My brother in law notice today that the left light on my fit is way dimmer than the right. Normally I would just think this is probably a bulb burning out, however I have been noticing that when I am driving at night and I roll down my windows turn on ac etc the lights flicker. Is this just from putting more load on the battery/ alternator? Or is my battery or alternator on the verge of going out? Opinions?

 

I have the same thing happen when the AC kicks in ….dont know why it does it though

2008 fit sport

 

Two different things. First the dimmer light is normally cause by a corroded ground. Take the ground wire off and clean the eyelet and see how that works.

The dimming and flickering lights is caused by the ELD (electric load detector) which comes built in on the Fit to save fuel by having the alternator normally running at it's lowest output until you turn something else on and the electrical demand goes up.

Normal operation and the subject of many many threads on here. Look around a bit and one will jump out at you.

 

Ground for the battery or light?

 

For the light.

Check along the fender INSIDE the hood/engine bay by where the pipe from the airbox goes into the fender there may be a bolt there with some BLACK wires under it. That is the ground for the drivers side take the bolt off and clean the metal ends of the back wires. If the pass side is dimmer look for the bolt on that side under the hood along the fender line.

I forget exactly where it is so if you can't find it there you will have to pull back the plastic fender liner above the wheel on the side where the light is dimmer and look at the back of the light connector and see where the BLACK wire goes to. It may be somewhere near the frame under the liner. It's in one of those two places.

You are looking for a bolt or screw with BLACK wire/wires going to it on that side of the car.

 

By the way, how do you replace a bulb in the headlight housing? Do you remove the entire housing via the two screws, or am I supposed to unsnap the plastic latches to remove the lens cover? The latter looks risky since the plastic snaps look very fragile.

 

The owner's manual should have instructions on bulb replacement. You basically just pop the bulb in a carrier structure out the back of the housing (from under the hood), stick the new bulb in the carrier, and reassemble everything...at least on the GE series. I don't imagine the GDs are vastly different.

 

I heard to replace bulbs etc you have to remove the bumper

 

Pretty straightforward in the owners manual. Here's an older DIY thread you could read up on: https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-diy-repair-maintenance/36509-diy-changing-headlight-bulbs.html

 

I think this topic has pretty much been answered. But I had the same problem with my montero before. The bulb pretty much melted the socket and caused it to dim really badly.

 

Socket shorts/melts are nasty. Oftentimes the socket needs replacing which ends up as an assembly replacement because all the wires are internal and one unit.