Flickering headlights \ Car Sputters

mrTr0ut · January 21st, 2012, 08:56 PM

I posted earlier today about the hood latch issue and got that resolved..so here's my real issue, now that I got my hood opened: (2002, v6 mustang)

While the car is on or off, doesn't matter,the headlights will flicker then eventually go stable. While the car is on, the car will sputter a bit from time to time then followed by the headlights flickering. This just started happening in the past 2 days.

So...I took the car to advance auto parts to test the battery and alternator, they showed, and printed out, a report showing the alternator to be good and the battery to only be outputting half of what it should be. Dead cells and whatnot. They said the sputtering could be the alternator trying to compensate for the battery and could be bringing the engine down to do so..or something like that. They advised me to take it to auto zone, since I may have a warranty left on the battery.

I get to auto zone and they bring out their test kit and show me a single screen that says the battery is "98% charged" and then test the alternator and claim it failed. And wanted me to buy an alternator right on the spot.

Then after talking to some other people, they believe I may have a bad ground directly related to my headlights.

I'm really not sure who to believe, and unfortunately, don't have much experience or knowledge with cars in this fashion. I'm hoping someone here can point me in the right direction, thanks!

str8chillng · January 21st, 2012, 09:48 PM

Could be bad alternator. I was throwing codes for a malfuctioned CPS but strangly when I replaced the alternator things went back to normal operation except for that P0420 code the PCM keeps throwing out. But for the light flickering, just check your ground wire.

Green_6er · January 22nd, 2012, 02:32 AM

alternators are a common problem on these cars, so could very possibly be your alternator.

mrTr0ut · January 22nd, 2012, 08:39 AM

I'm gonna take it to a third store and have them test the alternator and see what they say.

mrTr0ut · January 23rd, 2012, 12:57 AM

I haven't had the alternator tested/replaced yet I'll probably do that tomorrow. But I was wondering where I can look up information/pictures of where to find the headlight grounds? I'm really not too knowledgeable about electrical wiring but I think I could at least take a look if I knew where to start...(I checked google)

Thanks!

RZNCAIN · January 23rd, 2012, 12:58 AM

I was gonna saw bad alternator.

southfour! · January 23rd, 2012, 01:00 AM

Originally Posted by RZN____

I was gonna saw bad alternator.

cutting off the bad alt wont solve his problems

Reaper_88 · January 23rd, 2012, 01:01 AM

Originally Posted by southfour!

cutting off the bad alt wont solve his problems

RZNCAIN · January 23rd, 2012, 01:16 AM

eleanorGT · January 23rd, 2012, 11:16 PM

HAhaha.. I havnt had mine checked, and i have over 100K, and its stock, for a fact.. could solve my sputtering issues to

RZNCAIN · January 23rd, 2012, 11:20 PM

I think we all want to know. Did you cut that fucker off yet!

str8chillng · January 24th, 2012, 10:40 PM

Originally Posted by eleanorGT

HAhaha.. I havnt had mine checked, and i have over 100K, and its stock, for a fact.. could solve my sputtering issues to

I had major sputtering issues before I replaced my alternator, also backfiring aswell as codes being thrown. Since I had replaced it, it runs at a consistant 14.8 volts. Old one was running at 11.9-12.3 volts.

Cricket · January 24th, 2012, 11:27 PM

I would say the alternator. The whole story of it compensating for your battery when your car is on is ridiculous. When your car is not on your car should be putting out 14-15 volts. When the car is on and the alternator is running correctly the volts should drop to around 9ish volts. The alternator is a small generator that runs to run your accessories instead of your battery, and also recharges your battery while you drive.

Matt. · January 26th, 2012, 02:45 AM

Tighten all your grounds, a good thing to check.

iPAPKE · January 26th, 2012, 04:01 AM

I'd say alternator, had same issue. Fixed with replacement.

Cricket · January 27th, 2012, 10:01 AM

Another thing to think about is if you do replace your alternator is you may want to get your old one rebuilt for just in case.

January 21st, 2012, 08:56 PM	#1
mrTr0ut Newbie Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 5 iTrader: 0 reviews	Flickering headlights \ Car Sputters I posted earlier today about the hood latch issue and got that resolved..so here's my real issue, now that I got my hood opened: (2002, v6 mustang) While the car is on or off, doesn't matter,the headlights will flicker then eventually go stable. While the car is on, the car will sputter a bit from time to time then followed by the headlights flickering. This just started happening in the past 2 days. So...I took the car to advance auto parts to test the battery and alternator, they showed, and printed out, a report showing the alternator to be good and the battery to only be outputting half of what it should be. Dead cells and whatnot. They said the sputtering could be the alternator trying to compensate for the battery and could be bringing the engine down to do so..or something like that. They advised me to take it to auto zone, since I may have a warranty left on the battery. I get to auto zone and they bring out their test kit and show me a single screen that says the battery is "98% charged" and then test the alternator and claim it failed. And wanted me to buy an alternator right on the spot. Then after talking to some other people, they believe I may have a bad ground directly related to my headlights. I'm really not sure who to believe, and unfortunately, don't have much experience or knowledge with cars in this fashion. I'm hoping someone here can point me in the right direction, thanks!

January 23rd, 2012, 12:58 AM	#6
RZNCAIN Shelby's Minion 2007 Mustang Shelby GT (Mach1) Sept. '10 ROTM Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: WI Posts: 11,490 iTrader: 2 reviews	I was gonna saw bad alternator. __________________ Sponsored by Specialty Coatings Car Salesman Club- Founder -------------------------- 2007 Shelby GT- Hardparked 2003 Mach 1- Hardparked 1988 LX 5.0- Umm...Driver?

January 23rd, 2012, 01:16 AM	#9
RZNCAIN Shelby's Minion 2007 Mustang Shelby GT (Mach1) Sept. '10 ROTM Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: WI Posts: 11,490 iTrader: 2 reviews	__________________ Sponsored by Specialty Coatings Car Salesman Club- Founder -------------------------- 2007 Shelby GT- Hardparked 2003 Mach 1- Hardparked 1988 LX 5.0- Umm...Driver?

January 23rd, 2012, 11:20 PM	#11
RZNCAIN Shelby's Minion 2007 Mustang Shelby GT (Mach1) Sept. '10 ROTM Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: WI Posts: 11,490 iTrader: 2 reviews	I think we all want to know. Did you cut that fucker off yet! __________________ Sponsored by Specialty Coatings Car Salesman Club- Founder -------------------------- 2007 Shelby GT- Hardparked 2003 Mach 1- Hardparked 1988 LX 5.0- Umm...Driver?

January 26th, 2012, 02:45 AM	#14
Matt. Hardcore Enthusiast 2002 Nitrous Injected V6 12's? Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Chester County, PA Posts: 2,414 iTrader: 0 reviews	Tighten all your grounds, a good thing to check. __________________ Project Red Magic -Full Intake, Full Exhuast,Geared, Tune, Sprayed, Dropped- -18 Inch Hypercoated Saleens wrapped in Nittos-

January 21st, 2012, 09:48 PM	#2
str8chillng Very homosexually 1998 Mustang BASE 17.3 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 193 iTrader: 0 reviews	Could be bad alternator. I was throwing codes for a malfuctioned CPS but strangly when I replaced the alternator things went back to normal operation except for that P0420 code the PCM keeps throwing out. But for the light flickering, just check your ground wire.

January 22nd, 2012, 08:39 AM	#4
mrTr0ut Newbie Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 5 iTrader: 0 reviews	I'm gonna take it to a third store and have them test the alternator and see what they say.

January 23rd, 2012, 12:57 AM	#5
mrTr0ut Newbie Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 5 iTrader: 0 reviews	I haven't had the alternator tested/replaced yet I'll probably do that tomorrow. But I was wondering where I can look up information/pictures of where to find the headlight grounds? I'm really not too knowledgeable about electrical wiring but I think I could at least take a look if I knew where to start...(I checked google) Thanks!

January 23rd, 2012, 11:16 PM	#10
eleanorGT Regular 2001 Mustang 3.8 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Malden, MA Posts: 286 iTrader: 0 reviews	HAhaha.. I havnt had mine checked, and i have over 100K, and its stock, for a fact.. could solve my sputtering issues to

January 26th, 2012, 04:01 AM	#15
iPAPKE iPoopke Regular 2004 Mustang Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Michigan Posts: 844 iTrader: 0 reviews	I'd say alternator, had same issue. Fixed with replacement.

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