Headlight Pulsing - repair?
#1
Registered!!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Age: 40
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rep Power: 0 Headlight Pulsing - repair?
Hey gents. Working on the GF's car again. We were driving the other night and I noticed the headlights were pulsing,like a voltage fluctuation or something.
Read it could be a few things
- Checked all the fuses, under the hood and under the steering wheel. Nothin. Unless there is another fusebox somewhere.
- Pulled off the ground strap between the engine and the radiator core. Cleaned it with a wire brush (didn't look horrible), put it back on with dielectric grease. Also, pulled off the battery ground at the fender well and the transmission body. Cleaned those off and put some grease on those. Was still pulsing, so I tried grounding the engine block to the battery negative terminal. Didn't seem to fix the issue.
Where do I go now? Alt seems fine, it was tested not too long ago. Also the voltage was above 14 volts, and I could not see any fluctuations in the voltage.
Read it could be a few things
- Checked all the fuses, under the hood and under the steering wheel. Nothin. Unless there is another fusebox somewhere.
- Pulled off the ground strap between the engine and the radiator core. Cleaned it with a wire brush (didn't look horrible), put it back on with dielectric grease. Also, pulled off the battery ground at the fender well and the transmission body. Cleaned those off and put some grease on those. Was still pulsing, so I tried grounding the engine block to the battery negative terminal. Didn't seem to fix the issue.
Where do I go now? Alt seems fine, it was tested not too long ago. Also the voltage was above 14 volts, and I could not see any fluctuations in the voltage.
#2
#3
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Headlight Pulsing - repair?
Could be normal, or maybe not. Depends.
So what exactly was the voltage at, and where was this measured?
What other electrical consumers were being used at the same time?
Y/M/M of the car?
Alternator mounting bolts tight?
Could be normal action of an ELD controlled charging system?
#4
Registered!!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2009
Age: 40
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rep Power: 0 Re: Headlight Pulsing - repair?
Could be normal, or maybe not. Depends.
So what exactly was the voltage at, and where was this measured?
What other electrical consumers were being used at the same time?
Y/M/M of the car?
Alternator mounting bolts tight?
Could be normal action of an ELD controlled charging system?
So what exactly was the voltage at, and where was this measured?
What other electrical consumers were being used at the same time?
Y/M/M of the car?
Alternator mounting bolts tight?
Could be normal action of an ELD controlled charging system?
It was running the Defrost (blower) and headlights.
2004 Honda Civic LX
#5
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Headlight Pulsing - repair?
You should also notice the headlights dim a little bit if you try to operate the power windows all at once, or have the window motors stalled out.
#8
Premium Member
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (95)
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: NV
Age: 43
Posts: 51,241
Likes: 0
Received 18 Likes
on
13 Posts
Rep Power: 787 Re: Headlight Pulsing - repair?
mine never pulses even with high electrical loads, but i have a napa alternator. cant remember what the oem was like cause it went out two years after buying the car new. but ive noticed quite a few honda and acura that have this pulsing problem. it seems to be normal, but not something i would like to have.
#9
Registered!!
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Lindenwold, NJ
Posts: 297
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
3 Posts
Rep Power: 0 Re: Headlight Pulsing - repair?
My interior map lights pulse as well. I notice the problem was more apparent after I bought a cheap Autozone alternator. No pulsing unless the engine is running so I know it's an alternator issue.
#10
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Headlight Pulsing - repair?
Rhythmic pulsation is another. Lowest cost parts went inside at the low-rent rebuilder. You get what you pay for!
#11
Premium Member
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (95)
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: NV
Age: 43
Posts: 51,241
Likes: 0
Received 18 Likes
on
13 Posts
Rep Power: 787 Re: Headlight Pulsing - repair?
yeah by pulsing i mean the lights get brighter for a half second, then get dimmer the next half second, and repeat like this forever as the car is sitting at idle. almost like when a subwoofer is constantly bumping and the lights dim with each bass note (except there is no sub when this is happening). ive seen it on a stock acura rsx alternator and was pretty surprised. that would drive me nuts.
the dimming is normal due to using accessories, but that is only a one time event when the accessory is first turned on and the voltage drops.
the dimming is normal due to using accessories, but that is only a one time event when the accessory is first turned on and the voltage drops.
#12
If you think a good mechanic is expensive, try hiring a bad one
Re: Headlight Pulsing - repair?
I have never noticed this half-second pulse thing on OE. Then again, I don't drive customer cars at night, either.
I have seen it in low cost reman alternators, even a couple from a local rebuilder that tends to use low cost internals.
I have seen it in low cost reman alternators, even a couple from a local rebuilder that tends to use low cost internals.
#13
Premium Member
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (95)
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: NV
Age: 43
Posts: 51,241
Likes: 0
Received 18 Likes
on
13 Posts
Rep Power: 787 Re: Headlight Pulsing - repair?
yeah most parts at the auto store are junk. even higher end aftermarket can be tricky. i had brembo blank rotors at one time and they were terrible. noisy and wouldnt stop nearly as well. went back to new oem last year and cant believe how hard they grab. same with rims, aftermarkets seem to vibrate quite a bit even with centering rings. i later found out oems are all matched to the honda hubs and using a generic can cause all sorts of issues. there are certain things that arent worth the problem of going aftermarket.
#14
Re: Headlight Pulsing - repair?
The only reason why it should be pulsing in a rythm/pattern is if the load is changing rythmically as well, like turn signals/hazards being on. I can hear the engine lug down a tiny bit each time they turn on and from my cigarette voltmeter voltage lowers by about 0.1v when on vs off. This is with an Ebay hi output alt.
It shouldn't pulse rythmically unless your flashing lights or something or your engine RPMs are changing rythmically.
The ELD shouldn't be the problem but you could always take it out of the fuse box in the engine compartment and see if there are any changes.
Monitor system voltage with it's pulsing to see what's up and maybe borrow a ammeter.
It shouldn't pulse rythmically unless your flashing lights or something or your engine RPMs are changing rythmically.
The ELD shouldn't be the problem but you could always take it out of the fuse box in the engine compartment and see if there are any changes.
Monitor system voltage with it's pulsing to see what's up and maybe borrow a ammeter.
#15
Re: Headlight Pulsing - repair?
Hey gents. Working on the GF's car again. We were driving the other night and I noticed the headlights were pulsing,like a voltage fluctuation or something.
Read it could be a few things
- Checked all the fuses, under the hood and under the steering wheel. Nothin. Unless there is another fusebox somewhere.
- Pulled off the ground strap between the engine and the radiator core. Cleaned it with a wire brush (didn't look horrible), put it back on with dielectric grease. Also, pulled off the battery ground at the fender well and the transmission body. Cleaned those off and put some grease on those. Was still pulsing, so I tried grounding the engine block to the battery negative terminal. Didn't seem to fix the issue.
Where do I go now? Alt seems fine, it was tested not too long ago. Also the voltage was above 14 volts, and I could not see any fluctuations in the voltage.
Read it could be a few things
- Checked all the fuses, under the hood and under the steering wheel. Nothin. Unless there is another fusebox somewhere.
- Pulled off the ground strap between the engine and the radiator core. Cleaned it with a wire brush (didn't look horrible), put it back on with dielectric grease. Also, pulled off the battery ground at the fender well and the transmission body. Cleaned those off and put some grease on those. Was still pulsing, so I tried grounding the engine block to the battery negative terminal. Didn't seem to fix the issue.
Where do I go now? Alt seems fine, it was tested not too long ago. Also the voltage was above 14 volts, and I could not see any fluctuations in the voltage.
#16
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Ohio
Age: 31
Posts: 4,711
Received 1,849 Likes
on
1,301 Posts
Rep Power: 196 Re: Headlight Pulsing - repair?
9 year old thread.
Thread
Thread Starter
Honda Civic Forum
Replies
Last Post
Bricoleur
I.C.E. (Audio) & Electrical Upgrades
4
09-09-2015 12:23 PM
gpiatt
I.C.E. (Audio) & Electrical Upgrades
3
01-31-2012 11:56 PM