Technical Headlights Still Flicker!

[RowingLad87]

Hello all!

Headlights are still flickering, it's really starting to irritate me now. It's been happening since shortly after I bought the car.

Sometimes when I indicate, all the front lights will turn off for about two seconds, then back on again - also, the lights will flicker every now and again, turning on and off rapidly for a few seconds.

I asked the local Fiat garage and they were stumped. I know it's not the battery, the alternator, the headlights or the bulbs. Anyone have a clue?

As far as I can tell, it only happens when the car's been stood for a while, and it's cold and damp. I've cleaned out the fusebox s couple of times, so I don't think it's water ingress. It also normally stops occuring after driving the car for a while.

Anyone have a clue as to what it could be? As soon as the weather's improved I'm going to double-check the earth strap and engine bay earthing again, but the last time I cleaned them they seemed okay. Any advice would be appreciated Thank you!

 

[RowingLad87]

Mine's an S2 by the way, without the rather 'interesting' design of fusebox cover.

 

[RowingLad87]

Anyone? Anyone had similar problems?

 

[lou5590]

youv probs checked it already or had it checked but have you checked the actual bulb holders? or the pins in the headlight connector? its just a thought havnt had this problem my self

 

[RowingLad87]

youv probs checked it already or had it checked but have you checked the actual bulb holders? or the pins in the headlight connector? its just a thought havnt had this problem my self

Thanks for the reply fella I've put new bulbs in recently, didn't notice anything amiss but I'll double-check the pins themselves tomorrow - they're kind of like a MOLEX connector in a computer aren't they, not the best of designs Cheers mate, anything'll help at this point!

 

[lou5590]

Yea didn't mean that tho you know the main connector its kind of round. If u have s2lights like me u need to rewire this connector, well anywhoo yea that one check that too I'm no expert but it has a rubber seal around it water could ingress inside that if the seal was perished I suppose

 

[RowingLad87]

Yea didn't mean that tho you know the main connector its kind of round. If u have s2lights like me u need to rewire this connector, well anywhoo yea that one check that too I'm no expert but it has a rubber seal around it water could ingress inside that if the seal was perished I suppose

I get you now, the purple 8-pins to the back of the headlights, underneath the self-leveling motors? Thanks for the suggestion, I'll take a peek in the morning! D'you reckon water ingress into one of the wires would cause both lights to flicker simultaneously?

 

[lou5590]

I suppose its possible although it would more than likely happen all the time. Just out of interest what bulbs you running? I know it sounds stupid but are u running the right fuse?

 

[RowingLad87]

I suppose its possible although it would more than likely happen all the time. Just out of interest what bulbs you running? I know it sounds stupid but are u running the right fuse?

Not sure about the fuse buddy, but I'm running all stock bulbs apart from the side indicators and dipped/main beam H4s

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I'd check the earthing point also. Failing that might be an issue with the voltage regulator on the alternator

 

[RowingLad87]

I'd check the earthing point also. Failing that might be an issue with the voltage regulator on the alternator

Cheers, I cleaned the earth points in the engine bay as the guide suggested a few months ago, and had a quick look at the earth strap - I'll give them a more thorough check-over when I'm home. Would there be any other problems associated with a voltage regulator problem? Interior blackouts under heavy load, constant flickering of headlights on high beam? I don't have any of these problems by the way

 

[s and b]

I asked the local Fiat garage and they were stumped.

now that is a surprise-----------not
i think its your alternator
you say its worse in damp conditions
dont these cars suffer water ingress into alternators? im sure i read they do and your symptoms fit too
take car to somewhere competant in doing a proper load test and know what an amp clamp is rather than local dealer clowns

 

[RowingLad87]

now that is a surprise-----------not
i think its your alternator
you say its worse in damp conditions
dont these cars suffer water ingress into alternators? im sure i read they do and your symptoms fit too
take car to somewhere competant in doing a proper load test and know what an amp clamp is rather than local dealer clowns

Good shout I've only tested the alternator voltage so there may well be an underlying problem. The scuttle panel on the GP drains onto the alternator, I've modified it do it doesn't but there could have been damage to it, yeah. Do you know if an MOT load test is just the battery or the alternator too?

 

[everson38]

Hello. Did you ever get this problem sorted? I'm having the same issue.

Hello all!

Headlights are still flickering, it's really starting to irritate me now. It's been happening since shortly after I bought the car.

Sometimes when I indicate, all the front lights will turn off for about two seconds, then back on again - also, the lights will flicker every now and again, turning on and off rapidly for a few seconds.

I asked the local Fiat garage and they were stumped. I know it's not the battery, the alternator, the headlights or the bulbs. Anyone have a clue?

As far as I can tell, it only happens when the car's been stood for a while, and it's cold and damp. I've cleaned out the fusebox s couple of times, so I don't think it's water ingress. It also normally stops occuring after driving the car for a while.

Anyone have a clue as to what it could be? As soon as the weather's improved I'm going to double-check the earth strap and engine bay earthing again, but the last time I cleaned them they seemed okay. Any advice would be appreciated Thank you!

 

[GrandePunto PL]

Well known problem, the switch is dirty. Foreign forum: http://fiatpunto.com.pl/topic37189.html

 

[Bernievarian]

Thanks for the very interesting link ! Poland (and generally eastern countries) seem to be a good source of inspiration ...

Cheers, Bernie

 

[RowingLad87]

Well known problem, the switch is dirty. Foreign forum: http://fiatpunto.com.pl/topic37189.html

I wish I’d known this six years ago! Since sold the Punto, but yeah, swapping the indicator cluster fixed the problem. Bought a replacement for about £90 on PartsworldUK. Seems you don’t need to do that, just clean the contacts as linked

 

[GrandePunto PL]

Another design flaw, again.
Quick changes in resistance (or wrong values), should be detected by computer and warning message could pop out (cluster functions are "coded" by resistance, they are not just on/off switches like in older Fiats).
Or this should be (at least initially, at early stages) ignored = it's called "switch/contact debouncing" in electronics!
So wanna-be "designers" lack of basic knowledge (again). Therefore your headlights can act as a strobe lights.

 

[Bernievarian]

Back in the Punto's design days, the Guys had not the same ressources available as they would today ! Nowadays ECUs could tell almost anything that happens on the car, but for instance would still not detect a broken command wire (or bad contact) if this line could be normally 'open' at some moment, like the rotating stalk or any other switch. At contrario the ECU can tell a sensor is going bad when its value goes out of expected range, or a bulb is blown if it measures no current on the corresponding line when it's supposed to be.
Of course that design requires more and more nodes that are located all around the car and do communicate thru the so called CAN, which make troubleshooting more and more difficult if you're not well prepared.
In this particular case, a simple test would have shown that the power coming to the bulb wasn't stable, then checking @ BCM's output would have shown the same unstability, and finally @ BCM's input an 'oscillating' signal coming from the stalk ...

A test lamp (5W bulb), a few meters of wire and a good digital multi-meter are already enough to start nice troubleshooting. Access to electrical drawings is mandatory (i.e resistance value, pin #, etc.).

Last but not least, if you don't know how to do, don't !

BRs, Bernie

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