Steering, Steering -11, Power steering – Hummer 2006 H2 User Manual

Page 265: Steering tips

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You must wait for the light in the button to stop flashing
and remain illuminated before the rear axle is locked.

Notice: If you try to lock the rear axle while
your vehicle is stuck and the tires are spinning, you
could damage your vehicle’s drivetrain. The
repairs would not be covered by your warranty.
Always lock the rear axle before attempting
situations and/or navigating terrain which could
possibly cause the vehicle to become stuck.

The locking rear axle will be disengaged when the
vehicle’s speed is greater than 20 mph (32 km/h), if the
vehicle’s battery is low and/or the transfer case is
shifted out of Four-Wheel-Low-Lock mode.

Notice: If you lock the rear axle while driving on
pavement, you could damage your vehicle’s
drivetrain. The repairs would not be covered by
your warranty. Do not use the locking rear axle on
pavement. If you need four-wheel drive when
traveling on pavement, use only 4HI.

Steering

Power Steering

If you lose power steering assist because the engine
stops or the system is not functioning, you can steer but
it will take much more effort.

Steering Tips

It is important to take curves at a reasonable speed.

A lot of the “driver lost control” accidents mentioned on
the news happen on curves. Here is why:

Experienced driver or beginner, each of us is subject to
the same laws of physics when driving on curves.
The traction of the tires against the road surface makes
it possible for the vehicle to change its path when
you turn the front wheels. If there is no traction, inertia
will keep the vehicle going in the same direction. If
you have ever tried to steer a vehicle on wet ice, you
will understand this.

The traction you can get in a curve depends on the
condition of your tires and the road surface, the angle at
which the curve is banked, and your speed. While
you are in a curve, speed is the one factor you
can control.

Suppose you are steering through a sharp curve.
Then you suddenly accelerate. Both control
systems — steering and acceleration — have to do
their work where the tires meet the road. Adding
the sudden acceleration can demand too much of
those places. You can lose control. See Traction
Control System (TCS)
on page 4-9.

What should you do if this ever happens? Ease up on
the accelerator pedal, steer the vehicle the way you
want it to go, and slow down.

4-11

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