You hear a squeal, then a horrible groan. You drive up to your car, and you see blinking lights that are not your turn signals. There’s no doubt that your alternator is gone. But wait, this is the third time this month! What’s going on? Why aren’t the lights going out?
In this blog post, we’ll give you a few possible reasons why you are experiencing new alternator but lights still flicker, as well as their respective solutions.
Lets get started!
Table of Contents
- Can An Alternator Make Your Lights Flicker?
- What Causes Flickering Lights?
- How To Fix Headlight Flickering
Can An Alternator Make Your Lights Flicker?
The alternator is an essential part of your vehicle’s electrical system that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. The alternator uses a spinning rotor called an armature to generate electrical current, which then charges the battery and supplies power to other components in your vehicle.
It’s possible for a bad alternator to cause flickering lights because it doesn’t produce enough power for all of your vehicle’s devices at once. When you turn on accessories like headlights or windshield wipers while driving at night, they may dim or flicker as they drain more power than the alternator can produce at one time.
What Causes Flickering Lights?
Here are some of the reason why even with a new alternator why lights would flicker:
Blown Fuses
This is the most common reason for flickering lights in cars. If a fuse blows, it’s usually because something is drawing too much electricity through it. The easiest way to check this is to check all of your fuses with an electrical tester (available at any auto parts store). If you find one that’s blown out, replace it with a new one of the same amperage rating (printed on the fuse).
Dying Battery
If your battery is old and dying, it may not have enough power to keep the lights on at all times. This can cause flickering as well as dimming of your headlights when you turn on your high beams or when you’re driving over rough terrain or at high speeds.
Loose Connections
Loose connections may cause flickering lights if they’re not making contact with their intended parts or if there’s corrosion present around those connections. A visual inspection will help determine whether there are any loose connections in your vehicle’s electrical system that need attention.
Failing Alternator
If your alternator has gone bad, it won’t be able to produce enough power to run everything properly, which means your headlights might flicker on and off as well as other electrical components that require constant power such as windshield wipers and turn signals.
Faulty Wiring Harnesses or Connectors
If your headlights are flickering when you hit the brakes or turn on your high beams, the problem may be with your wiring harness or connectors.
Worn out wires can cause excessive resistance which can cause flickering lights and other electrical problems like dimming headlights or an intermittent electrical connection between two parts of the car’s electrical system.
How To Fix Headlight Flickering
Here’s how to fix flickering lights:
Check the Bulbs
The first thing that you should do is check the bulb. If you have noticed that your headlight bulbs are not working as well as they used to, then it could be because one of them has burnt out. In this case, it is best to replace both bulbs at once so that you don’t experience any further problems later down the line.
Check All Connections
If replacing the bulb doesn’t work or if you have replaced both bulbs and still experience flickering headlights, then you should check all connections in your car’s electrical system for any loose fittings or frayed wires. You may also want to replace any old cables or fuses with new ones if necessary.
Check the Alternator
To check if this is what causes your problem, remove it from its place and inspect it carefully for any signs of damage or corrosion on its surface. If there are any signs of damage on its surface, then replace it immediately as soon as possible because this could cause other problems later on down the road.
Examine the Wire Fuse Panel
If you find that your fuse is blown or broken, then you may want to consider replacing it with a new one. You can purchase new fuses from any auto parts store and replace them yourself or take your car to an auto repair shop and have them replace them for you.
Do you see flickering lights in the car when you turn on the headlight?
If you have noticed that your car headlights have started to flicker when you turn them on, then there is a good chance that there is a problem with your car battery. The first thing you should do is check to make sure that all of your fuses are intact and functioning properly. If they are, then you should check your battery to make sure that it is not dead or defective in any way.
Why are my car lights flickering and the car won’t start?
If your headlights are flickering out and the car won’t start, you may have got an electrical problem but there are other possible causes as well.
Check out some more of our electrical related articles!
About the author
Marcus Brown is editor-in-chief of The FatMech and is a mechanic with ten years' experience based in London, UK. Having worked for major dealerships for many years, Marcus now works for a local independent garage and has experience working on nearly every make and model of car. Marcus also has a passion for writing and teaching, which is where the idea for The FatMech came from. In his spare time, Marcus enjoys playing golf, doing home renovations and gardening. He lives just outside London with his wife and son.
My 01 blazer 4.3 all lights inside and out flicker and dim the heater fan slows when I hit the brakes and the fuel gage goes from full to empty low fuel light comes on also. I know it has plenty of fuel ⛽️.