IC lights pulsing
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,069
Likes: 74
From: Casselberry FL
IC lights pulsing I've recently noticed that as soon as I start my motor, the instrument cluster lights slightly pulse, and over a period of perhaps 10-15s the pulsing gets quicker and then either stops or gets fast enough where I can't notice it. During the same time my lit headlamps do not pulse and the voltage gauge needle is steady and not low. I think it's become more noticeable recently because I'm starting the motor more often when it's darker outside, so the dash lights are automatically on. I don't have any aftermarket electronics in the car.
Anything to be concerned about and/or is there a 'fix'?
Anything to be concerned about and/or is there a 'fix'?
Is it only the cluster or all the dash lights? (Including the HVAC panel.) Does the odometer light also pulse? (I would think this might be telling, also.)
If not all the dash lights - I'd guess that the problem is limited to the cluster.
If the problem is in the cluster, I'd wonder if there is a capacitor on the cluster going bad or something like that.
If not all the dash lights - I'd guess that the problem is limited to the cluster.
If the problem is in the cluster, I'd wonder if there is a capacitor on the cluster going bad or something like that.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,069
Likes: 74
From: Casselberry FL
The odometer numbers seem to pulse a bit as well. The color of the light seems to affect how noticeable it is. I had Lasik a few years back which gave me side effects with flare/sunburst with bright lights against a dark background, so it's a bit hard to tell. If I had to do it over again I wouldn't. I guess I could say hindsight is 20/15.
If everything is pulsing, you might try going down this avenue: https://ls1tech.com/forums/stereo-el...ng-lights.html
It may not be the ground in this thread ^, but it could be a grounding issue somewhere else. A lot of folks who have problems with pulsing headlights also see the pulsing with the interior lights.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,629
Likes: 2,551
From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
I once had the pulsing as well on one of mine. I assumed it was the alternator, but it was also due for a new battery so I replaced both at the same time, just as mentioned in the thread linked above. I can't say for sure which fixed it, but the pulsing never came back after that. I didn't touch any ground wires/contact points. So I guess the issue could go either way.
