Rep Power: 0

When I first crank my car, my dome light flashed for 3 cycles at 50 flashes per cycle (that's a total of 150 flashes, just to be clear). I hear and feel a clicking under the dash that coincides with the flashing light. It isn't the turn signal or hazard lights. Those have a different sound and pattern. Even if I turn off the dome light, the clicking under the dash still goes follows the same pattern. It never starts while driving, only when I first start it. I have started it with the parking brake off and on, park and neutral, door open and closed...just to try to narrow it down. I have looked at the electrical diagram and checked the fuses (inside and under the hood), but all applicable fuses are fine. I have a check engine light because of a knock sensor that I am replacing this week, but no other warning lights.

Any ideas on what this could be?

 
Rep Power: 811

is the car stock? clicking is almost always a relay gone bad. im not sure where it would be tho. try and see if you can hear it and discover the place. im guessing the fuse box area under the dash.

 
Rep Power: 0

everything in the car is stock right now. no aftermarket electronics or engine parts of any kind. How do I test a relay? The sound/vibration is coming from under the dash to the left of the steering column, so the fuse box is a likely place. I just find it odd that it would trigger the dome light.

 
Rep Power: 811

see if you can find it and replace it. they are easier to replace. altho, you can try opening it up and see if there are any loose solder joints and fix them.

 
Rep Power: 308

Sounds like a low battery to me, voltage drops low enough during cranking for things to start going crazy.

Charge the battery before trying. See if it still happens.

Check the level of fluid in the cells.

 
Rep Power: 0

Apparently the "low fuel/reserve" light doesn't work. could this be linked somehow?

 
Rep Power: 0

one additional tidbit, if I turn the key (regardless of whether I start the car or not) it will start clicking. When I turn the key off, it will still continue to click.

 
Rep Power: 811

did you have the battery tested as suggested? low voltage is almost always the cause of clicking relays.

 
Rep Power: 0

I had the battery tested and it was fine. The guy who tested it also said a bad relay. I just have to figure out which one.

is it possibly a relay that is somewhere in line with the ignition switch? I was wondering if that might help narrow it down on the electrical schematics.

 
Rep Power: 811

i would just listen to which one is clicking and replace it.

 
Rep Power: 308

Locate which relay is doing the clicking. Some in the under dash fuse box and some behind the glove box. If you touch the plastic case you should be able to feel which one is clicking.

If the dome light is on, does it still flash following the relay noise ??

Knowing which relay may help.

 
Rep Power: 0

it flashes 1x for each click, but there is a slight delay. It should be a relay on the driver's side and not the glove box. I can feel it clicking somewhere around the fuse panel. I saw 3 relays. How many are there supposed to be on that side (near the panel)? I could try not being lazy and look it up, but wanted to make sure I didn't miss any "hidden" relays

thanks for all the help

 
Rep Power: 245

i know u dont want to hear this but theres also relays that arnt replaceable w/o soldering inside the fusebox on the body computer board.

 
Rep Power: 0

wouldn't be my kind of luck if it were any other way, but thank you for the heads up :banghead:

 
Rep Power: 0

Did you ever find a solution? I am experiencing the same problem with my 96 Accord LX.