Part 1

Exterior Lighting Systems Description and Operation

Exterior Lamps

The exterior lighting system consist of the following lamps:

* Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL)
* Automatic Headlamp Leveling - European Only
* Headlamps
* Daytime running lamps (DRL)
* Front fog lamps
* Rear fog lamps - European
* Park, tail, license and marker lamps
* Turn signal lamps
* Hazard warning lamps
* Repeater lamps - European
* Stop lamps
* Backup lamps
* Position lamps

Low Beam Headlamps (Standard)

The headlamps consist of 2 interchangeable single filament bulbs or 2 high intensity discharge (HID) arc tubes and ballast on each side of the vehicle which provide high and low beams. The lower bulb in the headlamp is the high beam and the upper bulb is the low beam.

The headlamps may be turned ON in 3 different ways:

* When the headlamp switch is placed in the ON position, for normal operation
* When the headlamp switch is placed in the AUTO position, for automatic lamp control (ALC)
* When the headlamp switch is placed in the AUTO position, with the windshield wipers ON in daylight conditions, after a 6 second delay

Battery voltage is applied at all times to the coil and switched side of the low beam relay. Ground is applied at all times to the turn signal/multifunction switch. When the turn signal/multifunction switch is placed in the HEAD position, ground is applied from the turn signal/multifunction switch through the headlamps ON signal circuit to the body control module (BCM). The BCM applies ground to the headlamp low beam relay control circuit. This energizes the low beam relay, closing the switched side and applies battery voltage to the LEFT and RIGHT LOW BEAM fuses. Battery voltage is then applied from the fuses, through the low beam voltage supply circuits to the left and right low beam headlamp assemblies illuminating the low beam headlamps.

High Intensity Discharge (HID) Low Beam Headlamps (uplevel)

Warning

The high intensity discharge system produces high voltage and current. To reduce the risk of severe shocks and burns:

* Never open the high intensity discharge system ballast or the arc tube assembly starter.
* Never probe between the high intensity discharge system ballast output connector and the arc tube assembly.

Battery voltage is applied at all times to the coil and switched side of the low beam relay. Ground is applied at all times to the turn signal/multifunction switch. When the turn signal/multifunction switch is placed in the HEAD position, ground is applied from the turn signal/multifunction switch through the headlamps ON signal circuit to the body control module (BCM). The BCM applies ground to the headlamp low beam relay control circuit. This energizes the low beam relay coil, closing the switch side contacts, and applies battery voltage to the LEFT and RIGHT LOW BEAM fuses. Battery voltage is then applied from the fuses, through the low beam voltage supply circuits to the left and right headlamp ballast located in each headlamp assembly. When battery voltage is applied to the headlamp ballast through the low beam voltage supply circuits, the ballast charge the starter to start the lamp. High intensity discharge (HID) headlamps do not have filaments like traditional bulbs, instead the starter uses a high voltage transformer to convert the input voltage into a higher voltage. This increased voltage is used in order to create an arc between the electrodes in the bulb.

Run Up Of The Lamp

Each ballast requires higher amperage in order to ensure normal startup and run up of the lamp. Run up is the term used to describe the extra power level given to the bulb. The input current during the steady state operation is lower that the start up amperage. After the lamp receives the strike from the starter and the arc is established, the ballast uses its operating voltage in order to provide the run up power needed in order to keep the lamp on. The lamp rapidly increases in intensity from a dim glow to a very high-intensity, bright light called a steady state. Within a few seconds of the arc being established in the bulb, the majority of steady state is complete. 100 percent of the steady state is completed shortly there after. A high watt power level is necessary in order to bring the lamp to a steady state in such a short period of time. The high watt power level allows the lamp to meet the SAE light vs. time specification.

When To Change The HID Bulb

Bulb failure, end of life occurs when the bulb gets old and becomes unstable. The bulb may begin shutting itself off sporadically and unpredictably at first, perhaps only once during a 24-hour period. When the bulb begins shutting itself off occasionally, the ballast will automatically turn the bulb back on again within 0.5 seconds. The ballast will re-strike the bulb so quickly that the bulb may not appear to have shut off. As the bulb ages, the bulb may begin to shut off more frequently, eventually over 30 times per minute. When the bulb begins to shut off more frequently, the ballast receives excessive, repetitive current input. Repetitive and excessive restarts or re-strikes, without time for the ballast to cool down, will permanently damage the ballast. As a safeguard, when repetitive re-strikes are detected, the ballast will not attempt to re-strike the lamp. The ballast then shuts down and the bulb goes out.

The following symptoms are noticeable signs of bulb failure:

* Flickering light, caused in the early stages of bulb failure
* Lights go out, caused when the ballast detects excessive, repetitive bulb re-strike
* Color change-The lamp may change to a dim pink glow.

Input power to the ballast must be terminated in order to reset the ballast's fault circuitry. In order to terminate the input power to the ballast, turn the lights off and back on again. Turning the lights off and back on again resets all of the fault circuitry within the ballast until the next occurrence of excessive, repetitive bulb re-strikes. When excessive, repetitive bulb re-strikes occur, replace the starter/arc tube assembly. The ballast will begin the start-up process when the starter/arc tube assembly is replaced. Repeatedly resetting the input power can overheat the internal components and cause permanent damage to the ballast. Allow a few minutes of cool-down time in between reset attempts.

Bulb failures are often sporadic at first, and difficult to repeat. Technicians can identify bulb failure by observing if the problem gets progressively worse over the next 100 hours of operation.

Light Color

White light has a different color rating than regular headlamps. The range of white light that is acceptable is broad when compared to halogens. Therefore, some variation in headlight coloring between the right and left headlamp will be normal. One high intensity discharge (HID) at the end of the normal range may appear considerably different in color from one at the other end of the range. Difference in color is normal. Replace the arc tube only if the arc tube is determined to be at the bulb failure stage.

Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL)

The AFL consist of the following components:

* Headlamp control module
* Headlamp actuator - left
* Headlamp actuator - right

Battery positive voltage is applied to the headlamp control module at all times and when the ignition switch is in the RUN and CRANK positions. The headlamp control module has an operational voltage range of about 10.5-16 volts and is only fully functional when the ignition switch is in the RUN position. The voltage input from the ignition switch wakes the headlamp control module microprocessor. The headlamp control module receives serial data messages from the engine control module (ECM), transmission control module (TCM), electronic brake control module (EBCM), and body control module (BCM) with regards to power mode, speed, steering angle, transmission gear selection, and headlamp switch status. The headlamp control module calculates the headlamp angle and sends commands to the left and right headlamp actuators. The headlamp actuators drive the headlamps to the position commanded by the headlamp control module. The headlamp control module monitors the headlamp actuator motor control circuits for proper circuit continuity and for shorts to ground or voltage. If a malfunction is detected, a DTC will be stored in memory and the driver will be notified with a message displayed over the driver information center (DIC) located on the instrument panel cluster (IPC).

The headlamp control module controls the left headlamp movement by 15 degrees to the left and 5 degrees to the right, and the right headlamp movement by 5 degrees to the left and 15 degrees to the right. The direction the headlamps move is controlled by the steering wheel angle and is limited by steering angles of approximately +/- 90 degrees. The AFL will not operate with the transmission in reverse or at vehicle speeds less than 2 mph. Movement of the headlamps is restricted at low vehicle speeds and full movement of the lamps is not allowed until vehicle speed is greater than approximately 30 mph. The following conditions must be met before the AFL will operate:

* Headlamp switch in the AUTO position and high or low beam headlamps must be active
* Steering angle position must be received from the EBCM with the steering signal validity bit set
* Vehicle speed must be received from the ECM with the steering signal validity bit set
* Transmission gear position must be received from the TCM with the transmission gear position validity bit set

Automatic Lamp Control/Twilight Sentinel

Place the turn signal/multifunction switch in the AUTO position for automatic lamp control. During automatic lamp control the headlamps will be off during daylight conditions but will turn on when the ambient light sensor detects low outside light level. The ambient light sensor is a light sensitive transistor that varies the voltage signal to the HVAC control module. The HVAC control module sends a signal to the body control module (BCM) via serial data commanding the BCM to apply ground to the headlamp low beam relay control circuit. This energizes the low beam relay, closing the switched side and applies battery voltage to the LEFT and RIGHT LOW BEAM fuses. Battery voltage is applied from the low beam fuses, through the low beam voltage supply circuits to low headlamp assemblies.

Flash to Pass (FTP)

When the low beam headlamps are on and the turn signal/multifunction switch is momentarily placed in the flash to pass (FTP) position, ground is applied to the turn signal/multifunction switch. The turn signal/multifunction switch applies ground to the body control module (BCM) through the FTP switch signal circuit. The BCM then applies ground to the high beam relay control circuit. This energizes the high beam relay, closing the switch side contacts of the high beam relay, applying battery voltage to the LEFT and RIGHT HIGH BEAM fuses. Battery voltage is applied from the High Beam fuses through the high beam voltage supply circuit to the high beam headlamp assemblies. This causes the high beam headlamps to illuminate at full brightness momentarily or until the flash to pass switch is released.