page 9‑26.
N (Neutral):In this position, the
engine does not connect with the
wheels. To restart the engine when
the vehicle is already moving, use
N (Neutral) only.
{WARNING
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is
firmly on the brake pedal, the
vehicle could move very rapidly.
You could lose control and hit
people or objects. Do not shift
into a drive gear while the engine
is running at high speed. Notice:
Shifting out of P (Park)
or N (Neutral) with the engine
running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The
repairs would not be covered by
the vehicle warranty. Be sure the
engine is not running at high
speed when shifting the vehicle.
D (Drive): This position is for
normal driving. It provides the best
fuel economy. If you need more
power for passing, and you are:.Going less than about 55 km/h
(35 mph), push the accelerator
pedal about halfway down.
.Going about 55 km/h (35 mph) or
more, push the accelerator all
the way down. Downshifting the transmission in
slippery road conditions could result
in skidding, see
“Skidding”under
Loss of Control on page 9‑6.
D (Drive) can be used when towing
a trailer. You may want to shift
the transmission to 3 (Third) or,
if necessary, a lower gear if the
transmission shifts too often under
heavy loads or in hilly conditions.
3 (Third): This position is also
used for normal driving. However it
reduces vehicle speed more than
D (Drive) without using the brakes.
You might choose 3 (Third) instead
of D (Drive) when driving on hilly or
winding roads, or when towing a
trailer, so there is less shifting
between gears, or when going down
a steep hill.

Driving and Operating 9-45
You can shift into 1 (First) when
you are going less than 30 km/h
(20 mph). If you have come to a
complete stop and it is hard to shift
into 1 (First), put the shift lever in
Neutral and let up on the clutch.
Then press the clutch pedal back
down and shift into 1 (First).
2 (Second):Press the clutch pedal
as you let up on the accelerator
pedal and shift into 2 (Second).
Then, slowly let up on the clutch
pedal as you press the accelerator
pedal.
3 (Third), 4 (Fourth) and 5 (Fifth):
Shift into 3 (Third), 4 (Fourth) and
5 (Fifth) the same way you do for
2 (Second). Slowly let up on the
clutch pedal as you press the
accelerator pedal.
To stop, let up on the accelerator
pedal and press the brake pedal.
Just before the vehicle stops, press
the clutch pedal and the brake
pedal, and shift to Neutral.
Neutral: Use this position when
you start or idle the engine. R (Reverse):
To back up, stop the
vehicle. Press the clutch pedal and
shift into R (Reverse). Slowly let up
on the clutch pedal as you press
the accelerator pedal. If it is hard
to shift, let the shift lever return to
Neutral and release the clutch
pedal. Then press the clutch again
and shift into R (Reverse). Do not
attempt to shift into the fifth gear
position prior to shifting into
R (Reverse). The transmission has
a lock out feature which prevents a
5 (Fifth) gear to R (Reverse) gear
shift.
Notice: Shifting to R (Reverse)
while the vehicle is moving
forward could damage the
transmission. The repairs would
not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Shift to R (Reverse) only
after the vehicle is stopped.
Use R (Reverse), along with the
parking brake, for parking the
vehicle.Up-Shift Light
This light will show you when to shift
to the next higher gear for best fuel
economy.
When this light comes on, you
can shift to the next higher gear if
weather, road and traffic conditions
permit. For the best fuel economy,
accelerate slowly and shift when the
light comes on.
While you accelerate, it is normal
for the light to go on and off if you
quickly change the position of the
accelerator. Ignore the shift light
when you downshift.
Disregard the shift light when the
transfer case is in four-wheel low.
For more information, see Up-Shift
Light on page 5‑15.

9-64 Driving and Operating
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is
an important part of the proper
maintenance of this vehicle. To help
keep the engine clean and maintain
optimum vehicle performance, we
recommend the use of gasoline
advertised as TOP TIER Detergent
Gasoline.
Look for the TOP TIER label on the
fuel pump to ensure gasoline meets
enhanced detergency standards
developed by auto companies. A list
of marketers providing TOP TIER
Detergent Gasoline can be found at
www.toptiergas.com.
The 8th digit of the Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN) shows
the code letter or number that
identifies the vehicle's engine.The VIN is at the top left of the
instrument panel. See
Vehicle
Identification Number (VIN)
on
page 12‑1.
If the vehicle has the 5.3L V8 engine
(VIN Code P), you can use either
unleaded gasoline or ethanol fuel
containing up to 85% ethanol (E85).
See Fuel E85 (85% Ethanol)
on
page 9‑66. In all other engines, use
only regular unleaded gasoline.
Recommended Fuel
Use regular unleaded gasoline with
a posted octane rating of 87 or
higher. If the octane rating is less
than 87, an audible knocking noise,
commonly referred to as spark
knock, might be heard when driving.
If this occurs, use a gasoline rated
at 87 octane or higher as soon as
possible. If heavy knocking is heard
when using gasoline rated at
87 octane or higher, the engine
needs service.