headlamp GMC ACADIA 2007 User Guide

Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)/
Automatic Headlamp System
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.
A light sensor on top of the instrument panel
makes the DRL work, so be sure it is not covered.
The DRL system’s automatic headlamp control
will make the low-beam headlamps come on at a
reduced brightness when the following conditions
are met:
The ignition is in the ON position.
The exterior lamps control is in AUTO.
The engine is running.When the DRL are on, only the low-beam
headlamps, at a reduced level of brightness, will
be on. The headlamps, taillamps, sidemarker,
and other lamps will not be on. The instrument
panel and cluster will also not be lit.
When it is dark enough outside, the low-beam
headlamps will turn off and the headlamps
and parking lamps will turn on. The other lamps
that come on with the headlamps will also
come on.
When it is bright enough outside, the headlamps
will go off and the DRL will come on.
As with any vehicle, you should turn on the
regular headlamp system when it is needed.
185

Fog Lamps
Use the fog lamps for better vision in foggy or
misty conditions.
-(Fog Lamps):The fog lamps button is located
on the exterior lamps control. The exterior lamps
control is located on the instrument panel to the
left of the steering column.
The ignition must be on for the fog lamps to work.
Press the exterior lamps button to turn the fog
lamps on or off. A light will come on in the
instrument panel cluster when the fog lamps
are in use.
When the headlamps are changed to high-beam,
the fog lamps will turn off. The fog lamps come
back on again when the high-beam headlamps are
turned off.
Some localities have laws that require the
headlamps to be on along with the fog lamps.
Instrument Panel Brightness
D(Instrument Panel Brightness):The knob
with this symbol on it is located next to the exterior
lamps control. Push the knob in all the way until
it pops out and then turn the knob clockwise
to brighten or counterclockwise to dim the lights.
Push the knob back in when nished.
Courtesy Lamps
When a door is opened, the courtesy lamps
automatically come on. They make it easy for you
to enter and leave your vehicle. You can also
manually turn these lamps on by fully turning the
instrument panel brightness control clockwise.
The reading lamps, located on the headliner, can
be turned on or off independent of the automatic
courtesy lamps, when the doors are closed.
186

Delayed Exit Lighting
This feature illuminates the interior for a period of
time after the key is removed from the ignition.
The ignition must be off for delayed exit lighting to
work. When the key is removed, interior illumination
will activate and remain on until one of the following
occurs:
The ignition is in ON.
The power door locks are activated.
An illumination period of 20 seconds
has elapsed.
If during the illumination period a door is opened,
the timed illumination period will be canceled
and the interior lamps will remain on because a
door is open.
Parade Dimming
The instrument panel has an added feature called
parade mode. It automatically prohibits the
dimming of the instrument panel displays during
the daylight while the headlamps are on so
that you will still be able to see the displays.
Reading Lamps
The vehicle has reading lamps that also act as the
dome lamp. Press the button to turn them on and off.
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 put the charge
back in. When the state of charge is high, the
voltage is lowered slightly to prevent overcharging.
If the vehicle has a voltmeter gage or 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.
188

A high electrical load occurs when several of the
following loads are on: 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 or Service
Battery Charging System. 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 244.Battery Run-Down Protection
This vehicle has a feature to help prevent the
battery from being drained, if the interior courtesy
lamps, reading/map lamps, visor vanity lamps
or trunk lamp are accidentally left on. If any
of these lamps are left on, they will automatically
turn off after 10 minutes, if the ignition is off.
The lamps will not come back on again until
one of the following occurs:
The ignition is turned on.
The exterior lamps control is turned off,
then on again.
The headlamps will timeout after 10 minutes,
if they are manually turned on before the
ignition is off.
189

When AUTO is selected, the air conditioning
operation and air inlet are automatically
controlled. The air conditioning compressor
runs when the outside temperature is
over about 40°F (4°C). The air inlet is normally
set to outside air. If it is hot outside, the air
inlet can automatically switch to recirculate
inside air to help quickly cool down your
vehicle. The light comes on the recirculation
button while in recirculation.
2. Set the driver’s and passenger’s temperature.
To nd your comfort setting, start with a
73°F (23°C) temperature setting and allow
about 20 minutes for the system to regulate.
Use the driver’s or passenger’s temperature
buttons to adjust the temperature setting
as necessary. If you choose the temperature
setting of 60°F (15°C), the system remains
at the maximum cooling setting. If you choose
the temperature setting of 90°F (32°C), the
system remains at the maximum heat setting.
Choosing either maximum setting will not
cause the vehicle to heat or cool any faster.Do not cover the solar sensor located on the
top of the instrument panel near the windshield.
This sensor regulates air temperature based
on sun load and also turns on your vehicle’s
headlamps. For more information on the solar
sensor, see “Sensors” later in this section.
To avoid blowing cold air in cold weather, the
system delays turning on the fan until warm air is
available. The length of delay depends on the
engine coolant temperature. Press the fan switch
to override this delay and change the fan to a
selected speed.
O(On/Off):Press this button to turn off the
climate control system. Outside air still enters
the vehicle, and is directed to the oor. This
direction can be changed by pressing the mode
button. Recirculation can only be selected in
vent or bi-level mode. The temperature can also
be adjusted using either temperature button.
If you adjust the air delivery mode or temperature
settings with the system off, the display comes
on briey to show the settings and then turns off.
Press the on/off button or the up down arrows
on the fan switch, the defrost button, AUTO button,
or the air conditioning button to turn the system
on when it is off.
205

Fog Lamp Light
The fog lamp light will
come on when the fog
lamps are in use.
The light will go out when the fog lamps are
turned off. SeeFog Lamps on page 186for
more information.
Cruise Control Light
This light comes on
whenever you set the
cruise control.
The light goes out when the cruise control is
turned off. SeeCruise Control on page 180for
more information.
Highbeam On Light
This light comes on
when the high-beam
headlamps are in use.
SeeHeadlamp High/Low-Beam Changer
on page 176for more information.
Tow/Haul Mode Light
This light comes
on when the
Tow/Haul mode
has been activated.
For more information, seeTow/Haul Mode
on page 133.
230

DIC Warnings and Messages
Messages are displayed on the DIC to notify the
driver that the status of the vehicle has changed
and that some action may be needed by the driver
to correct the condition. Multiple messages may
appear one after another.
Some messages may not require immediate
action, but you can press any of the DIC buttons
on the instrument panel or the trip odometer
reset stem on the instrument panel cluster
to acknowledge that you received the messages
and to clear them from the display.
Some messages cannot be cleared from the DIC
display because they are more urgent. These
messages require action before they can be
cleared. You should take any messages that
appear on the display seriously and remember that
clearing the messages will only make the
messages disappear, not correct the problem.
The following are the possible messages that can
be displayed and some information about them.
ALL WHEEL DRIVE OFF
If your vehicle has the All-Wheel Drive (AWD)
system, this message displays when there
is a compact spare tire on the vehicle, when
the Anti-lock Brake System (ABS) warning light
comes on, or when the rear differential uid
is overheating. This message turns off when the
differential uid cools.
The AWD system is disabled until the compact
spare tire is replaced by a full-size tire. If the
warning message is still on after putting on the
full-size tire, you need to reset the warning
message. To reset the warning message, turn
the ignition off and then back on again after
30 seconds. If the message stays on, see your
dealer/retailer right away. SeeAll-Wheel Drive
(AWD) System on page 339for more information.
AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROL OFF
This message displays when the automatic
headlamps are turned off. This message clears
itself after 10 seconds.
244

AUTOMATIC LIGHT CONTROL ON
This message displays when the automatic
headlamps are turned on. This message clears
itself after 10 seconds.
BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the system detects
that the battery voltage is dropping below expected
levels. The battery saver system starts reducing
certain features of the vehicle that you may be able
to notice. At the point that the features are disabled,
this message is displayed. It means that the vehicle
is trying to save the charge in the battery.
Turn off all unnecessary accessories to allow
the battery to recharge.
The normal battery voltage range is
11.5 to 15.5 volts.
CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
This message displays when the engine oil needs
to be changed. When you change the engine oil, be
sure to reset the CHANGE ENGINE OIL SOON
message. SeeEngine Oil Life System on page 400
for information on how to reset the message.
SeeEngine Oil on page 397andScheduled
Maintenance on page 502for more information.
CHECK TIRE PRESSURE
This message displays when the pressure in
one or more of the vehicle’s tires need to
be checked. This message also displays LEFT
FRONT, RIGHT FRONT, LEFT REAR, or
RIGHT REAR to indicate which tire needs to be
checked. You can receive more than one tire
pressure message at a time. To read the other
messages that may have been sent at the
same time, press the set/reset button or the trip
odometer reset stem. If a tire pressure message
appears on the DIC, stop as soon as you can.
Have the tire pressures checked and set to those
shown on the Tire Loading Information label.
SeeTires on page 435,Loading Your Vehicle
on page 361, andInflation - Tire Pressure
on page 442. The DIC display also shows the
tire pressure values for the front and rear tires by
pressing the vehicle information button. See
“DIC Operation and Displays (With DIC Buttons)”
earlier in this section. If the tire pressure is
low, the low tire pressure warning light comes on.
SeeTire Pressure Light on page 225.
245

To change customization preferences, use the
following procedure.
Entering the Feature Settings Menu
1. Turn the ignition on and place the vehicle
in PARK (P).
To avoid excessive drain on the battery,
it is recommended that the headlamps are
turned off.
2. Press the customization button to enter the
feature settings menu. If the menu is not
available, FEATURE SETTINGS AVAILABLE
IN PARK will display. Before entering the
menu, make sure the vehicle is in PARK (P).
Feature Settings Menu Items
The following are customization features that allow
you to program settings to the vehicle:
DISPLAY IN ENGLISH
This feature will only display if a language other
than English has been set. This feature allows
you to change the language in which the DIC
messages appear to English.Press the customization button until the
PRESS
VTO DISPLAY IN ENGLISH,
APPUYER
VPOUR AFFICHAGE ANGLAIS in
French, or PULSE
VPARA MOSTRAR INGLES in
Spanish screen appears on the DIC display.
Press the set/reset button once to display all
DIC messages in English.
DISPLAY LANGUAGE
This feature allows you to select the language in
which the DIC messages will appear.
Press the customization button until the DISPLAY
LANGUAGE screen appears on the DIC display.
Press the set/reset button once to access
the settings for this feature. Then press the
customization button to scroll through the
following settings:
ENGLISH (default):All messages will appear
in English.
FRANCAIS:All messages will appear in French.
ESPANOL:All messages will appear in Spanish.
NO CHANGE:No change will be made to this
feature. The current setting will remain.
256

Driving at Night
Night driving is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason is that some drivers are likely to
be impaired — by alcohol or drugs, with night
vision problems, or by fatigue.
Here are some tips on night driving.
Drive defensively.
Do not drink and drive.
Adjust the inside rearview mirror to reduce the
glare from headlamps behind you.
Since you cannot see as well, slow down and
keep more space between you and other
vehicles.
Slow down, especially on higher speed roads.
Your vehicle’s headlamps can light up only so
much road ahead.
In remote areas, watch for animals.
If you are tired, pull off the road in a safe
place and rest.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 might 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 might 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.
346