
Wiper Activated Headlamps
This feature activates the headlamps and parking
lamps after the windshield wipers are turned
on. For this feature to work, automatic lighting
must be enabled. SeeHeadlamps on page 163for
additional information.
When the ignition is turned off, the wiper-activated
headlamps will immediately turn off. They will
also turn off 15 seconds after the windshield wiper
control is turned off.
Headlamps on Reminder
If you open the driver’s door with the ignition off
and the lamps on, you will hear a warning chime.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier
for others to see the front of your vehicle during
the day. DRL can be helpful in many different
driving conditions, but they can be especially
helpful in the short periods after dawn and before
sunset. Fully functional daytime running lamps
are required on all vehicles rst sold in Canada.Your vehicle has a light sensor on top of the
instrument panel. Make sure it is not covered or
the headlamps will come on when you do not
need them.
The DRL system will make the headlamps come
on at reduced brightness when the following
conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamp control is turned to AUTO.
The light sensor detects daytime light.
The shift lever is not in PARK (P).
While the DRL system is on, the taillamps,
sidemarker lamps, and instrument panel lights will
not be illuminated.
The DRL system will be off any time your vehicle
is in PARK (P). The DRL system on U.S.
vehicles can also be turned off by using the off/on
switch for one ignition cycle.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the
regular headlamp system when you need it.
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Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside, your automatic
system will turn on your headlamps at the normal
brightness along with other lamps such as the
taillamps, sidemarker, parking lamps, instrument
panel lights, and interior switch backlighting.
Your vehicle has a light sensor on top of the
instrument panel. Make sure it is not covered, or
the headlamps may remain on when you do
not need them.
The system may also be on when driving through
a parking garage, heavy overcast weather or a
tunnel. This is normal.
There is a delay in the transition between the
daytime and nighttime operation of the automatic
lamp control system so that driving under
bridges or bright overhead street lights does not
affect the system. The automatic lamp control
system will only be affected when the light sensor
sees a change in lighting lasting longer than
this delay.If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the
automatic lamp system will come on immediately.
Once you leave the garage, it will take about
20 seconds for the automatic lamp system
to change to DRL if it is light outside. During that
delay, the instrument panel cluster may not be
as bright as usual. Make sure the instrument panel
brightness control is in the full bright position.
SeeInstrument Panel Brightness on page 166.
To idle your vehicle with the system off, turn
the ignition on and turn the exterior light switch to
the off/on position. For Canadian vehicles, the
transaxle must stay in PARK (P) for this function
or the parking brake must be set for vehicles
with manual transaxles.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the
regular headlamps when you need them.
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Fog Lamps
If your vehicle is
equipped with a fog
lamp button, it is located
to the right of the
steering wheel and
above the radio.
The ignition must be on to turn your fog lamps on.
Push the button to turn the fog lamps on. An
indicator light on the cluster will come on when the
fog lamps are on. Push the button again to turn
the fog lamps off.
The parking lamps will automatically turn on and
off when the fog lamps are turned on and off.
The fog lamps will turn off while the high-beam
headlamps are turned on.
Some localities have laws that require the
headlamps to be on along with the fog lamps.
Instrument Panel Brightness
The control for this
feature is located to the
right of the steering
wheel and above
the radio.
Move the thumbwheel to the left to dim the lights
or to the right to brighten the lights.
The dome lamps will turn on when the thumbwheel
is moved completely to the right.
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Warning Lights, Gages, and
Indicators
This part describes the warning lights and gages
that may be on your vehicle. The pictures will
help you locate them.
Warning lights and gages can signal that
something is wrong before it becomes serious
enough to cause an expensive repair or
replacement. Paying attention to your warning
lights and gages could also save you or others
from injury.
Warning lights come on when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. As
you will see in the details on the next few
pages, some warning lights come on brie y when
you start the engine just to let you know they
are working. If you are familiar with this section,
you should not be alarmed when this happens.Gages can indicate when there may be or is a
problem with one of your vehicle’s functions. Often
gages and warning lights work together to let
you know when there is a problem with your
vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and
stays on as you are driving, or when one of
the gages shows there may be a problem, check
the section that tells you what to do about it.
Please follow this manual’s advice. Waiting to do
repairs can be costly and even dangerous. So
please get to know your warning lights and gages.
They are a big help.
177

If the word OFF or the off symbol is lit on the
airbag status indicator, it means that the
passenger sensing system has turned off the right
front passenger’s frontal airbag. SeePassenger
Sensing System on page 82for more on this,
including important safety information.
If, after several seconds, all status indicator lights
remain on, or if there are no lights at all, there
may be a problem with the lights or the passenger
sensing system. See your dealer for service.
{CAUTION:
If the off indicator and the airbag
readiness light ever come on together, it
means that something may be wrong with
the airbag system. If this ever happens,
have the vehicle serviced promptly,
because an adult-size person sitting in the
right front passenger seat may not have
the protection of the frontal airbag. See
Airbag Readiness Light on page 181.
Charging System Light
The charging system
light will come on brie y
when you turn on the
ignition, and the engine
is not running, as a
check to show you it is
working.
Then it should go out when the engine is started.
If it stays on, or comes on while you are driving,
you may have a problem with the electrical
charging system. Have it checked by your dealer.
Driving while this light is on could drain your
battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the light on,
be certain to turn off all your accessories, such
as the radio and air conditioner.
184

OIL LIFE
Press the information button until OIL LIFE is
displayed. The engine oil life system shows
an estimate of the oil’s remaining useful life. It will
show 100% when the system is reset after an
oil change. It will alert you to change your oil on a
schedule consistent with your driving conditions.
In addition to the engine oil life system monitoring
the oil life, additional maintenance is
recommended in the Maintenance Schedule in this
manual. SeeEngine Oil on page 299and
Scheduled Maintenance on page 393.
Always reset the engine oil life system after an oil
change. See “How to Reset the Engine Oil Life
System” underEngine Oil Life System on
page 302.
COOLANT
Press the information button until COOLANT is
displayed. This mode shows the temperature of the
engine coolant in either degrees Fahrenheit (°F) or
degrees Celsius (°C).
DIC Warnings and Messages
These messages appear if there is a problem
detected in one of your vehicle’s systems.
A message will clear when the vehicle’s condition
is no longer present. To acknowledge a message
and clear it from the display, press and hold
any of the DIC buttons. If the condition is still
present, the warning message will come back on
the next time the vehicle is turned off and back
on. With most messages, a warning chime sounds
when the message displays. Your vehicle may
have other warning messages.
AUTO (Automatic) LIGHTS OFF
This message displays if the automatic headlamp
system is disabled with the headlamp switch.
SeeAutomatic Headlamp System on page 165for
more information.
AUTO (Automatic) LIGHTS ON
This message displays if the automatic headlamp
system is enabled with the headlamp switch.
SeeAutomatic Headlamp System on page 165for
more information.
197

EXT (Exterior) LIGHTS
If your vehicle has Remote Keyless Entry (RKE),
this feature, which allows the vehicle’s exterior
perimeter lighting to turn on each time the unlock
button on the RKE transmitter is pressed, can
be enabled or disabled. When EXT LIGHTS
appears on the display, press and hold the reset
button for at least one second to scroll through the
available settings:
OFF:The exterior perimeter lighting will not turn
on when the unlock button on the RKE
transmitter is pressed.
ON (default):The exterior perimeter lighting will
turn on when the unlock button on the RKE
transmitter is pressed.
SeeRemote Keyless Entry (RKE) System
Operation on page 98for more information.
Choose one of the available settings and press
the information button to select it and move on to
the next feature.
LANGUAGE
This feature allows you to select the language in
which the DIC will display. When LANGUAGE
appears on the display, press and hold the reset
button for at least one second to scroll through the
available settings:
ENGLISH (default):The DIC will display all
information in English.
FRENCH:The DIC will display all information
in French.
SPANISH:The DIC will display all information
in Spanish.
GERMAN:The DIC will display all information
in German.
Choose one of the available settings and press
the information button to select it and exit out
of the personalization menu mode.
205

No one can see as well at night as in the daytime.
But as we get older these differences increase.
A 50-year-old driver may require at least twice as
much light to see the same thing at night as a
20-year-old.
What you do in the daytime can also affect your
night vision. For example, if you spend the
day in bright sunshine you are wise to wear
sunglasses. Your eyes will have less trouble
adjusting to night. But if you are driving, do not
wear sunglasses at night. They may cut down on
glare from headlamps, but they also make a
lot of things invisible.
You can be temporarily blinded by approaching
headlamps. It can take a second or two, or
even several seconds, for your eyes to re-adjust
to the dark. When you are faced with severe glare,
as from a driver who does not lower the high
beams, or a vehicle with misaimed headlamps,
slow down a little. Avoid staring directly into
the approaching headlamps.Keep the windshield and all the glass on your
vehicle clean — inside and out. Glare at night is
made much worse by dirt on the glass. Even
the inside of the glass can build up a lm caused
by dust. Dirty glass makes lights dazzle and
ash more than clean glass would, making the
pupils of your eyes contract repeatedly.
Remember that the headlamps light up far less of a
roadway when you are in a turn or curve. Keep your
eyes moving; that way, it is easier to pick out dimly
lighted objects. Just as the headlamps should be
checked regularly for proper aim, so should your
eyes be examined regularly. Some drivers suffer
from night blindness — the inability to see in dim
light — and are not even aware of it.
255