Dash lights diming
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
From: Beavercreek Ohio
Dash lights diming
At night with my head lights on the dash lights go dim then bright dim then bright. My question, do you think the alternator is going out or the battery????
Any help please !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Any help please !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pro
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 596
Likes: 355
From: Mt Prospect IL
2025 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Is it a steady bright dim bright dim or is is conjunction with something, like every time you touch the brake pedal the lights go dim or when the wipers are on they go dim or they get dim with the turn signals? If it is steady bright-dim, I would say Alternator, if it is in conjunction with electrical usage I would look more at the Battery. Put a volt meter on the battery while the engine is running, if you get a steady 13.5 - 14.5 volts the alternator is working. Then put the volt meter on the battery with the car off and the headlights on, if the voltage drops below 9.5 within a couple of minutes the battery is bad.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 5,866
Likes: 60
From: Hellinois
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Modified
Check and see if your parking lights are doing it too, if so it's probably your regulator inside the alternator. If not then I would guess grounds also.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
The 882 dash lamps plug into a socket that twistlock into the back of the rear circuit board and they have two spring ears that make connection to the circuit board trace. Over time these traces and the spring ears on the socket become oxidized and this causes poor electrical connection. You need to remove the cluster, take it apart, unplug the rear circuit board, twist the lamp sockets out and use an eraser to clean the socket spring ears and the circuit board traces and reassemble. Do this for all 4 lamps.
If you had a ground problem all the lamps would flicker.
If you had a ground problem all the lamps would flicker.
1st Gear
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Shorting Dash Lights
try wiggling the headlight rod/**** with the headlights on, and watch for dash light dimming condition....
my 86 was doing the same thing you described... after checking voltage i chased it down to my headlight rod/****....
i could shake the rod and the condition would happen
the Headlight Switch was shorting out inside
thought i should post this possibility
my 86 was doing the same thing you described... after checking voltage i chased it down to my headlight rod/****....
i could shake the rod and the condition would happen
the Headlight Switch was shorting out inside
thought i should post this possibility
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
There is an Ambient Temp Override Sw mounted to the back corner of the large connector that can be bypassed if necessary.
You can check voltage on the gauge or better use a DMM.
You can check voltage on the gauge or better use a DMM.
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I would go out on a limb and say half of all cluster related issues boil down to a bad ground. It's free and easy to check.