When the headlamps are turned on while the vehicle is
on, the headlamps will turn off automatically 10 minutes
after the ignition is turned off. When the headlamps are
turned on while the vehicle is off, the headlamps will stay
on for 10 minutes before automatically turning off to
prevent the battery from being drained. Turn the
headlamp control to off and then back to the headlamp on
position to make the headlamps stay on for an additional
10 minutes.
Headlamps on Reminder
If a door is open, a reminder chime will sound when the
headlamps or parking lamps are manually turned on and
the key is out of the ignition. To turn off the chime, turn
the headlamp switch to off or AUTO and then back on,
or close and re-open the door. In the AUTO mode, the
headlamps turn off once the ignition is in LOCK/OFF or
may remain on until the headlamp delay ends (if enabled
in the DIC). See “Exit Lighting” underDIC Vehicle
Customization on page 3-64.
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) can make it easier for
others to see the front of your vehicle during the day.
Fully functional daytime running lamps are required on
all vehicles rst sold in Canada.
The DRL system will come on when the following
conditions are met:
The ignition is on.
The exterior lamps control is in AUTO.
The transmission is not in P (Park).
The light sensor determines it is daytime.
When the DRL are on, only the DRL lamps will be on.
The taillamps, sidemarker, instrument panel lights,
and other lamps will not be on.
When it begins to get dark, the automatic headlamp
system will switch from DRL to the headlamps.
To turn off the DRL lamps, turn the exterior lamps
control to the OFF position and then release. For vehicles
rst sold in Canada, the transmission must be in the
P (Park) position, before the DRL lamps can be
turned off.
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Automatic Headlamp System
When it is dark enough outside and the headlamp
switch is in AUTO, the automatic headlamp system will
turn on the headlamps at the normal brightness along
with other lamps such as the taillamps, sidemarker,
parking lamps, roof marker lamps, and the instrument
panel lights. The radio lights will also be dim.
To turn off the automatic headlamp system, turn the
exterior lamps switch to the off position and then release.
For vehicles rst sold in Canada, the transmission must
be in the P (Park) position, before the automatic
headlamp system can be turned off.
The vehicle has a light sensor located on the top of
the instrument panel. Do not cover this sensor or
the system will come on whenever the ignition is on.
The system may also turn on the headlamps 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 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 will only be affected when the light
sensor sees a change in lighting lasting longer than
the delay.If the vehicle is started in a dark garage, the automatic
headlamp system will come on immediately. Once the
vehicle leaves the garage, it takes approximately
one minute for the automatic headlamp 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 3-17.
Instrument Panel Brightness
D(Instrument Panel Brightness):This feature
controls the brightness of the instrument panel lights
and is located next to the exterior lamp control.
Push the knob to extend out and then it can be turned.
Turn the knob clockwise or counterclockwise to
brighten or dim the instrument panel lights. Turning
the knob to the farthest clockwise position turns on
the dome lamps.
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Electric Power Management
The vehicle has Electric Power Management (EPM) that
estimates the battery’s temperature and state of charge.
It then adjusts the voltage for best performance and
extended life of the battery.
When the battery’s state of charge is low, the voltage is
raised slightly to quickly bring the charge back up. When
the state of charge is high, the voltage is lowered slightly
to prevent overcharging. If the vehicle has a voltmeter
gage or a voltage display on the Driver Information
Center (DIC), you may see the voltage move up or down.
This is normal. If there is a problem, an alert will be
displayed.
The battery can be discharged at idle if the electrical
loads are very high. This is true for all vehicles. This is
because the generator (alternator) may not be spinning
fast enough at idle to produce all the power that is
needed for very high electrical loads.
A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following are on, such as: headlamps, high beams, fog
lamps, rear window defogger, climate control fan at
high speed, heated seats, engine cooling fans, trailer
loads, and loads plugged into accessory power outlets.EPM works to prevent excessive discharge of the
battery. It does this by balancing the generator’s output
and the vehicle’s electrical needs. It can increase
engine idle speed to generate more power, whenever
needed. It can temporarily reduce the power demands
of some accessories.
Normally, these actions occur in steps or levels, without
being noticeable. In rare cases at the highest levels of
corrective action, this action may be noticeable to the
driver. If so, a Driver Information Center (DIC) message
might be displayed, such as BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE,
BATTERY VOLTAGE LOW, or LOW BATTERY. If this
message is displayed, it is recommended that the driver
reduce the electrical loads as much as possible. SeeDIC
Warnings and Messages on page 3-56.
Battery Run-Down Protection
This feature shuts off the dome lamps if they are left
on for more than 10 minutes when the ignition is
in LOCK/OFF. This helps to prevent the battery
from running down.
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