[Kelownacruiser]

Never heard of this. Is this just your headlights or all lights (including taillights). You could check the ground wire for the headlights but if it is all your lights then it may be in the switch. Take it to your dealer and tell them to fix it for free.

This post has been edited by Kelownacruiser: 11 October 2004 - 10:50 AM

[juma1998]

my best guess is that whats happening is either your battery is weak and its putting extra load on the alt. or the alt. may be on the blink - literately

[dana44]

Start checking wires from the fuse block, and from the turn signal stock, along the steering column. Look for burning/melting/scraped wire. Seems there is a short that shorts out from bumps on the road and is touching, vice a weak alternator, which would most likely turn on the charge light (do we have one of those?). Check to see if there are any codes with the key on-off-on sequence, which would show a bad battery or alternator charge problem.

[skidsmadawg96]

um. this is confusing. try getting a new battery, or ask a different dealer to fix the problem. they SHOULD be able to fix the problem also, check the fuse box for any loose, or broken fuses. OH, also if you have acess to one, scan the on-board computer and see if any error codes come up.

[indago]

Do the light actually go out and come back on again, or do they just change levels of brightness?

[deedee]

I have a 2002 PT .... and I have a friend that just bought a 2004 PT .... also having the same problem .... It seems to be like an AC ripple is on the dc line ..... I have close to 60K on my car now and I complained about it to the dealer ..... before my warrenty come up .... they replaced the Alternator and I still have the same problem . It seems to be worse at times . I'm hoping (lol :lol: ) Chrysler does something about it because it is distracting on the highway at night and your lites do funny things on you !!!!!!! :unsure:

[dana44]

If you were a registered user, you would not be seeing this!

Well, the next question is, does it do it when the car is stopped and parked with the lights on, only when driving, over bumps, turning the steering wheel, when? Let's start getting specific as to what is happening when it gets more serious than other times...anything specific?

Some keys to troubleshooting are, if it doesn't do it when the car is off and not moving, it is not the battery or alternator. Turning the wheel and it does it means it is in the steering stock, if it doesn't it isn't. If over bumps could be a loose wire somewhere anywhere from the switch to the headlights.

Do us all a favor and, if you can do some actual troubleshooting to determine what the problem is, since it appears to be very isolated, one 2001 and one 2002 model, not all of them (mine doesn't and I have driven about 1500miles with the headlights on in three days last month), you have a specific problem not a recall.

I want to help, but you don't live next to me so I can't get over to your house tonight, meaning I have to ask you to look at different things to fix this problem, or, find a reputible electrical shop that can help locate the problem. It may be something as simple as a loose ground or plug, a wire that has broken somewhere and is not visible or even resting near a metal edge of the body and grounds out when going over a bump (I don't know, I haven't seen your car to help fix it).

Think of this as the movie Apollo 13. You have a problem and we can only fix it with what we have in front of us, namely a computer and words, and you in turn have to do the checks for us.

[Lost in Space]

After 65,000 on my 2001 and I've never had this problem. Is your car one of the early ones, front windows only on the dash, or a later model with all four winow switches on the dash? My is an early one and I'm not having trouble.

[skidsmadawg96]

why is it that your posts have the words all out of place? are you from out-of-country?

[Lost in Space]

If you're talking about my poor english, it's not the english it's the typing. I'm one of those people who repeatedly manages to fail a 30 wpm typing test and I've never managed to slow my brain down to match my typing speed. If you think that is bad you should check out my typing late at night when I've not had any sleep and my brain is in overdrive. i really don't type nun too goood them. :P

[skidsmadawg96]

oh, alright. lol, i thought that you dun not no what eeenglish dun mnt.

[neal]

Actually, there are reports of dash (and headlight?) flicker in later models PT, perhaps specific even to the GT....but don't hold me to that as its been awhile since I've read about it. I'll try to find more out about it!

After re-reading your post, I assuming you're talking about your headlights? what about the dash lights? And what year, model? :huh:

[Too Many Shelbys]

My '03 GT has this problem. Anything I do that uses electricity at night (windows, step on brakes) causes my headlamps to flicker for a half-second. It's annoying, but so far no answer from Chrysler on it... It's with the "Star Line" currently... Hmmm... Maybe I'll call them tomorrow....

[deedee]

Well okay to start ..... the lites flicker every time I turn on the car .... even when it is not moving... NO heat , No radio , No AC , No touching of Brakes...etc.... Just turn on the car and there it is ... It does the same to a friends PT a (2004) ... I had them change the alternator and no change ..... So ....what nexted .... have U herd anything new ?????????????

dana44, on Oct 19 2004, 06:52 PM, said:

Well, the next question is, does it do it when the car is stopped and parked with the lights on, only when driving, over bumps, turning the steering wheel, when? Let's start getting specific as to what is happening when it gets more serious than other times...anything specific?

Some keys to troubleshooting are, if it doesn't do it when the car is off and not moving, it is not the battery or alternator. Turning the wheel and it does it means it is in the steering stock, if it doesn't it isn't. If over bumps could be a loose wire somewhere anywhere from the switch to the headlights.

Do us all a favor and, if you can do some actual troubleshooting to determine what the problem is, since it appears to be very isolated, one 2001 and one 2002 model, not all of them (mine doesn't and I have driven about 1500miles with the headlights on in three days last month), you have a specific problem not a recall.

I want to help, but you don't live next to me so I can't get over to your house tonight, meaning I have to ask you to look at different things to fix this problem, or, find a reputible electrical shop that can help locate the problem. It may be something as simple as a loose ground or plug, a wire that has broken somewhere and is not visible or even resting near a metal edge of the body and grounds out when going over a bump (I don't know, I haven't seen your car to help fix it).

Think of this as the movie Apollo 13. You  have a problem and we can only fix it with what we have in front of us, namely a computer and words, and you in turn have to do the checks for us.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[dana44]

If that is the case, there is a short somewhere in the steering column wiring itself. Remember, the light switch stock is in the steering column, so if they flicker when turning the wheel, that is where the short is. A wire has been nicked somewhere within and the steering shaft is grounding the wire in some way.

Basically the steering wheel needs to be pulled, the wiring running to the turn switch/light stock needs to be disconnected and pulled out completely to look at the wiring, replaced or repaired to prevent the short, or, the ground strap (not sure where it is or how it is wired up) is loose or breaking its connection when the wheel is being turned. Has nothing to do with the alternator. Do one quick check to make sure there isn't a wiring harness that is touching anywhere along the steering column down to the rack and pinion portion before removing the steering wheel to alleviate that as a possibility first.

Good luck and keep us informed of the progress.

[deedee]

I don't think it has much to do with the turning of the steering wheel as it does not change the flicker problem if the steering wheel is turned ..... It is as I said always the same ...and it happens to new PT's as well..... It may be in the column .... I won't dispute that .... however I think it's something more than just a wire ...... because it effects everything it's ramped and all these lites are grounded throughout the whole car ..... I believe it is the main soarce of power being corrupted ....... But Where ??
Thanks deedee

dana44, on Nov 22 2004, 06:27 PM, said:

If that is the case, there is a short somewhere in the steering column wiring itself. Remember, the light switch stock is in the steering column, so if they flicker when turning the wheel, that is where the short is. A wire has been nicked somewhere within and the steering shaft is grounding the wire in some way.

Basically the steering wheel needs to be pulled, the wiring running to the turn switch/light stock needs to be disconnected and pulled out completely to look at the wiring, replaced or repaired to prevent the short, or, the ground strap (not sure where it is or how it is wired up) is loose or breaking its connection when the wheel is being turned. Has nothing to do with the alternator. Do one quick check to make sure there isn't a wiring harness that is touching anywhere along the steering column down to the rack and pinion portion before removing the steering wheel to alleviate that as a possibility first.

Good luck and keep us informed of the progress.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[dana44]

A trace of the power wire from the fuse block to the light switch in the steering column may be the wire in question. As was noted, if they flicker when the steering wheel it turned (not specifically over bumps, running, driving down the road, backing up, just when the steering wheel is turned), the two have a connection, whether it be a loss of ground between the two (the steering column and the light switch on the turn signal stock), or the power wire that runs through the steering column to the turn signal stock), which is why I prefer light switches and windshield wipers on the dash instead of in the steering colum (which all of them appear to be these days).

Note, and edit: If the lights are turned on, nothing is touched and the lights then flicker, I don't know of anything electrical or electronic that is within the wiring or along the power source for the headlights that may be surging to cause this problem (but this doesn't fit the profile of when they flicker from your description). Please correct if I am wrong.

This post has been edited by dana44: 23 November 2004 - 01:50 PM

[deedee]

No ..... it does not matter if I move the steering wheel or not .... if I reach into the car say ... in the morning when it is now dark and put the key in and not even sit in the car and just turn the key ...... once the car is started ..... I have flicker .. and I can really see it in the interior lites against the black outside ..... then when I'm driving in the dark ... I see a faint flicker on my headlites ....... It almost gives me stigmatism for a brief second ...."U know"I thought one of the Diodes was leaking in the Alternator to cause the ac ripple but they changed the Alternator (so they say) The parts guy at one of the Chrysler dearlerships has a PT like mine and his flickers too ..... he says ..." ya I know it does that .... but it doesn't bother me " It is wierd as some have it and some don't .
Thanks deedee

dana44, on Nov 23 2004, 02:47 PM, said:

A trace of the power wire from the fuse block to the light switch in the steering column may be the wire in question. As was noted, if they flicker when the steering wheel it turned (not specifically over bumps, running, driving down the road, backing up, just when the steering wheel is turned), the two have a connection, whether it be a loss of ground between the two (the steering column and the light switch on the turn signal stock), or the power wire that runs through the steering column to the turn signal stock), which is why I prefer light switches and windshield wipers on the dash instead of in the steering colum (which all of them appear to be these days).

Note, and edit: If the lights are turned on, nothing is touched and the lights then flicker, I don't know of anything electrical or electronic that is within the wiring or along the power source for the headlights that may be surging to cause this problem (but this doesn't fit the profile of when they flicker from your description). Please correct if I am wrong.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>