Am I hallucinating or are my headlights flickering??
Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 465
From: Central Valley, CA
Has anyone done the 51R mod that can comment on whether they have this "flickering" or not?
Banned
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,361
From: right coast
Common non-problem. Bottom line there is NOTHING you can do to "cure" this non-problem. It is a function of the ELD doing it's job. Short of figuring a way of removing the ELD and the resultant loss of fuel mileage it will ALWAYS be part of the FIT standard operating features.
see these for a start there are more if you look
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...ns-kick-2.html
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...-bad-myth.html
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/1st-...lp-please.html
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...condenser.html
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...t-flicker.html
see these for a start there are more if you look
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...ns-kick-2.html
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...-bad-myth.html
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/1st-...lp-please.html
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...condenser.html
https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...t-flicker.html
Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 20
From: New York City
Update: 2 years later
I posted a couple of years ago when I was having this problem. My lights flickered intermittently for over a year. I could find no pattern to it - AC off or on, radio off or on, pulsing too frequently to be related to the fan (though that caused a dip too). On one long, late-night road trip, it was bad enough to be a safety issue.
At some point it stopped and hasn't come back. Along the way, I replaced the battery, alternator, headlight harness (recalled) and all the ignition coil packs. Maybe one of these, or some combination of these, did the trick. I'm not sure, but I hope the fix sticks.
At some point it stopped and hasn't come back. Along the way, I replaced the battery, alternator, headlight harness (recalled) and all the ignition coil packs. Maybe one of these, or some combination of these, did the trick. I'm not sure, but I hope the fix sticks.
Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 653
From: Chicago, IL
When I had this problem (that 2 Honda dealerships couldn't figure out due to laziness or genuine incompetence...) it ended up being the alternator's voltage regulator. On our cars the alternator and the regulator are integrated, some have separate units. It has failed on mine and the alternator was basically running at full throttle at all times and the battery was acting as the buffer in between so the voltage was continually spiking and dropping. This was obviously killing the battery so once I had the alternator replaced, out of my own pocket just outside of warranty, I then also had to replace the battery....
$800 later is was running just dandy....
$800 later is was running just dandy....
bringing this back from the dead. I too ave noticed my 07 fit does this while driving. The A/C isnt on and i am not turning on or turning off anything while driving.
Is the alternator the culprit in this case?
Is the alternator the culprit in this case?
You are NOT nuts.. it is NOT the AC, the locks, the fans or any of that that you are really seeing.....
NOW, INDEED the fans, AC, locks, windows and other big loads will cause a MOMENTARY dip as will dropping the RPM by letting the clutch out too quick..BUT this recovers after a second. The problem these guys are noticing is a REPETITIVE FLICKER.. a waawaawaawaa sine wave.. (this is a pretty common, obvious issue on old old cars with mechanical voltage regulators).
My Fit has done this 2 times now.. you can see what was done in my previous post..was fine for about 85K miles.. now its doing it again.. changed the ELD because it was cheap and easy..no fix($30 part)! The regulator in the alternator is going bad.. Keeps spiking and was blowing out my headlights on a monthly basis. My new HID's seem to handle the spikes much better.
Due to economic issues, I haven't had the $$ to change out the alternator yet. AutoZone has a reman unit for about $150 but you have to split the intake manifold in order to access it.. argg!
This also has NOTHING to do with the recall.
NOW, INDEED the fans, AC, locks, windows and other big loads will cause a MOMENTARY dip as will dropping the RPM by letting the clutch out too quick..BUT this recovers after a second. The problem these guys are noticing is a REPETITIVE FLICKER.. a waawaawaawaa sine wave.. (this is a pretty common, obvious issue on old old cars with mechanical voltage regulators).
My Fit has done this 2 times now.. you can see what was done in my previous post..was fine for about 85K miles.. now its doing it again.. changed the ELD because it was cheap and easy..no fix($30 part)! The regulator in the alternator is going bad.. Keeps spiking and was blowing out my headlights on a monthly basis. My new HID's seem to handle the spikes much better.
Due to economic issues, I haven't had the $$ to change out the alternator yet. AutoZone has a reman unit for about $150 but you have to split the intake manifold in order to access it.. argg!
This also has NOTHING to do with the recall.
It does have an OEM Battery. Ugh... i dont wanna have to start spending money on it :P
Mine use to pulse just barely, but now the pulsing is insane, it's very very bad. I've read that a new alternator (with built-in regulator) cures the issue. (Bought April 2006.) Car has a new battery as of last year.
Last edited by xorbe; Jun 23, 2014 at 04:01 PM.
New Member
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 1
From: Florida
Flickering lights
Thanks for the replies, guys... Sounds like the general consensus is that I am probably not imagining it, but its normal?
I've never had a massive 87 billion watt stereo in any of my cars before. I've never had one where the headlights dimmed when the the A/C kicked in either though, at least I've never noticed that in any of my other cars.
This is my first Honda though.
I've never had a massive 87 billion watt stereo in any of my cars before. I've never had one where the headlights dimmed when the the A/C kicked in either though, at least I've never noticed that in any of my other cars.
This is my first Honda though.
New Member
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 10
From: Atlanta
Good Information here guys, thank you. I have been experiencing the pulsating brightness for some time and just kind of dealt with it. Well, during a trip from Atlanta to NC, travelling at night, the pulsating was pretty extreme and then it happened, both headlights go out! Brights and Fogs still worked, but no low beams. Pulled over at a rest stop and checked all fuses and relays, all good. I drove the rest of the way with my brights on (sorry oncoming drivers!). Looks like there is a recall for the headlight combination switch, but this sounds like a case of a voltage spike blowing the bulbs out simultaneously. Replacing the bulbs today, replacing the Alternator when I get back home. Will be checking on the recall as well. Thanks for the insight.
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tiF adnoH
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Jun 6, 2006 05:45 PM
07, dimming, driving, fit, flicker, flickering, hallucinating, headlight, headlights, honda, lights, man, palm, springs, stalling
