Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
Section 944 (Lighting Systems - Exterior): Headlamp: Operation: Notes
To turn on the headlamps, turn the left end of the Multi-Function Lever to the first detent for parking lamp and instrument panel lamp operation. Turn to the second detent for headlamp, park lamp and instrument panel lamp operation.
High Intensity Discharge Headlamps (HID) rely on an AC (alternating current) electrical charge to ignite xenon gas contained in a sealed beam lamp. The HID lamps are similar in operation to common vapor filled street headlamps. Instead of using a filament to produce light, the gas inside the lamp is ignited by creating an arc between two electrodes.
The color of the light source is classified as its color temperature. As the color temperature increases, the color of the light moves from yellow to blue-white to white. The light produced by the HID lamps appears as a white color as opposed to the yellow color of the standard (halogen) lamps. HID lamps provide light as a higher color temperature than standard halogen lamps.
For the color temperature of different lamp types, refer to the COLOR TEMPERATURE table. As a point of reference, typical sunlight at noon has a color temperature of 4977° C (8990° F).
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.