Operation CHARM: Car repair manuals for everyone.

Exterior Lighting




Exterior Lighting

The exterior lighting system consists of the following components:

- Headlamp assemblies
- Side marker lamps (front and rear)
- Front fog lamps
- Rear lamp assemblies
- High mounted stoplamp
- License plate lamps
- Headlamp switch
- Multifunction switch
- Hazard flasher lamp switch (located in the upper portion of the center instrument panel finish panel)
- Stoplamp switch
- Instrument Cluster (IC)
- Generic Electronic Module (GEM) (located behind the glove compartment)

Lamp Assembly Condensation

Exterior lamps are vented to accommodate normal changes in pressure. Condensation can be a natural by-product of this design. When moist air enters the lamp assembly through the vents, there is a possibility that condensation can occur if the temperature is cold. When normal condensation occurs, a thin film of mist can form on the interior of the lens. The thin mist eventually clears and exits through the vents during normal operation. Time to clear the lens of acceptable mist varies with ambient humidity and lamp types. Normal condensation clears from any lamp in 48 hours under dry conditions.

Do NOT replace a lamp assembly with acceptable levels of condensation such as:

- presence of thin mist (no streaks, drip marks or droplets are present)
- fine mist covers less than 50% of the lens

Examples of unacceptable moisture (usually caused by a lamp housing leak):

- water puddling inside the lamp
- large water droplets, drip marks or streaks present on the interior of the lens

Headlamps

The headlamp system is a dual-beam pattern system. It consists of replaceable low/high beam bulbs. The headlamp assembly has the park/turn indicator lamp integrated into the headlamp assembly. The headlamp switch, the IC and various relays control voltage to the headlamps when demanded.

The headlamps can only be turned on when the ignition is in RUN.

Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)

If the vehicle is equipped with Daytime Running Lamps (DRL), this feature illuminates the low beam headlamps at a reduced intensity when the following conditions exist:

- The ignition is in RUN.
- The headlamp switch is not in the HEADLAMPS ON position.

Stoplamps

The stoplamp switch is located on the brake pedal assembly. The stoplamps are supplied voltage when the brake pedal is applied.

Turn Signal/Hazard Lamps

When the multifunction switch is placed in the LH or RH TURN position, the GEM cycles the voltage on and off approximately 80 times per minute. If a front or rear turn bulb is inoperative, the GEM cycles the voltage on and off approximately 160 times per minute.

When the hazard flasher switch is pressed, the GEM cycles the voltage on and off to all the turn lamps approximately 80 times per minute.

Parking Lamps

The headlamp switch supplies voltage to the parking lamps when demanded. The parking lamp system includes the following lamps:

- Front parking lamps
- Front side marker lamps
- Rear parking lamps
- License plate lamps

Fog Lamps

The fog lamp switch is integrated into the headlamp switch. The fog lamps can be turned on when the ignition is in RUN and the headlamps are on.

NOTE: If the vehicle is not equipped with front fog lamps, the second detent is not available. When the fog lamp switch is pulled to the first detent, voltage is provided to the rear fog lamps.

When the fog lamp switch is pulled to the first detent, voltage is provided to the front fog lamps.

When the fog lamp switch is pulled to the second detent, voltage is provided to both front and rear fog lamps.

The rear fog lamps are located within the rear lamp assemblies.

Reversing Lamps

When the transaxle is placed in REVERSE (R) with the ignition in RUN, the reversing lamps are illuminated. The reversing lamps are located within the rear lamp assemblies.