2012 jeep grand cherokee overland headlight assembly

Please see attached picture.

So, I'm a little confused by the headlights on my new jeep. For clarity, according to the factory spec sheet from jeep, I have Bi-Xenon HID Headlamps.

So here's my issue:

To the right of the light cluster are what I know as 'Angel Eye' lights. Not sure what they're known as in Jeep parlance, but I'd love to know. I'm assuming they're the HID part?
Anyways, down to the bottom left is the little amber/white daytime running light. Then to the left of the angel eye and above or 'behind' the DRL is a 3rd light. What is this light and when is it supposed to come on?
When I bought the Jeep, I discovered the bulbs in those lights had both blown - both headlights. I had them replaced during the post purchase full service and inspection at my local Jeep dealership.
They're still not working.
My DRLs work fine.
My angel eyes work fine and change when I switch to high beam and my high beam view of the road at night is awesome.
My fog lights work fine.

The picture makes the headlamps look a little foggy. They're not. It was just the lighting I took the pic in. The lamps are clear and healthy looking.

So what are these mysterious lights? When should they come on? Am I missing something? Or, if there's an issue, where should I start looking?

Errr help??

The right is your HID headlight, the middle is your DRL and bright light, the left is your blinker.

The DRL, I believe, should come on when you put the Jeep in gear. So if you start it to see if it's on, that's not going to work. You need a reflection. It also doesn't come on if your emergency brake is applied.

The right is your HID headlight, the middle is your DRL and bright light, the left is your blinker.

The DRL, I believe, should come on when you put the Jeep in gear. So if you start it to see if it's on, that's not going to work. You need a reflection. It also doesn't come on if your emergency brake is applied.

Thank you, Overlanding, there was enough information in your response for me to work out exactly what they were and when they work. I sat in the drive with the car in gear (foot on the break) and had my wife watch the lights while I 'fiddled' with buttons until she yelled exitedly "Whatever you just did, they're on!!!" ha ha ha.

Anywhoo, turns out they're not DRL or High beams, but are actually Fog lights. Interestingly where the lower, small bumper fog lights will work in any position except high beam, these main 'Big' fog lights will not work in auto mode and will not work when your normal headlights are on.
They will only work when you are switched to sidelights - the first switch position after the 'Off' position - with your fog lights switched on (Headlight on/off switch pushed in).

In hindsight, it makes sense they'd be fog lights as the light doesn't come straight out, but the bulb has a reflective 'cap' that reflects the light back into the parabolic reflector of that lamp. So you would get a diffused light which is what you'd want in fog rather than bright 'shiny' direct lights.

So again, thanks. Don't think I'd have ever worked it out without your suggestion of the vehicle needing to be in drive with the emergency break off.

Those lights with the metal reflector caps over the glass bulb are the daytime running lights. The only fog lights are the ones at the very bottom of the bumper.

You have to try the lights at night and then again during the day to get a full picture especially when you use auto feature. My HIDs don't come on during the day and my DRLs don't come on at night.

Thank you, Overlanding, there was enough information in your response for me to work out exactly what they were and when they work. I sat in the drive with the car in gear (foot on the break) and had my wife watch the lights while I 'fiddled' with buttons until she yelled exitedly "Whatever you just did, they're on!!!" ha ha ha.

Anywhoo, turns out they're not DRL or High beams, but are actually Fog lights. Interestingly where the lower, small bumper fog lights will work in any position except high beam, these main 'Big' fog lights will not work in auto mode and will not work when your normal headlights are on.
They will only work when you are switched to sidelights - the first switch position after the 'Off' position - with your fog lights switched on (Headlight on/off switch pushed in).

In hindsight, it makes sense they'd be fog lights as the light doesn't come straight out, but the bulb has a reflective 'cap' that reflects the light back into the parabolic reflector of that lamp. So you would get a diffused light which is what you'd want in fog rather than bright 'shiny' direct lights.

So again, thanks. Don't think I'd have ever worked it out without your suggestion of the vehicle needing to be in drive with the emergency break off.

Oh goodness. Either your Jeep has wires crossed or you're still mixed up..

The middle light is your DRL during the day and your bright light at night (when you're brights are on). It's not a fog light. All halogens have that thing on them that looks like it reflects back. So I'm not sure what you're getting at there.

You're HID light is not a bright light, it has one level of output. Not until 2014+ does that light function as a bright light as well.

Overlander & Governer, yep, I am definitely confused at this point lol

I completely defer to your guy's knowledge, because I'm completely new to Jeeps, but I can only speak to what I'm seeing.

I've changed lots of headlights and bulbs in various cars over the years, but I'll confess, I've never looked at the lights that closely, so didn't know they all had that reflector cap on them.

My HID 'Angel Eye' lights definitely change when high beam is on. I've stood in front of the vehicle with wifey at the controls and watched it happen. So, from what you're saying, that is indeed a little strange.

The testing last night was done in the dark, so I will have to test them again during the day, but in the dark, the middle lights definitely don't come on with the high beams. That's what I first assumed they were and why I figured there was an issue when they didn't come on.

As for them being daytime running lights, I will test that today during daylight.

But last night in the dark, as I say, the only time they would actually come on was with the headlight switch set to 'side lights' and with the fog lights turned on. So at this point - ya definitely confused.

I appreciate your continued input and will do more experimentation today.
If I continue to get what appear to be unusual results, I'll shoot a quick vid of what's happening and post it so you can see exactly what I mean.

For my 2011, the HID acts as both low and high. It lowers a shutter in front of the high beam to reduce the output to low beam.

Here's some lighting info:
Jeep Grand Cherokee WK2 - Exterior lighting

Also, download the latest edition of the owners manual. The owners manual is much more informative than the little users guide they give you with the vehicle.
Jeep Grand Cherokee WK2 - Brochures, manuals and literature

Excellent info, thanks, Governer. That owners manual is definitely much better than the original one I have.
And yes, the shutter thing is how many HIDs work between low and high beam.
The lighting link was a little confusing to read, but will make much more sense when I'm outside looking at the car - which will be when it stops snowing today lol

Ok, update - watching my wife back it out of the drive today on her way to the store, those lamps do indeed come on as DRLs. So that's that. As for what they do at night, if anything, I still have no idea, but will experiment more.
Mainly, I'm just glad they're not faulty!!!

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I am devastated,,,,,my Main headlight burned out on my Cherokee 2012. The garage said the replacement didn't work....Took it to the Dealer they informed me that the WHOLE Assembly need to be replaced...!!! ca$2,000 !!!! And , my extended warranty will not cover it...I hardly drive at night. I only have 26,600 KM on it !!!
I'm seriously thinking of getting out of this line of Car....

Hi, I'm new to this forum, just bought a 12 GC Limited V6. Sorry to revive an old thread but didn't want to create a new one for an older model.

I had the DRLs enabled but the HIDs are working as the DRLs. I had no DRLs before so I had a vehicle programming/computer specialized shop activate them. They did this with a starscan tool by changing the region to Canada. They couldn't get the High/Inner beams to come on with any setting in the tool.

Anybody else seen the HIDs in 2012 used as the DRLs?

Cheers

Oh goodness. Either your Jeep has wires crossed or you're still mixed up..

The middle light is your DRL during the day and your bright light at night (when you're brights are on). It's not a fog light. All halogens have that thing on them that looks like it reflects back. So I'm not sure what you're getting at there.

You're HID light is not a bright light, it has one level of output. Not until 2014+ does that light function as a bright light as well.

No. No. Just no.
On my 2012 JGC Overland the HID headlight works as both the high and low beam.