Loafer

Flickering Lights

26 posts in this topic

As I mentioned in earlier post, my lights are flickering, most noticeably my dash lights. Can anyone point me in a direction to look for this problem? With all the help I've been getting in here, I'll soon have all the bugs worked out!!Thank-you all in advance.Dave

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Its usually a voltage problem either not charging properly or something drawing allot of energy. As the other guys mentioned those the most common things. It could also be caused by a failing battery and the E box causes some funky interior and exterior lighting if there's water/corrosion damage.

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Check ALL of your lights. If they all are pulsing in synch, I bet a zillion snowflakes that it is a failing alternator (if I win, please send the snowflakes to my cousin Harriet in Melbourne - it's kinda hot there right now)

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Easy fix guys, thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I pulled the car into the garage, rolled back the passenger side carpet and put a 120v heater in there for a couple of hours. Dried everything out and it's perfect now

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My car has been sitting for 4 months. Just got insurance yesterday and it started up no problem. When idling the inside and outside lights flicker. If I hold the gas down. It stops flickering. I took it for a long drive. The first 1/2 of the trip they were still flickering but then stopped flickering. When I got home after an hour and it was idling, they were flickering again.It's been sitting under a carport but still was out in the cold and damp. I had the battery replaced last in 2010I'm looking threw past repair receipts and I don't see an alternator ever being replaced.How much will this cost to replace?Is it ok to drive to get it looked at?I have secure drive elite, good till May 2014. I'm sure the Alternator is included in this.

Edited by Serenitie

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It's probably a failed voltage regulator, which is inside the alternator. Get it in to TPM!

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An alternator will struggle trying to stabilize voltage if a battery has lost its ability to take a load. Basic stuff to check first:Load test batteryCheck battery connectionsCheck belt tension

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I got my car back from TPM. They checked my Altenator. No issues, good Diodes, Belt Good, was at 14.8 Volts. Greg at TPM told me he couldn't replace my Altenator unless he found fault with mine. (It's covered under my Extended Warranty).They checked my battery, said it was a bit low so they charged it overnight and said all was good now.I started it up the next morning after getting it back and it took 3 times to turn over. When it finally started my lights were dimming on my dash and headlights.2 days later when I started it up, it turned over the first time, but I still had dimming lights.Today when I drove it to work it turned over the first time and the lights started to dim about 5 minutes into the ride. My battery is 4 1/2 years old. Could it be going?

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Thanks dmoonen! Could this also have been the problem with the intermittent starting issue I've had over the past 4 years?The dimming lights never happened before I reinsurred it a week ago. At least a new battery isn't an expensive thing.

Edited by Serenitie

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Well the glow plugs do require 12V, it may have something to do with it. But you'll have to diagnose it to confirm. I bought my battery at CT, Wallmart also sells one aswell that fits for a cheaper price.

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So the last few days I've been video recording my start up's and my flickering lights.The past 4 days my car has started perfectly but after 10 minutes of driving the lights start dimming up and down in perfect sequence.My wife to my car to TPM and we had one of the mechanics watch the video's and right away he said "It's the Alternator!"I'm getting my Alternator replaced as I type this. No Charge as it covered under my Extended Warranty.YAAAA!

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Good idea to record the video! I knew it was the voltage regulator all along...

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Thanks Mike! I just wish Greg would believe me when I told him I thought that was the issue the first time.Video and Audio Proof make all the difference.

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Yes, you are indeed lucky. I couldn't convince Mercedes Benz Downtown that "well, all smarts do that" was not true about my flickering lights. I was just days out of the MB extended warranty on the car and had paid for a "Peace of Mind" inspection prior to the warranty ending so that no nasty surprises would soon arise. Surprise!The whole episode was the straw that broke the camel's back. Full on time services by MB, paid inspection to be eligible for the warranty, bought warranty, continued services, paid inspection prior to end of warranty, expensive problem just as warranty expired. 60K on car! No goodwill.Fun little car. Still like the concept. Don't want to give M-B any more money, ever.

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When the battery gets down to under 12V it starts doing that.  Likely a bad alternator and battery.

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looks like the video is showing just about every dash warning light on...not flickering like a bad diode would do

 

possibly recorded with a potato

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On 28/02/2014 at 5:40 PM, ianjay said:

Yes, you are indeed lucky. I couldn't convince Mercedes Benz Downtown that "well, all smarts do that" was not true about my flickering lights. I was just days out of the MB extended warranty on the car and had paid for a "Peace of Mind" inspection prior to the warranty ending so that no nasty surprises would soon arise. Surprise!The whole episode was the straw that broke the camel's back. Full on time services by MB, paid inspection to be eligible for the warranty, bought warranty, continued services, paid inspection prior to end of warranty, expensive problem just as warranty expired. 60K on car! No goodwill.Fun little car. Still like the concept. Don't want to give M-B any more money, ever.

 Mercedes dealers by and large couldn't care less about Smart customers.  The only reason they're Smart dealers at all is because Daimler tell them they can't have the Mercedes franchise if they don't have the Smart franchise as well, so there's little genuine interest in their Smart customers, who don't bring in the same kind of profit that MB customers do.

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In the vid. It looks like you went over a bump on the road then the lights flickered, Does this happen when you are at a stand still?

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