I am an original owner 2007 and my fit has had an extreme flicker for the past 3+ years. Switched to a cheap HID kit and the headlights stopped flickering. Every other light on the car kept flickering however....

Then I replaced the "cheap HIDs" with a more expensive setup and projectors and now they are flickering worse than before.

Had my battery checked and the alternator (charging system) both by Honda when it was under warranty and autozone once it was out.

Neither could find anything wrong.

Battery has been replaced since owning car. Replaced winter of 2009.

I've heard of you guys complaining about this for a LONG LONG time but no one ever comes back with a concrete cause and solution.

What works?

New alternator?
Better Grounding Kit?
Buddy Club Condensor Kit?
Bigger Battery?

Example videos I've made.




I NEED TO SOLVE THIS AND I DON'T WANT TO KEEP THROWING MONEY AT IT. I CAN'T KEEP DRIVING WITH STROBE LIGHTS!

 

One wild guess. Replace the alternator belt and or the belt tensioner.

The alternator in the source of power, not the battery. The battery does act as a buffer but it buffers at the 12.8 volt level while the alternator regulates at the 14.0 volt level. It would be ineresting to watch this with an analog volt meter across the battery to see if the volt meter fluctuates. If not then watch across the headlights. If it is clean across the battery but not t the lights, then you have a wiring or ground problem. Also check the fuse and head light switch for a bad connection. Donto forget to look at the grounds.

This is all guessing on my part.

 

Some good ideas....

I did hook up a digital multimeter and placed in where I could see if from the driver seat and checked voltage upon crankup and watched for any fluctuations during idle and upon reving the engine to engage the fans etc.

Voltage seemed to just hover around 13.8 to 15.9.

 

I'll grab another video in the morning showing voltage. While I do that I will check the grounds.

How many does the Fit have? I've only come across 2 but i know there have to be more. I added another ground to the intake manifold (aluminum part) and another to the cast iron piece above the alternator....with no results neg or pos.

 

I have a question, does it only flicker on idle/at a stop? When you're moving/revving, does the flicker go away?

 

New alternator (warranty) fixed mine.

 

It only goes away at idle.

When there is any load: Accel, reversing, etc the lights (every light on the car: dome, heads, tails, fogs, dash) will flicker/pulse.

I brought the car in three times about the flickering and they always came back with nothing being wrong....

I need to find a solution. I hate to blow the $$$ on a new alternator out of pocket to find out that that wasn't it.

 

Hmm. I'm also thinking that your alternator is getting weaker. What kind of test did the dealership/autozone do? Was it an AVR test? Or maybe they just tested battery voltage? They should have given you a print out of the test.

 

You say Honda checked the alternator and said it was ok. I'd check it again anyway.

 

Sorry these are on their side. Took these with my phone and in the process of sending them to myself they have ended up sideways....but you get the point.

This is at idle. Seems a little on the high side.


This image below is when giving it a little gas. Say around 2K rpm. (note: I have not noticed a difference between flicker rate and rpm flicker is slightly eratic but not tied to rpm count)




I can't find my print out for the battery/charging system so I will have to take it back and have it retested

Will update with results.

 

Had it retested....nothing.

But ran it buy a shop and just based on my description they guessed that it may be the voltage regulator going bad.

The weirdest part about this is that I am experiencing no drivability issues. Car seems to run strong, no stalling or hesitation....it's just that the lights flicker in a rather annoying fashion. The A/C blower does seem to pulse a little but the radio doesn't fade in and out.

 

Clean all your electrical contacts.

Try disconnecting the power steering motor and see if the flickering stops; it's electronic and can be a massive drain on the electrical system. My water temp gauge dims and flickers while turning.

 

I have the 07 Fit, and I fought this battle a long time. Replaced battery, checked grounds, and checked fuses - nothing worked. The culprit was the voltage regulator going bad, so I replaced the alternator. I had the same issues with headlights and dome lights flickering. The solution is to not test the alternator or battery, just get the alternator replaced.

 

I recently started having the flickering light issue also. How hard is it to change the alternator and is there a way to test the voltage regulator?

 

It's difficult to just pin point the voltage regulator with a test. I took a gamble by reading all the other forums with the same scenario - which was the right choice. Switching out the alternator is a pain for the 1st time. You have to remove the intake manifold just to get it. There are hidden bolts, hoses that get in the way, and getting the alternator on and off the mount is a chore. Only do it If you have a manual and if you have the right tools (socket extenders). But once you do it once it gets easier.

 

I am the original owner of my 2007 Fit. My engine is also wavering and heater fan at the same time my lights are wavering. I have been dealing with this for over a year. First I changed my battery and that seemed to help but then 16 months later it starts doing it again. Found out that my 16 month battery was bad so I replced it under warranty with O'Reilly's. The dealer is clueless as to what is happening. My non-Honda mechanic and two other car guys say that it is a diode within the alternator that is going or gone bad. In the beginning this only happened when the car was first started in the mornings and when it was cold. Now it does it everyday and any time of day but not all the time. This week my mechanic will be replacing my alternator and I will let you know whether it solves my problem. Like you I am certainly tired of driving down the road with strobe lights. This happens whether at idle or driving down the road. I haven't seen it in the radio but sure do in the fan speed, dome lights and headlights and now the engine. Gas mileage is still good and no hesitation or stalling out.

Lori
North Texas

 

That should do the trick. If that doesn't work then I'm stumped.

 

I wonder if he has a problem with the ELD (Electrical Load Detector)? I have never messed with one so I have no experience on how they fail. I have read about them and they do retard the charging voltage.

 

A diode is never "going" it either works or it doesn't. All they are are like a gate that makes the current go in one direction only.

 

I'm going to just replace the alternator as soon as I get some time off work.

Now when I turn the headlights on it causes my FM/AM radio to hiss with static.

I can also hear my AC and heather blowers pulse with the headlights....idle has gotten rougher as well.

Just going to bite the bullet and see if it works.