I noticed last night on my way home from work that my headlights were flickering. I looked and also noticed my amp meter was also fluxuating. The car seemed to be running fine asside from the lights kept flickering. It did not make a difference what RPMs I was running, or even if the car was moving. My 2000 Bonneville has the original alternator and 181k on her...
View 3 Replies1995 RAM 2500 5.9L 2x4...
I think the wire to my oil pressure gauge might be shorting or loose, since the needle sometimes swings from 0 to the middle unexpectedly for no apparent reason. However, during my recent 350 mile trip back from FL to North GA, I noticed that while "stable", the pressure seemed to be ever so slowly dropping to the 1/4 area of the meter. I checked the oil level at every stop and it was never more than 1/2 quart from full. It did seem somewhat "black" given that I changed it and filter about 1,200 miles ago. Also, it seemed the oil was somewhat "channeling" on the dipstick... hard to explain, but it wasn't 100% coating the dipstick like I'd normally expect and seemed like wouldn't "stick" to it. Anyway, there wasn't any foaminess that would seem to indicate water in it... and I've never used any oil additives.
What can cause reduction in oil pressure? After sitting, it seems normal for a while after start-up but then tends to drop. It is possible there is some kind of "sludge" clogging something? The tranny repair guy told me that some oils contain unacceptable amounts of paraffin (a WAX)... told me to never use Quaker State and that he recommended Valvoline. He was "amused" when I told him I use the Walmart brand... Tech or something in the blue bottle. Of course, I'll change the oil THIS week... is that likely to resolve any problems? What else can cause loss of oil pressure? From what I can tell the engine seals are OK since there are never any "puddles" underneath.
I have a 2006 sierra 5.3. This has happen twice to me now. This morning it was probably around -5 degrees out started my truck with remote start and it started fine. After running for 15 mins I got in it to go to work. When went to pull out of the driveway I noticed when hitting the gas my headlights getting brighter and then dimmer when not hitting the gas. When I looked at voltmeter gauge and when not pressing the accelerator it was about 12. When hitting accelerator it would go up to 14. It did this for about 15 mins or so stopping and going.
On the way home today it didn't fluctuate. When I got home I tested the alternator with volt meter. It was reading 15.3 volts. From what I read on the internet it says the fluctuation is normal and so is the 15.3 volts. I read 2005 trucks and up have regulated voltage control. Even talks about the gauge fluctuating in the owners manual. I had the battery and alternator tested both tested good. Alternator does have a little noise in it when spinning the pulley by hand. I'm just not convinced that 15.3 volts is normal. The battery isn't original it had been replaced by the previous owner.? Is my alternator possibly going out.
Can I just replace the bulb to fix the flickering problem with the HID headlights? Before it was once in a while but not it's more then I would like. I think the problem might be the bulbs vs the auto leveling (I don't see it moving in a park position).
View 24 RepliesWhy are my headlights flickering while van is running?
View 2 RepliesI just lowered my car with H&R springs and I did the flash to pass vagcom change. When the car is still and I turn on the high beams or flash it, everything is fine. Is when I start moving, and then put the highbeams or flash it when the xenons starts flickering mimicking a strobe light and is giving me an error message on the display, right or left beam dipped error.
View 3 RepliesI just recently had the hybrid battery replaced in the my 06 Prius. Probably about 2 years ago I had my right headlight replaced because it kept going out. Well now my headlight is back to going out again. However no it's no longer just the right headlight. It can be either. It doesn't seem to matter if it's smooth road or bumpy. Seems to do it alittle worse on really cold days but it's also done it on a couple 40 degree days we had recently.
The left headlight has a habit of flickering alot. Some times it'll stop and stay on, other time's it'll flicker and then go out. When the right headlight goes out, it doesn't flicker, it just goes out. If I turn the lights off and right back on, both headlights come on. They may stay on rest of way to work after that or they may stay on 5 minutes. It is something I can check via navigation console? Is my only option to take it to a Toyota dealer?
2006 ~ Noticed the car lights (head lights only) flickering off for a few seconds while driving at night, took it in and they re-set the computer, still is flickering. Without spending 4 hours in labor for them to check every wire?
View 2 Repliesthe flickering stopped after 10 mins and hasnt come back. is this an alternator problem or loose battery cables/ground strap?
View 1 RepliesPast week I have noticed a flicker on all lighting (head/taillights, interior lights) on my '06 Sonata (4cyl). Seems to be an intermittent problem, as one time in three there is no flicker, and everything seems to be fine.
Yesterday, when pulling into my driveway, I momentarily lost all lighting/radio/fan for what seemed to me a full second and a half before everything "came back on".
I've checked fuses, battery cables (batty is new, 6mos)... Is this alternator related? What else should I be looking at? My Sonata has been bulletproof. No mechanical issues whatsoever....
I've got a '99 GMC Sonoma that I purchased last summer. Great little rig, runs well and the previous owner took care of it. In the last couple of days the headlights and dashboard display have been flickering at all RPMs. I am guessing a bad battery or alternator, but previous related posts indicate it could be all sorts of stuff electrical.
From what I can tell from previous posts, the easier tests are
1) Voltage across the battery poles with engine off to test for a bad cell,
2) AC voltage at battery with engine running to test for alternator diode problems (should be no AC voltage, correct?), or
3) Something called the A.I.R. pump, which I've never heard of and wouldn't know how to test.
The last time I had this happen was on a 2000 Caravan, and it was the battery.
I recently purchased a 2011 Sonata GLS and I love it. However, I'm having a slight electrical issue.
While driving at night with the headlights on occasionally they'll dim and flicker and often cut off completely while driving or parked. The interior and dash lights will also switch off with the headlights, however the radio will still continue to play. The lights only stay off for a second and then come back on. Sometimes I can make them flicker and go off by turning on my blinker or switching between high and low beams.
I'm trying to figure out if it's a problem with the alternator, the battery, or the fuses and if this is a known issue.
I have a 2002 Kia Optima. The headlights have been flickering as well as every light inside the car. When they're doing this, if I press on the brakes, everything fades out. Such as the radio, headlights get very dim, air conditioner fades out. The car almost comes to the point of stalling. I've had the alternator replaced but the problem continued. I have asked several mechanics but they are baffled.
View 6 RepliesMy headlights flicker everytime I hit the turn signals and bring my windows down, what might be causing this?
View 1 RepliesAnyways, My 2001 Windstar has been acting up recently mainly the headlights flickering every now and then, car randomly stalling out on me - after it dies, I pull over and start it up right away and the ABS light came on.
Check engine light is on (presumably due to the car stalling out) but I do not seem to be able to read the codes, the code reader is working fine on my 2001 Expedition but on the Windstar it just sites there at 'connecting to vehicle'. I've tried disconnecting the battery for 10-15 mins and this made no difference, I also checked the fuse for the port was good so now I'm not sure what to check next.
My friend has a 2008 Elantra, and she had me jump start the car the other day. The car jump started just fine, but then when it was idling, the headlights would flicker, as if there was an uneven of inadequate power supply. Then, when driving the car, turning the wheel and taxing the power steering would cause the headlights to almost turn off momentarily. After driving for 30 or more minutes, the car did not improve at all. I turned the car off, then went to start it, and immediately it was too dead to turn over again. I'm lost with the electrical, I don't think its the alternator.
View 2 RepliesRecently purchased a 2004 Toyota Corolla in August. Last night coming home from a show (I'm a musician), the airbag light came on, my headlights seemed to be very dim.Eventually my car radio started to flicker and the mph and rxp meters as well as the odometer started to go up and back down and up while no juice from the gas peddle seemed to go to acceleration. Pulled over, car kinda sputtered like it was a dying battery. Turned it off. Waited tuned it back on and it tried to roll over but sounded like a dead battery again. The interior lights worked fine, all the of symbols (oil, battery engine) flashed but no ignition, radio or lighter charge .
After a long while tried again and it started with some coaxing, made it two more miles down the road and same thing happened, radio lights flicker, dim headlights, airbag light comes on, meters go crazy, lose acceleration. Waited a while, tried it, turned on, it turned on and we sat with it idling and same process happened while sitting there after just a short time. Dim headlights, Radio flicker, airbag light, meters crazy, slow lose of juice.
It has a brand new battery, it's a used car, I've been driving it with the check engine light on but have gotten it looked previously to disclose it was a sensor thing. Recently took it to the Toyota dealership for three recallsOne had to do with the airbags. After it was worked on the second time by them for two other recalls (one had to do with the door and I can't recall the other but am looking for the paper) my battery light came on. And has come off and on for about a week or two but with no trouble. Mostly in town driving. This trip I took was about at 40mi trip back and forth, it did fine up but coming home not so good. I'm not sure if it's any relation but that's the only "repairs" I've had done since purchasing the vehicle
Alternator? Bad battery? Electrical stuff?
2003 - Just recently my battery light started coming on and off on the dash, and occasionally my headlights would turn off and come back on. Now the ABS and BRAKE lights flash and the headlights are still on and off. I have already scraped (not cleaned) most of the corrosion off of the terminals on the battery and tightened the connections...
View 3 RepliesHeadlights won't come on. They used to work but started flickering and quit working. (1993 Explorer).
View 5 RepliesI will start out with a little history of the situation. A little over three months ago my original altenator died with over 200,000 miles on it. I took it in and had it replaced (they used a refurbished altenator) and about a 1-1/2 months later is when the issue started. The headlights and dash lights will flicker and whenever they dim, the volt gauge will go down.
When the lights come back to normal brightness the volt guage will also go back to normal. All this will go on for random lengths of time as I am driving. I took the vehicle back to where I had the altenator replaced and they replaced it again under warranty. About another 1-1/2 months went by and the same thing started happening. I took it back to the same garage and this time they put in a brand new altenator. Finally about a week after this last visit to the garage the symptoms came back.
I've had my '07 Volvo S40 2.4i for almost a year. It has a little over 60K miles on it and is serviced regularly. Within the last 3 months, I've noticed some weird things happening occasionally:
-Trouble starting when cold (I understand this is pretty common with a lot of cars.)
-Headlights & interior lights flickering
-Going over "bumps" in road causing dash display lights to illuminate for a second, radio to shut off, and loud system "BEEP" comes through the speakers (this has happened 3 times total, all on the same day.)
-AC stops cooling periodically I've had the system scanned for the AC issue and it seems that there was a "Pump pressure" message that cleared itself at one point and am guessing the same thing has happened the next few times it's done this.
I also asked that the battery be checked to see if it needed to be replaced soon. The mechanic said the battery was fine and thinks it's something wrong with the entire electrical system.