why do my headlights flicker?

**ws62002** · 12-16-2006, 05:01 PM

when im drivin in the night my headlights flicker either drivin or just at a stop light.....my whole dash board flickers too.. wat can i do? its annoyin and sometimes i think my battery will die becuz my battery guage tweaks too..to if yall have any suggestions let me know ok ...remember its a 02 ws6 ...thanks

**s99ta** · 12-16-2006, 05:25 PM

My car dose the same. maybe there is a problem with the alternator. for some reason it dropping the charging voltage

**2001NBMZ28** · 12-16-2006, 05:34 PM

Only when it's cold and the air pump cycles? If so that's normal. You can try pulling the AIR PUMP fuse under the hood to disable it temporarily and see if it stops. Will throw a P0412 SES light, but go back off by itself after a few cold starts when you replace the fuse. The air pump draws a lot. If it's doing it continuously probably a battery or alternator issue.

**AKIRA** · 12-16-2006, 09:47 PM

My lights do it too. Seems common.

**Mr. Luos** · 12-16-2006, 09:52 PM

Check battery connections.

Clean if needed. I had this problem with a different car. The lights wouldn't just flicker, they actually turned off and quickly came back on. Sometimes it was enough to actually kill the stock radio.
Cleaned the positive battery connection and replaced the post. Good as new.

**TheSilverSurfer** · 12-17-2006, 04:52 AM

The air pump will cause the lights to flicker

**01Z28M6** · 12-17-2006, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by TheSilverSurfer

The air pump will cause the lights to flicker

As will the cooling fan(s).

**Blk00ws6** · 12-19-2006, 06:42 AM

heh.... mine flicker too and I don't have an air pump no mo'

I don't worry about it though.

**DrkEagle** · 12-20-2006, 06:41 PM

I got my alternator redone before I put my stereo system in and it was a good thing I did that cause even for an 01, it wasn't looking very good. :\ I'd look into it.

**1st TA** · 12-21-2006, 06:30 PM

Mine does it too. 02 ws-6. Must not be a rare problem.

**1st TA** · 12-23-2006, 06:46 AM

What's the year, model, miles on your cars? Mine is 02 WS-6 with 12200. My headlights flicker.

**esoj1987** · 12-23-2006, 03:03 PM

mine does it 2. its a 2000 trans am w/ 114,000 miles. i got a new altenator and one of them fancy gellpack battery. still does it. not sooo bad. its worse when u have youre ac on full blast and step on the brake like at a light. my battery gauge evens starts 2 go down.

**Wheeler99WS6** · 12-23-2006, 05:07 PM

99 WS.6 A4 w/70k mi. got some flickering here too.

**2001NBMZ28** · 12-23-2006, 05:12 PM

Mine has done it since new when the air pump cycles.

**YoMommasTA** · 12-25-2006, 06:58 AM

the computer does a quick test on the 02 sensors and it uses the air pump to do this.Of course gm didn't think to route the power so it wouldn't effect the lighting circuits.It normal.

**anotherhustler** · 12-26-2006, 07:31 PM

mine also but i have a pretty crazy auido system, i recentally installed a lightning cap and no more flicker also feels like it some how freed up a few extra horses =).

**mrr23** · 12-27-2006, 05:19 PM

mine is doing it as well. i recently replaced the alternator. through HPTuners, i can see a code to alternator terminal L fault. once i figure out what terminal L is, i'll fix it.

**YoMommasTA** · 12-27-2006, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by mrr23

mine is doing it as well. i recently replaced the alternator. through HPTuners, i can see a code to alternator terminal L fault. once i figure out what terminal L is, i'll fix it.

thats the feed from the alt to the computer,its broken or disconnected someplace.

**s99ta** · 12-27-2006, 06:14 PM

all my gages will peg when i turn the key on. never use to do that. 99 with 69k

**IronBird** · 01-21-2007, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by Mr. Luos

Check battery connections.

Clean if needed. I had this problem with a different car. The lights wouldn't just flicker, they actually turned off and quickly came back on. Sometimes it was enough to actually kill the stock radio.
Cleaned the positive battery connection and replaced the post. Good as new.

Yep....clean especially under the positive bat cable! Take out the bolt and slide off the red insulator. My cable looked clean until I slid it off, and you wouldn't believe all the hidden corrosion under there ( from that dammed AC Delco battery!!)!! Wire brushed it with the ol' dremel tool and now the only flicker is when the air pump or fans kick in.