2008 CHEVROLET TRAIL BLAZER lights

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 DRL are
required on all vehicles rst sold in Canada.
The DRL system makes the headlamps come on at
reduced brightness when the following conditions
are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamps knob is in automatic
headlamp mode.
The light sensor detects daytime light.
The transmission is not in PARK (P).
When the DRL are on, only the headlamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker and other lamps will not
be on. The instrument panel will not be lit up either.
When it begins to get dark, the headlamps automatically
switch from DRL to the regular headlamps.
Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside, the Automatic
Headlamp System turns on the headlamps when the
vehicle is started and after the transaxle has been
shifted out of the PARK (P) position. The headlamps,
taillamps, sidemarker, and parking lamps will come
on. The instrument panel lights and radio lights will also
turn on at normal brightness. Once on, the system
remains on during these conditions even if the vehicle
is shifted back into PARK (P).
The vehicle has a light sensor on the top of the
instrument panel. Make sure it is not covered or the
system may come on whenever the ignition is on and
the vehicle is shifted out of the PARK (P) position.
The system could also turn on the lamps when driving
through a parking garage, heavy overcast weather
or a tunnel. This is normal.
3-15

There is a delay in the transition between the daytime
and nighttime operation of the Daytime Running
Lamps (DRL) and the automatic headlamp systems,
so that driving under bridges or bright overhead street
lights does not affect the system. The DRL and
automatic headlamp system are only affected when the
light sensor sees a change in lighting lasting longer
than the delay.
If you start your vehicle in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system comes on after the transmission is
shifted out of PARK (P). Once you leave the garage, it
will take about one minute for the automatic headlamp
system to change to DRL if it is light outside. During that
delay, the instrument panel cluster might not be as
bright as usual. Make sure the instrument panel
brightness control is in the full bright position.
If the vehicle is running and the automatic headlamp
system is already on, it can be turned off by turning and
releasing the headlamp control at the off position.
The automatic headlamp system stays off until you turn
and release the headlamp control at the off position
again. SeeHeadlamps on page 3-14.Fog Lamps
Your vehicle may have this feature. Use your fog lamps
for better vision in foggy or misty conditions. Your
ignition must be in RUN for your fog lamps to work.
The fog lamp button is
located on the instrument
panel to the right of
the exterior lamps knob.
Press the button to turn the fog lamps on. Press the
button again to turn them off. A light will glow near the
button while the fog lamps are on. Fog lamps will
turn off whenever your high-beam headlamps are on.
Some localities have laws that require the headlamps to
be on along with the fog lamps.
3-16

Instrument Panel Brightness
Press the knob located
next to the exterior lamps
knob to extend it.
Turn the knob to adjust the instrument panel lights.
Turn the knob all the way up to turn on the
interior lamps. Press the knob back into its stored
position when you are not using it.
Dome Lamps
The dome lamps will come on when you open a door
unless the dome lamp override is pressed in.
Dome Lamp Override
The dome override button
is located below the
exterior lamps knob.
To turn the dome lamps off, press the button. The dome
lamps will remain off when a door is open. This will
override the illuminated entry feature unless you use the
Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter to unlock the
vehicle.
To return the lamps to automatic operation, press the
button again. The dome lamps come on when a door
is opened.
3-17

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 briey when you start the engine
just to let you know they’re 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’s a problem with your vehicle.
When one of the warning lights comes on and stays on
when 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’re a big help.
Your vehicle may also have a Driver Information Center
(DIC) that works along with the warning lights and
gages. SeeDriver Information Center (DIC) on
page 3-49.
3-30

{CAUTION:
Even though the passenger sensing system is
designed to turn off the right front passenger’s
frontal airbag if the system detects a rear-facing
child restraint, no system is fail-safe, and no
one can guarantee that an airbag will not deploy
under some unusual circumstance, even
though it is turned off. We recommend that
rear-facing child restraints be secured in the
rear seat, even if the airbag is off.
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 1-60
for more on this, including important safety information.If, after several seconds, both 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/retailer for service.
{CAUTION:
If the airbag readiness light in the instrument
panel cluster ever comes on and stays on,
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’s seat may not have the protection
of the airbag(s). SeeAirbag Readiness Light
on page 3-34for more on this, including
important safety information.
3-36

Perimeter Lights
Press the customization button until PERIMETER
LIGHTS: ON appears in the display. To select your
preference for perimeter lighting, press the select button
while PERIMETER LIGHTS: ON is displayed on the
DIC. Pressing the select button will scroll through
the following settings:
PERIMETER LIGHTS: ON (default):The headlamps
and back-up lamps will come on for 40 seconds,
if it is dark enough outside, when you unlock the vehicle
with the Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) transmitter.
PERIMETER LIGHTS: OFF:The perimeter lights will
not come on when you unlock the vehicle with the
RKE transmitter.
To select a setting and move on to the next feature,
press the customization button while the desired setting
is displayed on the DIC.
Easy Exit Seat
Press the customization button until EASY EXIT SEAT:
OFF appears in the display. To select your preference
for seat position exit, press the select button while EASY
EXIT SEAT: OFF is displayed on the DIC. Pressing
the select button will scroll through the following settings:
EASY EXIT SEAT: OFF (default):No seat exit recall
will occur.
EASY EXIT SEAT: ON:The driver’s seat will move to
the exit position when the key is removed from the
ignition.
To select a setting and move on to the next feature,
press the customization button while the desired setting
is displayed on the DIC.
See “Easy Exit Seat” underMemory Seat, Mirrors, and
Pedals on page 1-4for more information.
3-61

Avoid needless heavy braking. Some people drive
in spurts — heavy acceleration followed by heavy
braking — rather than keeping pace with traffic. This
is a mistake. The brakes might not have time to cool
between hard stops. The brakes will wear out much faster
if you do a lot of heavy braking. If you keep pace with the
traffic and allow realistic following distances, you will
eliminate a lot of unnecessary braking. That means better
braking and longer brake life.
If your vehicle’s engine ever stops while you are driving,
brake normally but do not pump the brakes. If you do,
the pedal could get harder to push down. If the
engine stops, you will still have some power brake
assist. But you will use it when you brake. Once the
power assist is used up, it can take longer to stop and
the brake pedal will be harder to push.
Adding non-dealer/non-retailer accessories can affect
your vehicle’s performance. SeeAccessories and
Modifications on page 5-3.
Antilock Brake System (ABS)
Your vehicle has the Antilock Brake System (ABS), an
advanced electronic braking system that will help
prevent a braking skid.
When you start the engine and begin to drive away, ABS
will check itself. You might hear a momentary motor or
clicking noise while this test is going on. This is normal.If there is a problem with
ABS, this warning light will
stay on. SeeAnti-lock
Brake System (ABS)
Warning Light on
page 3-39.
Along with ABS, your vehicle has a Dynamic Rear
Proportioning (DRP) system. If there is a DRP problem,
both the brake and ABS warning lights come on
accompanied by a 10-second chime. The lights and
chime will come on each time the ignition is turned on
until the problem is repaired. See your dealer/retailer for
service.
Let us say the road is wet and you are driving safely.
Suddenly, an animal jumps out in front of you. You slam
on the brakes and continue braking. Here is what
happens with ABS:
A computer senses that wheels are slowing down. If
one of the wheels is about to stop rolling, the computer
will separately work the brakes at each front wheel
and at both rear wheels.
ABS can change the brake pressure faster than any
driver could. The computer is programmed to make the
most of available tire and road conditions. This can
help you steer around the obstacle while braking hard.
4-4

Traction Control Off
In this mode, stability control and brake-traction control
are functional. Engine speed management will be
modied and the driven wheels can spin more freely.
This can cause the brake-traction control to activate
more frequently. If the controller detects excessive wheel
spin in this mode, the StabiliTrak
®indicator light may
blink and the STABILITRAK ACTIVE message may be
displayed to warn the driver that damage may occur
to the transfer case.
StabiliTrak®Off
In this mode, both stability control and part of the
traction control system are disabled. Your vehicle will
still have brake-traction control, but will not be able
to use the engine speed management system. You may
still hear system noises as a result of the brake-traction
control coming on. If the controller detects excessive
wheel spin in this mode, the StabiliTrak
®indicator light
may blink and the STABILITRAK ACTIVE message
may be displayed to warn the driver that damage may
occur to the transfer case.It is recommended to leave the system on for normal
driving conditions, but it may be necessary to turn
the system off if your vehicle is stuck in sand, mud, ice
or snow, and you may want to “rock” your vehicle in
an attempt to free it. It may also be necessary to turn off
the system when driving in extreme off-road conditions
where high wheel spin is required. SeeIf Your
Vehicle is Stuck in Sand, Mud, Ice, or Snow on
page 4-33for more information.
For vehicles with four-wheel drive, when the transfer
case is in 4LO, the stability system is automatically
disabled. The StabiliTrak
®light will come on and the
STABILITRAK OFF message will appear on the
DIC. The StabiliTrak
®system cannot be turned on until
the vehicle is switched to 2HI, 4HI, or 4AWD.
The following chart describes the StabiliTrak
®system
events and the corresponding messages and lights that
will be displayed on the instrument panel cluster.
4-7