lights flickering when driving - Focaljet

**Hi-Risk** · 05-07-2001, 02:36 AM

i just noticed that while driving at night, my headlights flicker during driving and when i hit the breaks. my tailights are also doing this. what is the cause?

i also see that my dash lights are flickering too...help!!!!

...thing is that this doesn't happen all the time. only when i come to a or when car is idle. but sometimes during motion lights flicker too!

------------------
Pitch Black 2K ZX3 (automatic)
WW kit/WW 3-piece Mid-wing/Hella Projectors/Progress 1.8 Springs/Vibrant Exhaust/FS wires/APC Clear Bumper Lens

Future Plans: JBA Header/Iceman CAI/Koni Shocks/NEW Paint Job/Cervini or CF hood/Motegi MR12's or RH Evo D6000/Avenger front & rear bumper

[This message has been edited by Hi-Risk (edited 05-07-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Hi-Risk (edited 05-07-2001).]

**Bobby** · 05-07-2001, 08:03 AM

Since you said that the lights flicker at speed, I am discounting the charging system. My guess is that you have a loose wire somewhere, probably at the light switch or battery junction box.
I'd probably run it over to the dealer and see if they'll check the external light system under warranty or you can try to follow the wiring with a voltmeter. I am unable to copy and paste the wiring diagram but let me know if you need a specific colour code to follow a wire.
Good luck, let us know what you find out.

Bobby

**vad** · 05-07-2001, 11:09 AM

My lights flicker for 2-3 seconds only when I suddenly change load on the electrical system like hitting and releasing the brake pedal or turning on/off the high beams. I think the problem is a "lazy" voltage regulator. The rental Focus I drove didn't have that problem.

**Bobby** · 05-07-2001, 03:31 PM

The regulator is driven by the PCM and, as you noticed on the rental, is not normal operation. You might wish to have this checked at the dealer just so you don't have to worry about your "minor" problem growing into something worse.

**Kelric** · 05-07-2001, 03:45 PM

mine has done it since almost the first day. Several other people have complained of the same thing.

the consencus is the voltage regulator, but apparently it's not anything life threatening for the car....

42k miles and still going strong (although someone has more miles than me (I think Drivefaster?) at about 48k miles

**drivefaster** · 05-11-2001, 01:29 PM

I should be hitting 50k in the next week or so. I also have the flicker but it's very intermittant and so far not a problem. I usually notice it when going downhill whether or not I'm coasting in neutral. The voltage regulator will probably die eventually and that's when the problem will get fixed.

**Sartre** · 05-11-2001, 08:50 PM

I had something similar with my hellas. Make sure that your ground wire from the hellas are really touching open metal. Scratch the point if you have to, but the ground wire (the brown wire on the hellas) are touching bare metal. Sartre

**Phiber** · 06-21-2002, 07:21 AM

I suddenly had a huge and lovely idea. Why don't I disconnect that annoying and useless beast, known as my ALARM SYSTEM! o_o;; Could someone tak a picture of what it's SUPPOSED to look like, on the battery? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] So then I can just leave that stuff there. Oh, btw, my dealer said it was a short battery. Bah! Humbug. And it does it again.

**Infra-red 2001 ZX3** · 06-21-2002, 11:01 AM

I had the same problem with my car it really started at 400 miles! So I brought my car to my dealer and they said that the voltage regulator
was **** so they replaced the alternator and the problem is gone. [img]graemlins/thumbup.gif[/img]

**djwirfel** · 06-22-2002, 07:27 PM

mine does it too...its quick though... first time i thought i blinked....but didnt know... now i understand its the car... not worried about it...i just deal with it

**foc us** · 06-22-2002, 07:44 PM

I noticed that problem too, but since dealers up north is not that friendly and i did put a sub and a head unit in, they'll probably blame it on the stuffs I got. Now I wish I didn't install any ice........ [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

**focal_point** · 06-24-2002, 11:46 AM

I had the same problem, so I took it in and had it checked out. They told me it was the voltage regulator and had the altrenator replaced.

05-07-2001, 02:36 AM	#1
Hi-Risk [FJ] Specialist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Waipahu, HI Posts: 9,310	lights flickering when driving i just noticed that while driving at night, my headlights flicker during driving and when i hit the breaks. my tailights are also doing this. what is the cause? i also see that my dash lights are flickering too...help!!!! ...thing is that this doesn't happen all the time. only when i come to a or when car is idle. but sometimes during motion lights flicker too! ------------------ Pitch Black 2K ZX3 (automatic) WW kit/WW 3-piece Mid-wing/Hella Projectors/Progress 1.8 Springs/Vibrant Exhaust/FS wires/APC Clear Bumper Lens Future Plans: JBA Header/Iceman CAI/Koni Shocks/NEW Paint Job/Cervini or CF hood/Motegi MR12's or RH Evo D6000/Avenger front & rear bumper [This message has been edited by Hi-Risk (edited 05-07-2001).] [This message has been edited by Hi-Risk (edited 05-07-2001).]

05-07-2001, 08:03 AM	#2
Bobby Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 2,610	Re: lights flickering when driving Since you said that the lights flicker at speed, I am discounting the charging system. My guess is that you have a loose wire somewhere, probably at the light switch or battery junction box. I'd probably run it over to the dealer and see if they'll check the external light system under warranty or you can try to follow the wiring with a voltmeter. I am unable to copy and paste the wiring diagram but let me know if you need a specific colour code to follow a wire. Good luck, let us know what you find out. Bobby

05-07-2001, 11:09 AM	#3
vad Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: La Mesa, CA Posts: 1,890	Re: lights flickering when driving My lights flicker for 2-3 seconds only when I suddenly change load on the electrical system like hitting and releasing the brake pedal or turning on/off the high beams. I think the problem is a "lazy" voltage regulator. The rental Focus I drove didn't have that problem.

05-07-2001, 03:31 PM	#4
Bobby Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 2,610	Re: lights flickering when driving The regulator is driven by the PCM and, as you noticed on the rental, is not normal operation. You might wish to have this checked at the dealer just so you don't have to worry about your "minor" problem growing into something worse.

05-07-2001, 03:45 PM	#5
Kelric [FJ] Specialist Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Long Beach Posts: 5,005	Re: lights flickering when driving mine has done it since almost the first day. Several other people have complained of the same thing. the consencus is the voltage regulator, but apparently it's not anything life threatening for the car.... 42k miles and still going strong (although someone has more miles than me (I think Drivefaster?) at about 48k miles

05-11-2001, 01:29 PM	#6
drivefaster TEAM Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Jeannette,PA,USA Posts: 870	Re: lights flickering when driving I should be hitting 50k in the next week or so. I also have the flicker but it's very intermittant and so far not a problem. I usually notice it when going downhill whether or not I'm coasting in neutral. The voltage regulator will probably die eventually and that's when the problem will get fixed.

05-11-2001, 08:50 PM	#7
Sartre TEAM Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Clinton Twp, Michigan Posts: 553	Re: lights flickering when driving I had something similar with my hellas. Make sure that your ground wire from the hellas are really touching open metal. Scratch the point if you have to, but the ground wire (the brown wire on the hellas) are touching bare metal. Sartre

06-21-2002, 07:21 AM	#8
Phiber TEAM Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Spring, Texas Posts: 439	Re: lights flickering when driving I suddenly had a huge and lovely idea. Why don't I disconnect that annoying and useless beast, known as my ALARM SYSTEM! o_o;; Could someone tak a picture of what it's SUPPOSED to look like, on the battery? [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] So then I can just leave that stuff there. Oh, btw, my dealer said it was a short battery. Bah! Humbug. And it does it again.

06-21-2002, 11:01 AM	#9
Infra-red 2001 ZX3 TEAM Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Wolfeboro,NH Posts: 134	Re: lights flickering when driving I had the same problem with my car it really started at 400 miles! So I brought my car to my dealer and they said that the voltage regulator was **** so they replaced the alternator and the problem is gone. [img]graemlins/thumbup.gif[/img]

06-22-2002, 07:27 PM	#10
djwirfel Senior TEAM Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: (Dave) SouthEast PA Posts: 2,321	Re: lights flickering when driving mine does it too...its quick though... first time i thought i blinked....but didnt know... now i understand its the car... not worried about it...i just deal with it

06-22-2002, 07:44 PM	#11
foc us TEAM Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 348	Re: lights flickering when driving I noticed that problem too, but since dealers up north is not that friendly and i did put a sub and a head unit in, they'll probably blame it on the stuffs I got. Now I wish I didn't install any ice........ [img]images/icons/frown.gif[/img]

06-24-2002, 11:46 AM	#12
focal_point Rookie Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Cambridge, MN Posts: 21	Re: lights flickering when driving I had the same problem, so I took it in and had it checked out. They told me it was the voltage regulator and had the altrenator replaced.

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