If the car is on in park or neutral dash lights are bright. Now when i drive and stop at light or anything they dim.I accellarate and they get bright. Clock light or radio light dont do this.This been going on for like a year or more. Time to fix. Gonna get a battery today. Could it be that or alternator.

Anybody ever had this problem?

 

Battery will probably not solve your problem. I would suspect the alternator, voltage regulator (might as well be the alternator), or a seriously bad ground. Take it to AutoZone (or equivalent) and have then run an alternator test. It will test your alternator and voltage regulator's ability to adjust output to meet demand.

 

I doubt it's the alternator only because an alternator doesn't usually hold on to life for a year like that. It's usually a few days notice max. But take it in and see what the diagnostics say. Then let us know.

 

Yeah. hummmm. Chiltons says battery low or internal alternator/ regulator problems. Im surprise alt or battery havent gave out. Been over a year. Gonna check my grounds and alt wiring also.

Just wondering could loose belt do this?

 

If you haven't already done so, clean your battery terminals.

 

Checked battery at autozone was good but needed some water. What i did notice which i will do tomm. (Weather permitting) Was negative cable looked good but where they where grounded looked like it needed a good cleaning. Gonna also check my belt and alt connections.

Cant wait to better weather. This is bull#$%^

 

I'd check the alternator, sounds like the voltage regulator going out
I had my alternator go like that, I can't remember how long I drove like that, only when it finally took a dump

 

Low idle can cause dimming lights...

 

only if the voltage regulator isn't working right...

 

The only dimming i notice is on the dash . Clock and radio are always real bright. Havent really noticed on my headlights.

 

mine did the same thing i changed the alternator... problem gone
does your brake and alt light come on? mine did but once i put the new alt it went away

 

Brake or alt light do not come on. Gonna work on it in a few.

 

I have a 4th gen but I have a similar problem. Except mine is the opposite: the A/C and radio lights go completely dark only when I am pressing the brake pedal and no other time. Not dim, completely dark. But it only happens when I have the lights off. If the headlights or parking lights are on, it doesn't happen at all. It happens at idle or driving, with the engine on or off. I know it's not battery or alternator. I first noticed it after I put in some exterior LED lighting. Is it possible that this in some way is the problem?

 

Took the battery out clean post. Took negative cable cleaned all the ground connections.Check positive line all good.Checked alternator wiring and cleaned. Then went to Autozone to check alt. First test came out 14.32 . Then i did it with lights on 14.19. Manual says 14.1 to 14.7 . So im good there. What the hell could it be.


Now im thinking what ^ MYGREENMAX94 is saying IDLE. Cause in park and neutral im good. Its when im in drive it looses power.

 

Bump up your idle a little...

 

Went out tonight thats when you could notice the dimming on the dash the best. Great improvement. Really didnt notice. Before it was very noticable. In the near future im gonna change the negative battery cable and on the alt. Im gonna change the 2 O rings and see what happens. 18 year old car things wear out.

I wonder what gauge wire i could use for the neg cable? Cause i could make it at work. Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm i wonder if its like 2 or 3 stranded wire.

 

well you either splice into the WRONG wire, hopefully that's not the case! or you definitely have a bad connection somewhere!!! if you did splice into a wire you might end up messing up your wires i don't recommend doing that that is why relays were made!

 

I didn't do any splicing at all. The LED's I used didn't require any. it's plug-n-play; that's why I decided against using LED's for singal bulbs.

 

well in that case you have a bad connection SOMEWHERE. Hate to sound rude but have fun chasing the wires might even start by checking your relays but i REALLY doubt that's the problem although i am no expert but it don't hurt to start there or it could be the actual gauge itself? good luck!