lights flicker

[darkthoughts5000]

everytime i drive at night and my lights turn on, the lights flicker. everything from my headlights to my dash and console lights flicker. someone said it might be my alternator going bad. i dont know what else it could be, but just wanted someone elses opinion before i went to autozone.

[genz11]

Ive noticed at night when i first turn my lights on that they will flicker occasionally... usually only once or twice before it stops and its hardly visible but anyway if your dash lights etc flicker it may just be wiring touching when you hit bumps.. if not that then it's probably your alternator. most of the time this is normal.. but you may wanna get it checked out if it gets worse

[need4speed]

if you turn the lights on without the engine running do they still flicker? or with engine running but not driving? If it happens while driving, probably a wire somewhere has rubbed the insulation off and it grounding out when it bounces from hitting bumps. How's the volt guage reading?

edit-------------> You can test your battery and alternator if you have a digital voltmeter. Touch the leads to the battery with the engine off and it should read about 12 volts (if lower, weak battery). With the engine running, it should read about 14 volts(if lower, most likely alternator, possibly wiring issue).

[ June 07, 2003: Message edited by: need4speed ]</p>