Electrical issues: Speedometer & radio go out, plus dash lights flickers when brake is depressed

Hello,


This morning for the first time the turn signals did not work until 10
min. into my drive and then they randomly started working again.
Earlier problems that still are persisting and that tell me it is
definately electrical were when I use the break either hours into a
trip or sometimes minutes, the radio goes out and the speedometer goes
out for a few seconds and the dash lights flicker.

I have read through some posts and what I have found is that some say
it is the alternator. Any other suggestions would be much appreciated
b/c as anyone knows who have had this problem it is very annoying and
dangerous to drive like this.

Thanks,

Richie

On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 05:51:51 -0800, richardpars wrote:

> Hello,
>
>
> This morning for the first time the turn signals did not work until 10
> min. into my drive and then they randomly started working again.
> Earlier problems that still are persisting and that tell me it is
> definately electrical were when I use the break either hours into a
> trip or sometimes minutes, the radio goes out and the speedometer goes
> out for a few seconds and the dash lights flicker.
>
> I have read through some posts and what I have found is that some say
> it is the alternator. Any other suggestions would be much appreciated
> b/c as anyone knows who have had this problem it is very annoying and
> dangerous to drive like this.

My initial suspect would be a ground somewhere. Can cause some pretty
flaky results.

The Alternator can, too, but it sounds more like a ground to me.

On Jan 31, 2:33 pm, Joe LaVigne > wrote:
> On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 05:51:51 -0800, richardpars wrote:
> > Hello,
>
> > This morning for the first time the turn signals did not work until 10
> > min. into my drive and then they randomly started working again.
> > Earlier problems that still are persisting and that tell me it is
> > definately electrical were when I use the break either hours into a
> > trip or sometimes minutes, the radio goes out and the speedometer goes
> > out for a few seconds and the dash lights flicker.
>
> > I have read through some posts and what I have found is that some say
> > it is the alternator. Any other suggestions would be much appreciated
> > b/c as anyone knows who have had this problem it is very annoying and
> > dangerous to drive like this.
>
> My initial suspect would be a ground somewhere. Can cause some pretty
> flaky results.
>
> The Alternator can, too, but it sounds more like a ground to me.



Well that is interesting I can't say that this didn't happen before I
got my radio installed by Best buy but it did and I installed my last
radio and it didn't nearly happen as frequently, I would say once in a
blue moon. Now it is like every other day and I feel like it may be
linked to the new radio install but wouldn't that be closer to
touching the ignition wire than alternator. Maybe it is time for a
new alternator, any tricks to troubleshooting to see what the culprit
is?

On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 14:39:42 -0800, richardpars wrote:

> On Jan 31, 2:33 pm, Joe LaVigne > wrote:
>> On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 05:51:51 -0800, richardpars wrote:
>> > Hello,
>>
>> > This morning for the first time the turn signals did not work until 10
>> > min. into my drive and then they randomly started working again.
>> > Earlier problems that still are persisting and that tell me it is
>> > definately electrical were when I use the break either hours into a
>> > trip or sometimes minutes, the radio goes out and the speedometer goes
>> > out for a few seconds and the dash lights flicker.
>>
>> > I have read through some posts and what I have found is that some say
>> > it is the alternator. Any other suggestions would be much appreciated
>> > b/c as anyone knows who have had this problem it is very annoying and
>> > dangerous to drive like this.
>>
>> My initial suspect would be a ground somewhere. Can cause some pretty
>> flaky results.
>>
>> The Alternator can, too, but it sounds more like a ground to me.
>
>
>
> Well that is interesting I can't say that this didn't happen before I
> got my radio installed by Best buy but it did and I installed my last
> radio and it didn't nearly happen as frequently, I would say once in a
> blue moon. Now it is like every other day and I feel like it may be
> linked to the new radio install but wouldn't that be closer to
> touching the ignition wire than alternator. Maybe it is time for a
> new alternator, any tricks to troubleshooting to see what the culprit
> is?

A radio install did not hurt your alternator. Worse case scenario would
be blowing out the radio from cross-polarity.

I would still be looking for grounding problems. Check the ground strap.

On Jan 31, 6:23 pm, Joe LaVigne > wrote:
> On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 14:39:42 -0800, richardpars wrote:
> > On Jan 31, 2:33 pm, Joe LaVigne > wrote:
> >> On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 05:51:51 -0800, richardpars wrote:
> >> > Hello,
>
> >> > This morning for the first time the turn signals did not work until 10
> >> > min. into my drive and then they randomly started working again.
> >> > Earlier problems that still are persisting and that tell me it is
> >> > definately electrical were when I use the break either hours into a
> >> > trip or sometimes minutes, the radio goes out and the speedometer goes
> >> > out for a few seconds and the dash lights flicker.
>
> >> > I have read through some posts and what I have found is that some say
> >> > it is the alternator. Any other suggestions would be much appreciated
> >> > b/c as anyone knows who have had this problem it is very annoying and
> >> > dangerous to drive like this.
>
> >> My initial suspect would be a ground somewhere. Can cause some pretty
> >> flaky results.
>
> >> The Alternator can, too, but it sounds more like a ground to me.
>
> > Well that is interesting I can't say that this didn't happen before I
> > got my radio installed by Best buy but it did and I installed my last
> > radio and it didn't nearly happen as frequently, I would say once in a
> > blue moon. Now it is like every other day and I feel like it may be
> > linked to the new radio install but wouldn't that be closer to
> > touching the ignition wire than alternator. Maybe it is time for a
> > new alternator, any tricks to troubleshooting to see what the culprit
> > is?
>
> A radio install did not hurt your alternator. Worse case scenario would
> be blowing out the radio from cross-polarity.
>
> I would still be looking for grounding problems. Check the ground strap.





Thanks for the reply Joe,


I hate to be a novice but is that an easy thing to check...the ground
strap? I am definitely ready to get rid of this problem any way
necessary.

On Thu, 01 Feb 2007 12:35:36 -0800, richardpars wrote:

> On Jan 31, 6:23 pm, Joe LaVigne > wrote:
>> On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 14:39:42 -0800, richardpars wrote:
>> > On Jan 31, 2:33 pm, Joe LaVigne > wrote:
>> >> On Wed, 31 Jan 2007 05:51:51 -0800, richardpars wrote:
>> >> > Hello,
>>
>> >> > This morning for the first time the turn signals did not work until 10
>> >> > min. into my drive and then they randomly started working again.
>> >> > Earlier problems that still are persisting and that tell me it is
>> >> > definately electrical were when I use the break either hours into a
>> >> > trip or sometimes minutes, the radio goes out and the speedometer goes
>> >> > out for a few seconds and the dash lights flicker.
>>
>> >> > I have read through some posts and what I have found is that some say
>> >> > it is the alternator. Any other suggestions would be much appreciated
>> >> > b/c as anyone knows who have had this problem it is very annoying and
>> >> > dangerous to drive like this.
>>
>> >> My initial suspect would be a ground somewhere. Can cause some pretty
>> >> flaky results.
>>
>> >> The Alternator can, too, but it sounds more like a ground to me.
>>
>> > Well that is interesting I can't say that this didn't happen before I
>> > got my radio installed by Best buy but it did and I installed my last
>> > radio and it didn't nearly happen as frequently, I would say once in a
>> > blue moon. Now it is like every other day and I feel like it may be
>> > linked to the new radio install but wouldn't that be closer to
>> > touching the ignition wire than alternator. Maybe it is time for a
>> > new alternator, any tricks to troubleshooting to see what the culprit
>> > is?
>>
>> A radio install did not hurt your alternator. Worse case scenario would
>> be blowing out the radio from cross-polarity.
>>
>> I would still be looking for grounding problems. Check the ground strap.
>
>
>
>
>
> Thanks for the reply Joe,
>
>
> I hate to be a novice but is that an easy thing to check...the ground
> strap? I am definitely ready to get rid of this problem any way
> necessary.

I am not sure where the ground strap is in your car, but when you find it
it should be easy to determine if it is in good shape or not.

There are plenty of people here far more versed on Hondas (specifically)
than I am. I am driving my very first right now... All American before.

If noone else chimes in, look in the area of the battery for a braided
wire (usually no insulator) connected to the body of the car...