GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

Exterior Lamps

The exterior lighting system consist of the following lamps:

    • The Headlamps
    • The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)
    • The Fog Lamps
    • The Park, Tail and Marker Lamps
    • The Turn Signal Lamps
    • The Stop Lamps
    • The Backup Lamps
    • The Underhood Lamp

Headlamps (Domestic)

The headlamps are turned on when the driver places the headlamp switch in the HEADLAMP position. The LIGHTING 40 A fuse in the underhood fuse/relay center supplies battery positive voltage to the headlamp switch.

The headlamp switch signal circuit supplies voltage to the headlamp dimmer switch when the headlamp switch is in the PARK or ON position. Depending on the position of the headlamp dimmer switch, voltage is supplied either to the headlamp high beam supply voltage circuit or the headlamp low beam supply voltage circuit to the headlamps. The headlamps are grounded at G108 and G109.

Headlamps (Export)

The headlamps are turned on when the driver places the headlamp switch in the HEADLAMP position. The LIGHTING 40 A fuse in the underhood fuse/relay center supplies battery positive voltage to the headlamp switch.

The headlamp switch signal circuit supplies voltage to the headlamp dimmer switch when the headlamp switch is in the PARK or ON position. Depending on the position of the headlamp dimmer switch, voltage is supplied either to the headlamp high beam supply voltage circuit or the headlamp low beam supply voltage circuit. Voltage is then supplied to the RH or LH 10 A fuses in the underhood fuse/relay center and to the respective headlamp. The headlamps are grounded at G108 and G109.

Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) (Domestic)

The operation or the DRL is controlled by the DRL control module. The DRL control module receives battery positive voltage from the DRL 15 A fuse in the IP fuse block. The DRL module is grounded at G201.

The headlamp and park brake switches must be OFF and the ignition switch must be in the RUN position in order for the DRL to illuminate.

To determine control to the DRL the DRL module uses the following inputs:

    • Ignition 1 voltage circuit
    • Headlamp high beam supply voltage circuit
    • Headlamp low beam supply voltage circuit
    • Park brake switch signal circuit

The DRL module turns on the DRL by suppling a specific voltage to the headlamp low beam supply circuit. The DRL module turns on the DRL indicator by grounding the DRL relay control circuit.

The DRL module also turns on the brake warning indicator by grounding the brake warning indicator control circuit.

Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) (Export)

The operation or the DRL is controlled by the DRL control module. The DRL control module receives battery positive voltage from the DRL 15 A fuse in the IP fuse block. The DRL module is grounded at G201.

The headlamp and park brake switches must be OFF and the ignition switch must be in the RUN position in order for the DRL to illuminate.

To determine control to the DRL the DRL module uses the following inputs:

    • Ignition 1 voltage circuit
    • Headlamp high beam supply voltage circuit
    • Headlamp low beam supply voltage circuit
    • Park brake switch signal circuit
    • Park lamp supply voltage circuit

The DRL module turns on the front DRL by suppling a specific voltage to the headlamp low beam supply circuit. The DRL control module turns on the rear DRL by grounding the DRL relay control circuit, and supplying voltage to the park lamp supply voltage circuit through the DRL rear park lamp relay to the rear park lamps. The DRL rear park lamp relay receives voltage on the coil side from the GAGES 10 A fuse 14 in the IP fuse block.

The DRL module also turns on the brake warning indicator by grounding the brake warning indicator control circuit.

Fog Lamp (Luxury)

The front fog lamps only operate with the low beam headlamps and the fog lamp switch in the ON positions. Voltage is supplied to the fog lamp switch and the normally open fog lamp relay coil through the normally closed fog lamp enable relay from the headlamp low beam supply voltage circuit. Battery positive voltage is supplied to the switch side of the fog lamp relay from the fog light 15 A fuse in the fuse block-rear. The fog lamp relay is grounded at G106. The fog lamp enable relay coil side voltage is supplied from the instrument panel lamp ignition 1 voltage circuit. When the headlamps are in DRL mode, the DRL control module grounds the DRL relay control circuit of the fog lamp enable relay, coil side, turning OFF the fog lamps.

When the fog lamp switch is placed in the ON position, voltage is applied to the front fog lamp switch signal circuit. The energized relay supplies voltage to the fog lamps on the front fog lamps supply voltage circuit. The fog lamps are grounded at G108 and G109.

Fog Lamp (Export)

The rear fog lamp only operates with the headlamps and the rear fog lamp switch in the ON positions. Voltage is supplied to the rear fog lamp switch and the rear fog lamp relay coil through the headlamp switch signal circuit. Battery positive voltage is supplied to the switch side of the relay from the DRL 15 A fuse in the IP fuse block. The rear fog lamp switch is grounded at G201.

When the rear fog lamp switch is placed in the ON position, ground is applied to the rear fog lamp relay control circuit. The energized relay supplies voltage to the rear fog lamp on the rear fog lamp supply voltage circuit. The rear fog lamp is grounded at G401.

Headlamp Leveling (Export)

This feature provides a method or leveling the headlamp beams. The headlamp leveling switch provides 4 headlamp leveling positions. The switch controls headlamp leveling actuators which are mounted under each headlamp assembly.

The headlamp leveling switch is a variable resitor which changes voltage on the headlamp leveling motor supply voltage circuit. A processor inside each actuator interprets the voltage signal, and the processor commands the actuator motors to adjust the headlamp position.

The GAUGES 10 A fuse in the IP fuse block supplies voltage to the motors and the switch. The motors and switch are grounded at G201.

Park, Tail and Marker Lamps (Domestic)

The park, tail and marker lamps, including the license lamps, are turned on when the headlamp switch is placed in the PARK or ON position. The PARK LPS 20 A fuse in the IP fuse block supplies battery positive voltage to the park, tail side marker and license lamps. The front park and marker lamps are grounded at G108 and G 109. The tail and license lamps are grounded at G400 and G401.

Park, Tail and Marker Lamps (Export)

The park, tail and marker lamps, including the license lamps, are turned on when the headlamp switch is placed in the PARK or ON position. The PARK LPS 20 A fuse in the IP fuse block supplies battery positive voltage to the front park lamps and side markers through the normally closed daytime running lamp rear park lamp relay. Current flow from the DRL rear park lamp relay is license lamps, and the LH and RH 5 A inline fuses to the rear park lamps. The front park and marker lamps are grounded at G108 and G 109. The rear park and marker lamps are grounded at G400 and G401.

Turn Signal and Hazard Lamps

The turn signal switch is part of the multifunction switch on the steering column. The turn signal lamps and the hazard lamps are the same lamps, and they both utilize the turn/hazard lamp flasher. Turn signal voltage through the TURN/BU 20 A fuse 16 is only available when the ignition switch is in the START or RUN positions, and the turn signal circuit will only flash the bulbs on the selected side of the vehicle.

Turn signal lamp voltage is provided from the TURN/BU fuse to the normally closed contacts of the turn signal switch. The turn/hazard module supply voltage circuit connects the turn signal switch to the turn/hazard lamp flasher. The turn/hazard lamp flasher continuously opens and closes the circuit until the turn signal switch is moved to the OFF position. Current flows from the flasher through the turn signal flasher signal circuit back to the turn signal switch.

    • When the turn signal switch is in the left turn position, the voltage is distributed by the left turn signal lamps supply voltage circuit to the left front park and turn signal lamps, the left rear park and the turn signal lamp, and to the left turn indicator bulb in the instrument cluster.
    • When the turn signal is in the right turn position, the voltage is distributed by the right turn signal lamps supply voltage circuit to the turn signal in the right front park and turn signal lamps, the right rear park and turn signal lamp, and to the right turn indicator bulb in the instrument cluster.
    • On vehicles with a single front turn signal bulb, an inline resistor is added to the circuit so that the bulb will draw the same current as in a dual front turn signal arrangement. The current flows through the resistor and is grounded through the opposite turn signal bulb, but sufficient voltage will be dropped through the resistor so that the opposite turn signal bulb will not illuminate.

The HAZARD 20 A fuse 5 supplies battery positive voltage at all times to the hazard switch. When the hazard warning switch is pressed, voltage is available to the turn/hazard lamp flasher through the hazard indicator supply voltage circuit. From the flasher, the turn signal flasher signal circuit returns voltage to the turn signal switch. Voltage is distributed on both the right turn signal lamps supply voltage circuit and the left turn signal lamps supply voltage circuit to the lamps and indicators. The hazard circuit will flash front and rear bulbs on both sides of the vehicle. The front turn signal lamps are grounded at G108 and G109. The rear turn signal lamps are grounded at G400 and G401.

Stop Lamps

The STOP LPS 20 A fuse 1 in the IP fuse block supplies battery positive voltage to the normally open stop lamp switch. When the driver presses the brake pedal, the switch contacts close and the stop lamp switch signal circuit supplies voltage to all vehicle stop lamps. The stop lamps are grounded at G400 and G401.

For trailer wiring, a separate stop lamp circuit is connected through the multifunction switch to the trailer wiring harness.

Backup Lamps

The TURN B/U LP 20 A fuse 16 in the IP fuse block supplies ignition 1 voltage to the normally open backup lamp switch. When driver places the gear selector lever is in the REVERSE position, the backup lamp switch closes and the current flow is from the backup lamp switch to the backup lamps. The backup lamps are grounded at G 400 or G401.

Underhood Lamp

The HORN 20 A fuse in the underhood fuse-relay center provides battery positive voltage to the underhood lamp. When the normally open switch is closed, the switch provides a ground circuit and the lamp illuminates. The underhood lamp is grounded at G103.