Operation CHARM: Car repair manuals for everyone.

Headlamp: Description and Operation

Low Beam Operation
With the headlight switch in HEAD and the dimmer switch in LO, current flows through the headlight switch, fuse 21, fuse 22, and the low beam filaments to ground, and the low beams come ON.

High Beam Operation
With the headlight switch in HEAD and the dimmer switch in HI, current flows through the headlight switch, dimmer switch, fuses 9, 10, and the high beam filaments to ground, and the high beams come ON.

Current also flows through the high beam indicator light to ground. The high beam indicator comes ON to remind the driver that the high beams are ON.

Flash Operation
The flash feature works with the headlight switch in OFF, PARK, or HEAD (low beams). When you move the flash-to-pass switch to ON, current flows through the switch, fuses 9 and 10, and the high beam filaments to ground, and the high beams flash. The high beam indicator also flashes during the flash operation. The flash function has no effect if the high beams are already ON.

Daytime Running Lights Day Operation
When you turn the ignition to ON (II) with the parking brake released, the daytime running lights control unit supplies battery voltage at the RED/BLU wire. This voltage is applied to the high beam headlights through the daytime running lights resistor. Each high beam headlight receives less than battery voltage causing them to come ON at reduced brightness.

When you set the parking brake, a ground signal is applied to the daytime running lights control unit at the RED/GRN wire. If the parking brake is set when you first turn the ignition switch to ON (II), the high beam headlights will remain OFF until you release the parking brake. Once the high beam headlights are in day mode, setting the parking brake will not turn them OFF. When you switch to low or high beam, battery voltage from the headlight switch is applied through the RED wire to the daytime running light control unit. The daytime running light control unit then turns OFF the daytime running light mode.