Dimming Lights

[madd03]

Hey Everyone, I am experiencing dimming lights during braking at night on my 03 Coupe. As I brake the lights temporarily dim and then come back to full strength. My dash lights will some time do this also. This is my first vette and i need to know if this is common place or not and possible fixes. Thanks;help

 

[Jim]

Dimming lights

I haven't had the headlight dimming problem on the 'Vette, but did have it on another vehicle. In 145,000 miles, it never stopped and nothing ever failed. The dealer said the voltage regulator didn't kick in until it sensed the higher current and dropping voltage caused by the brake lights coming on. It was considered a "normal" condition. I did and still do have a problem with dimming of the dash lights on my '00 Silverado when the headlights are on. I keep my dash lights dim for better vision at night on these deer infested backroads. The dash lights are very annoying when you have the headlights on because they constantly flicker from bright to dim and the intensity control and the dash around it gets hot enough to be very uncomfortable to the touch. Over a period of two years, GM changed the alternator, the radio, the intensity control switch and searched for two days for a faulty ground. When all this failed to correct the problem, they informed me it was a "normal" (there's that word again) condition. They gave me one year free routine service after many complaints and my request for them to trade the truck for a different one with some incentive. That cost them about $90 and I still have the problem and the fear my truck is going to burn up from the heat generated by the intensity control switch. There is no flickering of the dash lights or heat in the intensity control area unless the headlights are on. My warranty was up in January '03 so I don't know what to expect now.

Good luck in getting your problem fixed. My experience with GM in this area has not been good and I'm a died in the wool GM guy.

Jim

 

[madd03]

Jim, Thanks for the reply. Thats exactly what I'm experiencing with my 03. My cars been to the shop and yes, I'm tired of hearing thats "normal " also, it gets discouraging after a while. Maybe all will be well. Heading for Panama City Beach next week and hope to have no problems. Later....................

 

[lrrp 51]

I had the same problem and it was simply that the positive battery terminal was not tight enough. It wasn't loose enough to wiggle the terminal by hand but a small twist with a wrench fixed the problem.