I Own a 2002 Monte Carlo Pace Car and have a lighting issue which I hope that someone on this forum can help me solve.From time to time while driving at night my headlights,dash lights and I'm assuming my tail lights as well flicker.The best way i can discribe this issue would be whenthe cooling fans turn on when engine temp gets hot and you would experience this power draw from the fans turning on.On my Monte when the fans turn on i get this small draw of power which dim my lights momentarily as the fans turn on.Ive been to the local Chevy dealer on this issue and their techs checked the electrical system on the car....which included checking for loose grounds...frayed cables etc. I have also had the battery replaced just a few weeks ago because it started leaking battery acid out of the positive battery post.Even with the new battery the lights still flicker from time to time.....this isnt a major problem but an annoying one.The dealer told me to bring it back when the problem becomes more consistant to make it easier to find but for now i have to live with this problem.Hopefully someone here had the same experience with their Monte and can tell me which area to look into! Thanks in advance! BIG AL

 

I haven't had that problem in my Monte, but I had the same type of issue with my previous vehicle (Venture)... sometimes the lights would flicker, sometimes they would totally go out and I'd have to shut the van off and turn it back on to get the lights back on. Took it back to my dealer's shop and it ended up being a bad dimmer switch - they replaced the dimmer switch and I never had the issue again.

 

Thanks 06MonteSS for your reply.Ive had everything electrical connected to the lights checked out at my local Chevy dealer.They even called in an outside tech who does troubleshooting work for them and he couldnt find anything wrong! The alternator,battery,all wiring was in fine shape!I guess ill just have to live with it until it gets worse and maybe easier to find the problem.As for now all grounds are clean and tight...battery cables in excellent shape and tight and light switch and dimmer is fine. Thanks again!

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sorry to hear that about your mc i hope that you find out what it is soon

 

In my 01 I cleaned the ground wire that bolts under the fuse box near the battery and the strut tower. There was paint under it, so I sanded the wire and around the bolt hole, after that my bat gagauge read higher on the dash. If you follow it from the smaller ground wire from the battery you will find it.

 

Thanks AFAN_29 for your reply and advice! That was the first wire that Ichecked when all this started happening! Mine too had paint underneath so it seems that GM isnt really interested in their ground connections since they bolt the ground strap right over paint.I also sanded and cleaned the connection and wire but that didnt do the trick.I have a funny feeling that I'm having a problem with my voltage regulator inside the alternator! Last night (1/06/07) my lights were flickering again while driving....what i did notice was when my M/C was decelerating the lights in the car flickered but when I accelerated the flickering stopped so I'm taking an educated guess that it maybe the voltage regulator causing this problem.All the lights flicker when it does this (headlights...dash lights...tailights and interior lights).SInce this doesnt happen on a steady basis its very difficult to find what actually is causing this.I will live with it for now and see if it actually is the voltage regulator making this happen.When the lights flicker there is no indication on the volt meter in the dash of any loss in voltage and i think its becausethe flickering is very fast so maybe the gauge doesnt pick it up! If anyone else had this experience please let me know but for now i wont be replacing the expensive alternator until it finally fails!

 

I have had the same problem for 5 years now on my 02SS. The dealer cannot find the problem, yet the lights flicker intermittently...sometimes fast, sometimes long in between. It is most prevelant after i step on the brakes. I agree it may be the voltage regulator. Let me know how you make out with that.

 

Hi FrankV3 and thanks for your reply to my post.......I will not be changing the alternator anytime soon unless it fails me all together but I do still think the problem is with the voltage regulator.My lights flicker when im decellerating and it doesnt matter if i have my foot on the brake or not but when i accelerate it stops flickering.

 

I have this problem too and it bugs the hell out of me. I was thinking my alt was going out. But yeah, I notice it when idling

 

Hello 04MonteLS and thanks for posting here with your lighting problem! If your interested you can go to WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.com and list your lighting problem with themand maybe if enough people post the light flickering problem something could be done about it or maybe a free repair by GM! Who knows! I listed my problem with them last week and there is also another Monte owner who has the same problem as we do so it could be trend!I still believe its a voltage regulator problem and ill let ya know if i replace my alternator and if there is any improvement!