Exterior Lighting

Exterior Lighting

NOTE: The Smart Junction Box (SJB) is also known as the Generic Electronic Module (GEM).

The exterior lighting system consists of the following components:

- Headlamp assemblies

- Auxiliary parking lamps (if equipped)

- Headlamp relays (located in the Battery Junction Box (BJB))

- Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) relays (if equipped)

- Ballasts (located under each headlamp assembly) (if equipped)

- SJB (Smart Junction Box)

- Stoplamp switch

- Light sensor

- Headlamp switch

- Multifunction switch

- Hazard/Passenger Air Bag Deactivation (PAD) indicator/traction control switch

- Headlamp Control Module 2 (HCM-2) (located next to the auto-dimming interior mirror on the windshield) (if equipped)

- Rear lamp assemblies

- Reversing lamps

- License plate lamps

Battery Saver

NOTE: Time-out is 1 minute if the vehicle has less than 80 km (50 miles).

The battery saver is internal to the SJB (Smart Junction Box) and provides automatic shut-off of the headlamps and parking lamps after 10 minutes in order to save battery voltage. A timer is started when the ignition switch is turned to the OFF position with the headlamp switch in the HEADLAMPS ON position, or the headlamp switch placed in the HEADLAMPS ON position with the ignition switch off. When the time-out period has elapsed, the voltage is automatically shut off to the lamps by the battery saver.

The battery saver does not control the parking lamps if the headlamp switch is in the PARKING LAMPS ON position.

Lamp Assembly Condensation

Exterior lamps are vented to accommodate normal changes in pressure. Condensation can be a natural by-product of this design. When moist air enters the lamp assembly through the vents, there is a possibility that condensation can occur if the temperature is cold. When normal condensation occurs, a thin film of mist can form on the interior of the lens. The thin mist eventually clears and exits through the vents during normal operation. Time to clear the lens of acceptable mist varies with ambient humidity and lamp types. Normal condensation will clear from any lamp in 48 hours under dry conditions.

Do NOT replace a lamp assembly with acceptable levels of condensation such as:

- presence of thin mist (no streaks, drip marks or droplets are present)

- fine mist covers less than 50% of the lens

Examples of unacceptable moisture (usually caused by a lamp housing leak):

- water puddling inside the lamp

- large water droplets, drip marks or streaks present on the interior of the lens

Headlamps

The headlamp system is a dual-beam pattern system. It consists of a single replaceable headlamp bulb in each headlamp assembly. The headlamp assembly has the park/turn and side marker lamp integrated into the headlamp assembly.

Vehicles with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps utilize ballasts to provide the necessary voltage to illuminate the HID (High Intensity Discharge) bulbs.

When the low beams are requested (based on inputs to the SJB (Smart Junction Box)), the low beams are illuminated.

If the headlamps are on when the ignition switch is turned off, the battery saver feature turns off the headlamps after 10 minutes have elapsed.

When the high beams are requested, a shutter within each headlamp is activated. This changes the headlamp beam pattern to illuminate a greater distance.

The flash-to-pass feature is unique for Taurus. If the low beams are off when the flash-to-pass is requested, the headlamp bulbs and the shutters within the headlamps are activated for approximately 2.2 seconds (vehicles with halogen headlamps) or 0.5 second (vehicles with High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps). If the headlamps are already on when the flash-to-pass is requested, the shutters within the headlamps are activated for as long as the multifunction switch is held in the FLASH-TO-PASS position.

Automatic High Beams

The automatic high beam system uses a windshield mounted camera to monitor surrounding traffic conditions and high beam usage. The camera is mounted to the windshield behind the RH side of the interior rear view mirror. The automatic high beam feature is active only when the headlamp switch is in the AUTOLAMPS position.

The automatic high beams can be enabled/disabled using the message center buttons.

During nighttime driving, the automatic high beam system automatically turns the high beams on if it is dark enough and no other traffic is present. When the system detects an approaching vehicle's headlamps or a preceding vehicle's rear lamps, the system turns off the high beams before they distract other drivers. When the approaching vehicle's headlamps or the preceding vehicle's rear lamps are no longer detected, the high beams automatically turn back on.

Autolamps

The autolamp system provides light sensitive automatic on/off control of the exterior lamps. The autolamp system keeps the exterior lamps on for a pre-selected period of time after the ignition switch is turned to the OFF position (20 seconds is the factory default setting). The pre-selected time lapse is adjustable up to approximately 3 minutes. To adjust the setting, refer to Autolamps Time Delay Adjustment .

Headlamps On With Wipers On Feature

If the headlamp switch is in the AUTOLAMPS ON position, this feature turns the exterior lamps on when the front wipers are on for more than 3 seconds (except during a mist wipe or while the wipers are on to clear washer fluid during a wash condition). The exception to this is when the exterior lights are on because of darkness determined by the autolamp system.
for diagnostics of the headlamps on with wipers on feature.

Stoplamps

The stoplamp switch is located on the brake pedal assembly. The stoplamps are supplied voltage when the brake pedal is applied.

On vehicles equipped with adaptive cruise control, the adaptive cruise control system has the capability to turn the stoplamps on.

Turn Signal/Hazard Lamps

The front turn signal lamps are located within the headlamp assemblies. There are also dedicated rear turn lamps. When the multifunction switch is placed in the LH or RH TURN position, the SJB (Smart Junction Box) routes voltage to the LH or RH turn signal lamps. The SJB (Smart Junction Box) then cycles the voltage on and off approximately 80 times per minute. If a front or rear turn bulb is inoperative, the SJB (Smart Junction Box) cycles the voltage on and off approximately 160 times per minute.

The hazard flasher lamp switch is located on the center of the instrument panel near the HVAC controls. When the hazard switch is pressed, the SJB (Smart Junction Box) supplies voltage to all the turn lamps. The SJB (Smart Junction Box) cycles the voltage on and off approximately 80 times per minute.

The hazard flasher lamp switch is part of the PAD (Passenger Air Bag Deactivation) indicator.

Parking Lamps

The SJB (Smart Junction Box) supplies voltage to the parking lamps when demanded. The parking lamp system includes the following:

- Front parking lamps

- Front side marker lamps

- Front auxiliary parking lamps (if equipped)

- Rear parking lamps

- License plate lamps

Reversing Lamps

When the transaxle is placed in REVERSE (R), voltage is supplied to the reversing lamps. The reversing lamps receive voltage when the reversing lamp relay is energized (controlled by the Transmission Control Module (TCM)). The reversing lamps are located on the luggage compartment lid.

Daytime Running Lamps (DRL)

NOTE: Only vehicles with halogen headlamps can come equipped with DRL (Daytime Running Lamps).

If the SJB (Smart Junction Box) is configured for DRL (Daytime Running Lamps), this feature illuminates the high beam headlamps at a reduced intensity when the following conditions exist:

- The ignition switch is in the RUN position.

- The headlamp switch is in the OFF position.

- The autolamps feature has not illuminated the exterior lamps.

- The transaxle is in any position except PARK (P).

The DRL (Daytime Running Lamps) is not a programmable parameter for this vehicle.