johndeerebones

My lights flicker, guessing it does it lights off too, just noticeable at night. It is bad enough you can see it in the dome and dash lights too. I am thinking my alternator as it whines all the time. I figured the battery would cushion that though. I have no charging symptoms though. I hate to fire the parts cannon, but at this point I have zero diagnosis time time. I worked 12 hour shifts the past three nights and am on my way to bed right now. Off tonight and work 3 more...

Dude_

My 2000 DX did it all the time too, well, very often. Only noticeable to me at night when the lights are on, it was more like a dimmer rather than on/off flickering. My SRS light included. Anyway, I tried different things and nothing worked, just gave up on it eventually. I no longer have this car.... Good luck.

drhawkinz

I've noticed my dash lights and headlights dim when I roll the windows up and down. It's mostly noticeable when you're sitting still. Been thinking about upgrading the grounding wires and power wire off the battery but haven't got around to messing with it.

ezone

Stick a voltmeter in the lighter socket?


If it acts like this persons description:

Then it's likely normal ELD operation, controlling the charge rate up and down as it wants to.
Or something with a high load cycling, like the AC and fans.


Power windows are a high load item, I'd expect the lights to dim especially when the motors stop and you still have the switches held up (or down).

Dude_

Any flickering or dimming of a warning light (SRS) is never to be accepted as normal operation. Not by my standards or any dealer's.

Mine would behave this way at night when no heat or A/C was blowing, no electric windows to point to (it's a DX), no incline, no intentional passing speed up, nothing to cause an increase in load, driving at a steady speed on a flat and level freeway.

ezone

Wait wait waaaaait a sec.....

Just the fact that you were driving around with that warning light on tells me a lot.

Dude_

Well, if nothing else, perhaps a free diag at the dealer may generate something substantial. You probably already done so but, check all ground connections, heck, all connections, for that matter, and bench test the obvious stuff like alternator.

Again, good luck, it was damn annoying and troubling to me, especially since nothing fixed it, even the dealer was stumped.

ezone

An idea:

Pull up your ELD unit from the fusebox and disconnect it. (Or flip the box over to disconnect it)

That ought to eliminate the high/low charging voltage, I'm just gonna assume it will stay high as the default......Verify with your voltmeter in the lighter socket or something so you can watch voltage as you drive..

Drive it.
See if that stops the lights from flickering?

johndeerebones

Dude,

Not a chance, any dealer hasn't touched anything of mine hasn't been to a dealer except recalls, warranty, inspections in my lifetime and not about to start now. Yes it does help that I was a mechanic for 15 years so I can fix em too.

As for the thread. Sorry guys, bought a used s10 on the cheap and been fixing on it as the previous owners perception of clean and maintenance are no where near mine (this seems to be the case with every vehicle I buy, (I might be OCD a bit)). So, I haven't tackled this one at all. It is more like a dimmer as he says. It is bright/dim/bright/dim etc. No high loads to point at. I have yet to stick a meter in it. Add to all this that at this very moment it is very cold and snows often (not ideal for the working on of vehicles). Yes I do have a garage but this is America and of course the wife has it so full of crap there is no way any vehicle would fit in it now. I am lucky to get to my toolbox and compressor at this point.

As for the SRS light, that is the very reason my glovebox accessories includes a wire with a switch and fuse ends. It is a 9-3 so it sets it randomly. I can reset the SRS light at a station, in a parking lot etc. I have a code scanner as well. This guy HATES extra lights on any dash. IF A LIGHTS ON IT GETS FIXED in my household.

Dude_

Okay, well, good luck with it.

johndeerebones

Hey guys update finally. It has been ridiculously cold and snowy so haven't gotten on this. I put an alternator on it today and the prob is gone. Notice one thing though, my Civic looks like a Dodge underneath. It has oil leaks galore and big mess. I know my oil pump o-ring has been puking for a bit, but I also have a leak up top I can't yet pinpoint.