Accord :: 1998 - Headlights Quit Or Flicker?
Feb 9, 2016
I have a 98 Accord LX with 2.3L 4 cyl. with 356,000 miles. It looks and runs fantastic. However, lately, both the headlights and heater/blower/control console -- either will not come on even though the engine is running or sometimes flicker while driving down the road. When I type in "98 Accord no headlights" it gives me a couple topics about headlights then jumps all around and even goes to totally different car manufactures. I'm sure out of 305 pages of replies there are lots of readers that have had similar issues. I installed a new alternator about 3-4 months ago.
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Every now and then my headlights dim, flicker, and then go out. They will come back on only to do it again a few seconds later. It's only happened 4 times. After the first three times (all while driving on a freeway that was having work done making it but bumbier than usual) I took it to the shop. He tested the electrical system and could find nothing wrong. While he had my car he replaced a bad spark plug that had come off and fried a spot on the boot. I know the two things aren't related but the lights were fine for the next two months. The other night they did it again while I was on a very dark back road and it scared me to death. This road was a little bumpy and very curvy. I've had the battery and alternator checked and they are both fine.
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I bought this truck new. A few years ago while driving to work my headlights began to flicker. The problem became intermittent and didn't seem to affect my fog or high beam lights, just low beam. That night I tried to find the loose connection with no luck. The truck had 35000 on it then. To play it safe I went ahead and replaced the light switch. The next day the problem went away but came back about a year later and again the lights would flicker then stay on for a while and start again. The problem would disappear for a day or two and start again. I put this truck into two Dodge dealerships and they couldn't find anything. The problem went away for about three weeks and came back. This time I put the truck into a different non-Dodge repair place and after three days they couldn't find anything after pulling various connections apart but said the likely cause is probably one of two electronic parts.
One was about $300 and the other was just over $500 and they were nonrefundable because they were electronics. I went ahead and went the cheap way. After a little more then a year I noticed my headlights went out for about two seconds and came back on. It didn't do it anymore that night. Then about a week ago I got about a mile from my house going to work my headlights started flashing as if they were sending "morse code" in 5-10 second bursts. Again, hi beam and white fog lights are unaffected. I've since parked it. I've looked to see if there were any service bulletins, recalls, etc and found nothing. I'm finding it really hard to believe that my truck is the only one doing this.
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I've got a 2005 Honda CRV that I love everything about except one thing that really annoys and scares me.
The headlights and instrument lights "twinkle" or shimmer. Like they pulsate in intensity bright and dim 2- 4 times per second.
I've read threads in some forums and have heard of many other people experiencing the same problem but no solid solutions.
I've heard, low battery, bad battery connection, loose ground somewhere, loose alternator belt or faulty alternator, short in the wiring harness, or replace the dashboard computer.
I've checked many of these things but to no avail.
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I have a 2006 Hyundai Sonata that in winter does very strange things, almost ghostly. While driving, headlights flicker on and off, the dash abs and esc warning lights go on, and rpm's shoot up and stay there as if it downshifted by itself. I have to pull off the road and turn the car off.
Further, three different times I shut the car off and then nothing would work, including not being able to start the car. After it sits a while it then seems to reprogram itself and works properly.
I contacted Hyundai, and they only said bring it in and pay to diagnose it. But there appears to be no fix, as many have reported electrical problems for this model on the internet.
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the headlights stopped working on my 94 shadow. I replaced the headlight switch (on the dash, not the multi switch on the steering column) and they worked again... until I was about 15 minutes into a 30 minute drive @ 2 AM. The lights went out (headlights, dash lights, everything) and came right back on. They flickered several more times and after I move the switched, stay on for the remainder of the drive. i figured there was just a bad spot in the switch (it seemed dependent on the dimmer position at first). It turns out that it seems to do this at the same point in the drive every night independent of the switch position, speed, engine revs, bumps. the only thing that seems to make a difference is the time before flickering is shorter when I use my brights. I should also point out that my speedo has always stopped working @ about the same time frame if I have the headlights & vent fan both on....
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Our 2006 Grand Caravan has an intermittent electrical issue which causes the dashboard dials to bounce up and down, headlights to flicker, and the odometer and other digital displays to go in and out. Also, the radio will go on/off during this symptom.
Symptom has escalated to a point that on a couple of occasions at a stop sign or stop light, the car has actually stalled. Starts again fine.
Seems to happen more while idling or at slower speeds but does also occur less severely on the freeway.
Alternator and battery have both been replaced, and the symptom disappeared for a couple of months after replacing the battery.
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I was taking my '94 Caprice to work yesterday morning in the rain, when my headlights started to flicker, then the car died. I lost everything electrical, but the starter and the change oil light, which is on constantly. When I turn the key in the ignition, nothing turns on which means no fuel pump, but car still cranks over. I have checked a lot of places for a loss of power but can't find anything. All fuses are good, fusible links are good, unless I am missing checking one somewhere. Battery keeps draining also, but I don't think it is just draining from the check oil light being on. Drains quick too. Never had this problem before.
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I have an 02 Monte Carlo SS. I have an aftermarket remote start on it. While I am driving the security comes on and the headlights flicker for about 2 seconds. Ive never had any problems with the car not starting or the radio locking. Every time i shut the car off it takes about 10-15 minutes for the security light to come on. Car drives fine with the security light on.
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My 1997 Mercury Sable has been having a rough time starting lately. It will turn over, but 2 out of 3 starts will be labored. It will crank, but hesitate and finally give enough to start. When I start it at night and turn on the headlights they dim and flicker until the engine has been running a bit.
This car was originally my wife's, and she can't remember the last time it has had it's battery replaced.
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My headlights and dash illumination lights will intermittently flicker when I use the turn indicator to signal a right hand turn. Is it possible that there is a short in the turn indicator/high-low beam headlight control switch that is causing this?
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Series 7 , 82 model, light switch drama. I think they worked fine before I had removed the dash but it has a multi plug that I never interfered with but the truck had been in water and the contacts on it were rusty and I know the unit has been submerged.
Anyway, the unit clicks and sort of buzzes and the headlights and side lights flicker and the rear LED lights barely flicker, need to watch closely. I have cleaned and used contact fluid all connections under the truck as I washed it the other day too.
Brake lights work perfectly, indicators too, just associated lights from this pull switch. The unit gets hot, not burning hot but hot enough not to hold for too long. So, thoughts ?
Need new unit ?
Touched something ?
Water ingress finally making unit fail ?
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Had the following problems with my 2009 Santa Fe: Audio system would randomly reset when playing MP3 from USB drive, Headlights would dim/flicker when bakes depressed, LED lights on dash would flicker, random stalling while driving. Finally just died and would not start. The Hazard lights would not work only a bit of buzzing from the relay. Checked Battery, connectors, etc. All looked good. Measured voltage at fusebox (inside) and found it dropped from 12v to 4v when I put the hazard switch on. Showed there was a connection problem of some kind.
Finally used a jumper cable from the battery negative terminal to an ground point inside the cabin. Bingo that fixed all the problems, car started, lights were good, hazards worked. As a permanent fix I ran a wire from where the negative terminal of the battery connects to the frame, then drilled a hole in the firewall and ran the wire into the cabin. Connected the wire to a ground point in the cabin. Used a heavy gauge stranded wire. you can try this out with lamp cord as a temporary fix, but I'd use something heavier for a permanent fix. All problems have gone. No flickering, no stalling... This may be a problem on other models from what I've read in some forums (unexplained stalling - check the grounding in the cabin..).
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I have a 1998 ford Windstar with a 3.8 V.6 When I turn my lights on and drive it my lights flicker. I have checked all my grounds that I no of and my connections while driving my lights go dim when I let off the gas. but do not flicker any more. when I accelerate they begin to flicker again. I've had the alternator check and all is good. I have no clue.
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While driving I turned on my headlights and my car became possessed. My warning lights started to flicker on and off, my car was dinging out of control. The speedometer, gas, and RPM gauge went to zero. My brights light would not come on. My dinging for the lights being left on, or the key being left in the ignition, after the car is parked, and the door is open, will not go on either. I turned my lights off and all was well. Turned them on again and the same thing happened.
Now, the following day, it is doing this periodically every couple of minutes while I'm driving, whether the lights are on or not. My radio and head lights work fine. I checked all my fuses and they all seem to be AOK. I disconnected my car battery and reconnected it to see if it would reset and it still did the same thing. One other strange occurrence. The last month or so while I've been driving my battery light came on for a few minutes. I had the battery checked and it is not bad. Then last week my gas-cap warning started to randomly appear. I changed my gas cap, and guess what.....it still came on, at random.
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I replaced my alt. because in the morning the bearing would squeak and the head lights flicker. It was a life time alt. Put the new one in now it wont charge. Took it back and got another, same thing. Also replaced the starter relay and battery. I checked the fusible links and replaced a terminal connector. The wires look good. There is 12v on the alt lug and pins 1 and 3 on the connector with the key off. Turn key on and 12v disappears form pins 1 & 3. Also checked all fuses in both boxes. I ohmed out the wire harness from the alt back to the connectors, all good. What am I missing? This is a 99 f530 5.4l.
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I have a 1981 F100, lately when I've been driving at night I notice my headlights, dash lights, and charging light will flicker at the same time, and even sometimes my headlights will flash on and off by themselves.
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so on my way home the interior lights started to dim then out of no where the abs and traction light came on as soon as i pulled up to my house the headlights started to flicker radio shut off gauges flickered off and climatronic shut off now the cars dead would this be the alternator? Car is vf stage 2 supercharged....
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Like it says my lights have quit on my 07 with 53,000 miles . I have checked the fuses under the hood , the two 20 amps are good . I think they are number 15 and 23 . There are also two relays that i think control the lights , how do you tell if there bad . The bulbs are good and i have checked and have no power to the lights . It seems odd for both HI and LO to go out together .
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I have a 99 F150, with the 4.6, and my headlights just randomly quit. I checked all the fuses, and switched the MFS, and main headlight switch. All I have is my DRL's. I also checked for wires coming out of the plug-in on the column, but they seem good too. I'm just not sure where to go from here....
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i have a 2013 Ecoboost Screw. This morning, I was leaving for work about 0445, and was pulling out of my driveway, when I realized my headlights were not on. I tried rotating the switch a few times off and on, and still nothing. I pulled back in my driveway and checked all fuses for headlights, both low beams and high beams. All good. My parking lights, turn signals, and tail lights all work.
When I got home from work tonight, I tried a few more things. I pulled the lamp housing and checked for voltage directly to the bulb. I get 0.9 VDC at one pin and 0 VDC at the other two. Not nearly enough to fire up a bulb. To a known good ground.
I opened the dashboard to check the harness at the switch itself, and when I unplugged it, all lights turned on (except the headlights). Is that a failsafe in case the switch goes out while driving?
As a last ditch desperate measure, I disconnected my negative battery terminal for about 15 minutes just to see if anything changed. I don't know where else to go from here.
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