How to Turn on the High Beam in a Cruze?
3 Answers
The method to turn on the high beam in a Cruze is: under the condition that the low beam is already on, push the light control lever away from the driver's direction. At this point, the high beam will stay on. Manually pull the lever back to its original position to turn off the high beam. Taking the 2018 Cruze as an example, it belongs to the compact car category with body dimensions of: length 4666mm, width 1807mm, height 1460mm, and a wheelbase of 2700mm. The 2018 Cruze features a MacPherson strut front suspension and a torsion beam rear suspension. It is equipped with a 1.5L turbocharged engine producing a maximum horsepower of 114ps, maximum power of 84kw, and maximum torque of 146nm, paired with a 6-speed manual transmission.
When I first learned to drive, turning on the high beams on the Cruze was incredibly straightforward. The light control stalk is located to the lower left of the steering wheel—you start by switching the headlights to the on position (usually just rotating to the headlight symbol), then gently pull the stalk toward you once. The high beams will activate automatically, and even though the stalk springs back when released, the lights stay on. This intuitive design keeps your focus on driving. I remember being nervous about it initially, but when I tried it on a rural night drive, the road ahead lit up clearly with significantly improved visibility, which was reassuring. The key is safe usage: only engage high beams when there's no oncoming traffic or vehicles ahead to avoid blinding others. The Cruze's system responds quickly and makes switching effortless. Developing this good habit prevents accidents—especially crucial for beginners who must remember to promptly switch back to low beams.
From a technical perspective, the high beam switching on my Cruze is quite efficient. The light stalk is designed with a lever mechanism: during normal driving, after the headlights are turned on, pulling it backward triggers a switch signal. This signal is sent to the vehicle's control module, which activates the relay to power the high beam bulb in the headlight assembly. The entire process is smooth, with the high beams typically illuminating immediately upon pulling and turning off when pushed back. The Cruze's electrical system handles this current load very stably, making it less prone to malfunctions. However, the bulb lifespan is about two years, so regular checks are necessary. In my experience, using the high beams on rural roads can extend visibility by over 50 meters, significantly enhancing safety. If the high beams fail to illuminate, I recommend checking the fuse box first to prevent circuit overload.
