# Lights dim with low RPM



## ricerboy17 (Sep 30, 2004)

my headlights dim with low rpm and i dont know why. my car never had a dead battery. if i turn on my heater with the headlights on, they flicker too. if i have my radio on loud and push in the clutch so the rpms goes down the radio will shut off. what could be the problem


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## schauhan (Apr 29, 2004)

Flicker might mean a loose electrical connection.


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## lshadoff (Nov 26, 2002)

Check the tension of the alternator belt. It may be slipping.

Lew


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## ricerboy17 (Sep 30, 2004)

well its been doing this for a while, there is a bigger wire someone put on for the ground on the battery and it goes to the body the ground from the starter is conected to this also, perhaps it can be a weak alternator?


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

either a bad alternator or it's the alt belt.


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## Slayer2003 (Jun 4, 2003)

my car has done this since i have owned it, but i havent thought anything of it. just normal drain on the system. not my alt. as i just replaced it 2 months ago, same as the battery. when i turn on the heater is when i notice it the most, at idle in drive, its ok, then i floor it, and it goes faster. but i also have alot of crap on my car, such as the stereo, indiglo gauges and hvac, neon etc......

maybe either try using the 99gle alternator(90ampers as opposed top the others which are 80 i believe) or get a battery like the Optima Red Top.


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## Nico Flax (May 3, 2003)

I had the exact same problem before, I remember it was so bad when I turned on the defroster the car would almost turn off. So I went to Advance Auto parts, since they can test your battery, and you alt. for free, and they did, and both were working fine. So the guy said it was probably one of the two main connectors to the battery, replaced that and the car was alive again. So check those connections, and take it to Advance so they can check your battery and alt.


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## myoung (Apr 15, 2002)

Nico Flax said:


> I had the exact same problem before, I remember it was so bad when I turned on the defroster the car would almost turn off. So I went to Advance Auto parts, since they can test your battery, and you alt. for free, and they did, and both were working fine. So the guy said it was probably one of the two main connectors to the battery, replaced that and the car was alive again. So check those connections, and take it to Advance so they can check your battery and alt.


good point.. always look at the simplest things first...then move up the ladder.


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