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 9-37
3. Plug it into a normal, grounded110-volt AC outlet.
{WARNING
Plugging the cord into an
ungrounded outlet could cause an
electrical shock. Also, the wrong
kind of extension cord could
overheat and cause a fire. You
could be seriously injured. Plug
the cord into a properly grounded
three-prong 110-volt AC outlet.
If the cord will not reach, use a
heavy-duty three-prong extension
cord rated for at least 15 amps.
4. Before starting the engine, be sure to unplug and store the
cord to prevent damage.
The length of time the heater should
remain plugged in depends on
several factors. Ask a dealer in the
area where you will be parking the
vehicle for the best advice on this.
Shifting Into Park
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to get out of
the vehicle if the shift lever is not
fully in P (Park) with the parking
brake firmly set. The vehicle can
roll. If you have left the engine
running, the vehicle can move
suddenly. You or others could be
injured. To be sure the vehicle will
not move, even when you are on
fairly level ground, use the steps
that follow. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑70.
1. Hold the brake pedal down, then set the parking brake.
See Parking Brake
on
page 9‑51for more information.
{WARNING
With all-wheel drive, the vehicle
will be free to roll —even if the
shift lever is in P (Park) —if the
transfer case is in Neutral. So, be
sure the transfer case is in a drive
gear, four-wheel high (4H) or
four-wheel low (4L) —not in
Neutral.
2. Move the shift lever into P (Park) by pressing the shift lever button
and moving the lever as far
forward as it will go.
3. Turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF.
4. Remove the key from the ignition.
9-38 Driving and Operating
Leaving Your Vehicle With the
Engine Running (Automatic
Transmission)
{WARNING
It can be dangerous to leave the
vehicle with the engine running.
The vehicle could move suddenly
if the shift lever is not fully in
P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. And, if you leave the
vehicle with the engine running, it
could overheat and even catch
fire. You or others could be
injured. Do not leave the vehicle
with the engine running.If you have to leave the vehicle with
the engine running, be sure the
vehicle is in P (Park) and the
parking brake is firmly set before
you leave it. After you have moved
the shift lever into P (Park), hold
the regular brake pedal down.
Then, see if you can move the shift
lever away from P (Park) without
first pressing the shift lever button.
If you can, it means that the shift
lever was not fully locked into
P (Park).
Torque lock is when the weight
of the vehicle puts too much
force on the parking pawl in the
transmission. This happens when
parking on a hill and shifting the
transmission into P (Park) is not
done properly and then it is difficult
to shift out of P (Park). To prevent
torque lock, set the parking brake
and then shift into P (Park). To find
out how, see
“Shifting Into P (Park)”
listed previously. If torque lock does occur, your
vehicle may need to be pushed
uphill by another vehicle to relieve
the parking pawl pressure, so you
can shift out of P (Park).Shifting Out of Park
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
P (Park) with the shift lever
button fully released, and
.Prevent movement of the shift
lever out of P (Park) unless
the ignition is in ON/RUN or
ACC/ACCESSORY and the
regular brake pedal is applied.
Driving and Operating 9-39
The shift lock release is always
functional except in the case of a
an uncharged or low voltage (less
than 9 volt) battery.
If the vehicle has an uncharged
battery or a battery with low voltage,
try charging or jump starting the
battery. SeeJump Starting
on
page 10‑86for more information.
To shift out of P (Park):
1. Apply the brake pedal.
2. Then press the shift lever button.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position. If you still are unable to shift out
of P (Park):
1. Fully release the shift lever
button.
2. While holding down the brake pedal, press the shift lever
button again.
3. Move the shift lever to the desired position.
If you still cannot move the shift
lever from P (Park), consult your
dealer or a professional towing
service.
Parking
If the vehicle has a manual
transmission, before you get out of
the vehicle, move the shift lever into
R (Reverse), and firmly apply the
parking brake. Once the shift lever
has been placed into R (Reverse)
with the clutch pedal pressed in,
turn the ignition key to LOCK/OFF,
remove the key and release the
clutch.
If you are parking on a hill, or if
the vehicle is pulling a trailer, see
Driving Characteristics and Towing
Tips on page 9‑70.
9-42 Driving and Operating
It features an electronic shift
position indicator within the
instrument cluster.
There are several different positions
for the shift lever.
P (Park):This position locks the
rear wheels. It is the best position
to use when you start the engine
because the vehicle cannot move
easily.
{WARNING
It is dangerous to get out of the
vehicle if the shift lever is not fully
in P (Park) with the parking brake
firmly set. The vehicle can roll.
Do not leave the vehicle when
the engine is running unless you
have to. If you have left the
engine running, the vehicle can
move suddenly. You or others
could be injured. To be sure the
vehicle will not move, even when
you are on fairly level ground,
always set the parking brake and
move the shift lever to P (Park).
See Shifting Into Park
on
page 9‑37
. If you are pulling a
trailer, see Driving Characteristics
and Towing Tips on page 9‑70. Make sure the shift lever is fully in
P (Park) before starting the engine.
The vehicle has an automatic
transmission shift lock control
system. You must fully apply the
regular brakes first and then press
the shift lever button before you can
shift from P (Park) when the ignition
key is in ON/RUN. If you cannot
shift out of P (Park), ease pressure
on the shift lever and push the shift
lever all the way into P (Park) as
you maintain brake application.
Then press the shift lever button
and move the shift lever into
another gear. See
Shifting Out of
Park on page 9‑38.
R (Reverse): Use this gear to
back up.
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.
9-60 Driving and Operating
Ending Cruise Control
To turn off the cruise control, do
one of the following:
.Step lightly on the brake pedal.
.Move the cruise control switch
to
9.
.Lightly tap or press the clutch,
if the vehicle has a manual
transmission.
Erasing Speed Memory
The cruise control set speed
memory is erased, when the cruise
control or the ignition is turned off.
Object Detection
Systems
Rear Vision
Camera (RVC)
Vehicles with the rear vision camera
system are designed to help the
driver while the vehicle is backing
up. The area behind the vehicle is
displayed on the screen in the
inside rear view mirror. Read this
entire section before using the
camera system.
When the key is in the ON/RUN
position and the driver shifts the
vehicle into R (Reverse), the video
image appears from inside the rear
view mirror. Once the vehicle is
shifted out of R (Reverse), the
image disappears. The display may have a guideline
overlay that can help the driver align
the vehicle when backing into a
parking spot.
Turning the Rear Vision Camera
System On or Off
To turn off the rear vision camera
system, press and hold
z, located
on the inside rearview mirror, until
the left indicator light turns off. The
rear camera vision display is now
disabled.
To turn the rear vision camera
system on again, press and
hold
zuntil the left indicator light
illuminates. The rear vision camera
system display is now enabled and
the display will appear in the mirror
normally.
Vehicle Care 10-3
California Perchlorate
Materials Requirements
Certain types of automotive
applications, such as airbag
initiators, seat belt pretensioners,
and lithium batteries contained in
remote keyless transmitters, may
contain perchlorate materials.
Special handling may be necessary.
For additional information, see
www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/
perchlorate.
Accessories and
Modifications
Adding non‐dealer/non‐retailer
accessories to the vehicle can affect
vehicle performance and safety,
including such things as airbags,
braking, stability, ride and handling,
emissions systems, aerodynamics,
durability, and electronic systems
like antilock brakes, traction control,
and stability control. Some of these
accessories could even cause
malfunction or damage not covered
by the vehicle warranty.
Damage to vehicle components
resulting from the installation or
use of non‐certified parts, including
control module modifications, isnot covered under the terms of the
vehicle warranty and may affect
remaining warranty coverage for
affected parts.
HUMMER Accessories are
designed to complement and
function with other systems on
the vehicle. Your HUMMER
dealer/retailer can accessorize the
vehicle using genuine HUMMER
Accessories. When you go to your
HUMMER dealer/retailer and ask
for HUMMER Accessories, you will
know that HUMMER-trained and
supported service technicians will
perform the work using genuine
HUMMER Accessories.
Also, see
Adding Equipment to the
Airbag-Equipped Vehicle
on
page 3‑40.
10-12 Vehicle Care
After changing the engine oil, reset
the system:
1. Turn the ignition key to ON/RUNwith the engine off.
2. Press and release the stem in the lower center of the
instrument cluster until the OIL
LIFE message is displayed.
3. Once the alternating “Oil Life”
and “Reset” messages appear,
press and hold the stem until
several beeps sound. This
confirms that the oil life system
has been reset.
4. Turn the key to LOCK/OFF.
If the “Change Oil” message
comes on again and stays on for
30 seconds at the next ignition
cycle, it did not reset. The system
needs to be reset again.What to Do with Used Oil
Used engine oil contains certain
elements that can be unhealthy for
your skin and could even cause
cancer. Do not let used oil stay on
your skin for very long. Clean your
skin and nails with soap and water,
or a good hand cleaner. Wash or
properly dispose of clothing or rags
containing used engine oil. See the
manufacturer's warnings about the
use and disposal of oil products.
Used oil can be a threat to the
environment. If you change your
own oil, be sure to drain all the oil
from the filter before disposal. Never
dispose of oil by putting it in the
trash, pouring it on the ground, into
sewers, or into streams or bodies of
water. Recycle it by taking it to a
place that collects used oil.
Automatic Transmission
Fluid
When to Check and Change
Automatic Transmission Fluid
A good time to check the automatic
transmission fluid level is when the
engine oil is changed.
Change the fluid and filter at the
intervals listed in Scheduled
Maintenance
on page 11‑2, and be
sure to use the transmission fluid
listed in Recommended Fluids and
Lubricants on page 11‑8.
How to Check Automatic
Transmission Fluid
Because this operation can be a
little difficult, you may choose to
have this done at the dealer service
department.
If adding it yourself, be sure to
follow all the instructions here,
or there could be a false reading on
the dipstick.