Flickering/Pulsing lights
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2004 Civic - Flickering/Pulsing lights
I have a 2004 Civic EX about 200k miles. I just recently noticed that when accelerating the car, the headlights and interior dome lights would pulse and dim repetitively. It dims when off the gas but not as pronounced vs when gassing which makes me think it’s something other than alternator
- I have taken it to autozone for their free alternator and battery and starter tests and it came back fine.
-The voltage stays about 14-15V during acceleration when measured with a voltmeter on battery
- Battery is about 3 years old and is holding a good charge no issues there. Water is topped off so electrolytes should be fine.
- I tried cleaning the grounding wires already.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
- I have taken it to autozone for their free alternator and battery and starter tests and it came back fine.
-The voltage stays about 14-15V during acceleration when measured with a voltmeter on battery
- Battery is about 3 years old and is holding a good charge no issues there. Water is topped off so electrolytes should be fine.
- I tried cleaning the grounding wires already.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Last edited by Thefe4r; Nov 12, 2018 at 10:34 PM.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 520
Likes: 1
From: Cental North Carolina
Re: Flickering/Pulsing lights
My car is doing the same thing, dims when on the gas, brightens after releasing gas unless RPMs are above 3500. I think it's ECU related unfortunately, new battery, alternator, ELD, and grounds.
Honda-Tech Member
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 4
Likes: 1
From: Louisville, KY
Re: Flickering/Pulsing lights
I had flickering headlights & pulsing dome lights, dash lights ---> every damn light you could image used to pulse. I tested the battery & alternator. The Voltage regulator on the battery tested bad, meaning that the alternator was generating current just fine, but wasn't being modulated to put out a consistent voltage. I replaced it. Works just fine now.
.
THEN i noticed that the dome lights STILL pulsed very subtly. So i called around. and learned that a poorly grounded negative cable can also cause this issue. I check the Engine ground cable buffed it and tightened the cables. Then i checked the negative ground from the battery to the car body/chassis. I found the battery ground was the culprit & loosened buffed it to clean and chiny then remounted it, works like a dream now.
.
Give that a spin.
.
THEN i noticed that the dome lights STILL pulsed very subtly. So i called around. and learned that a poorly grounded negative cable can also cause this issue. I check the Engine ground cable buffed it and tightened the cables. Then i checked the negative ground from the battery to the car body/chassis. I found the battery ground was the culprit & loosened buffed it to clean and chiny then remounted it, works like a dream now.
.
Give that a spin.
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