Headlight layout

[ukrkoz]

I was sitting in front of my office window and, out of curiosity, went through all light stalk positions. In every position a light comes up. Regular headlight/long beam comes up in outside light. Marker light comes from the inner light.
When I pulled to the window, bright day, Auto set on stalk, outside lights were on, so I am presuming, those are DRLs?
What is the centre light in the headlight for?
2011 QX56

[VStar650CL]

High beam.

[ukrkoz]

Nope. High beam is the same outer light. I tried. And high beams do work.

[VStar650CL]

You're right, the FSM shows bi-level xenons as the only option. It shows turn, park, and running all being separate bulbs, and the DRL's employing the fog lamps. So your missing link must be the turn signal.

[ukrkoz]

Turn works. One in the center of the three never shined, no matter the switch position, while apparently all the light positions work.

[VStar650CL]

See what colors the wires are on the socket (or whether there's even a socket in there). The FSM definitely shows separate bulbs for the turn and park, but it sounds like yours are combined? I don't have an older Armada or QX56 here to look at. Not sure an Armada would help anyway, your '11 body style didn't make it to the Armada till '16.

Are you the original owner, or is it possible the assemblies are aftermarket?

[ukrkoz]

Bought used. Low/high beam is definitely outer bulb. Turns work just fine. It's the center of the three that never worked.
Oh well. It all worked as it should for practical purposes.

[VStar650CL]

The assemblies always come with their own subharness to interface with the E-harness on the car, so aftermarket lights or ones from a different MY can be different from what the car was built with. I suppose it's possible somebody aftermarket saved a buck by combining the park/turn into a dual-filament bulb and omitting the third socket. I'd be interested to hear if you have a deadplug instead of a socket in that third slot.

[ukrkoz]

Too much work to get to it just out of idle curiosity. Also, I'm pretty sure its OEM headlights, judging by pitting. Maybe not.
It all works from utility point of view, so it's all good.

[ukrkoz]

Solved.
So it's like Hondas.
Outer light is dual function - low and high beams.
Inner and central light in question are turn lights. Both.
When light stalk is in Marker position, only rear lights come up. Just like on Hondas.