About 2 weeks ago on my way to work my dash lights started pulsating, hvac, stereo, mph light, and all others. It quit after a short while and hadn't done it again until 2 days ago. I was on my way to work yesterday and it started again. If I turn the park lights on it quits but started back again when I turned them off. There was a car in front of me and in the reflection I could see that my DRL's were also pulsating. I replaced my battery 3 or 4 weeks ago with an Advance AGM size 78. I haven't had a chance to check for codes yet since I've been working 12 hour night shifts but I have checked the battery cables and made sure they were tight after it did it the first time. On the way home this morning and on the way to work tonight the voltage was reading 14.5 volts and sometimes would dip to 14.3. I stopped at a store on the way to work tonight and when I started the car back up it read 13.8 volts the rest of the way to work. Could my alternator be going bad? I'm guessing it has an internal voltage regulator. Maybe it's sticking and putting out too many volts. I have done a search and have cleaned some of the grounds probably 3 months ago since the service ABS warning was coming on then. Sorry for rambling on, I've worked way too many 12 hour shifts the past couple of months.

 

Ok, I did more research on this problem and thought I would post what I did in case anyone else has this problem in the future. The 2 possible causes seem to be the bolt on the battery cable bottoming out before completely tight or problem with the ignition switch.

I ordered a new ignition switch and while waiting on it to get here went ahead and got a couple of copper washers and installed them on the battery connections. This seemed to fix the problem as it has not done this anymore. It is really hard to tell when you work 6 to 6 and pretty much go to work and come home in the dark no matter whether it is day or night shift at this time of year.

The new ignition switch arrived and I was able to get a chance to install it this afternoon. I did find a thread on here that showed how to disassemble it and clean and adjust contacts that was very informative. However, with time at a premium and the switch in the 60 dollar range,I chose just to order one and replace it. I have only gotten a chance to run down the road and back real quick and everything seems better.

Anyway, hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and here's to a 2017 with half the overtime as 2016 and more time on the road in the Vert.