jmmullin

My car (2000 Z28) has some gremlins in it.

I have a manual transmission, and I believe the headlights are not supposed to come on when I start the car in the dark with the parking brake engaged...only after I remove the parking brake, are the headlights supposed to come on. Am I correct in thinking this way?

If so, my first gremlin turns the headlights on immediately when the car is started, whether the parking brake is engaged or not (unless it is daylight, in which case the headlights won't come on either way).

Secondly, my headlights often "pulse" (dim, then brighten, then dim, then brighten...completing about 2-3 dimming/brightening cycles per second). Has anyone else had this problem, or know how to fix it? While the lights are pulsating, the needle on my voltage meter on the dashboard also pulses in synch with the headlights (brighter the lights, the more voltage).

I'm assuming the problem will not be in my headlights, but maybe some grounding issue somewhere on the car? I don't really like to poke around the electrical side of my car, but the issue is somewhat annoying and I would like to try to figure it out. The problem started about a year ago, approximately half the time I've owned the car.

If anyone can help or has had experience solving this issue, please feel free to chime in! Thanks, and happy new year!

TBSPW

altenator could be going bad....have it tested at autozone or a place like that, they do it free and hopefully its just that...also when your ebrake is up do you get the brake light on the dash....maybe the switch for it went bad...all are easy fixes and not too expensive

jmmullin

When the parking brake is engaged, the light on the dash does come on. Am I correct though in thinking that the automatic headlights should NOT come on at night until the hand brake is released?

TBSPW

that im not sure of...i know my 2000 impala works that way

jmmullin

TIME OUT....just made a run to the store and noticed my BRAKE light on the gages does NOT come on when the parking brake is engaged. I don't know why I thought that light was working. I drive an automatic car a lot too, so maybe I just didn't notice my brake light working or not working.

So, what is the way to fix the dashboard brake light issue?

geo1400

I'd be interested to find out what causes the pulsating light issue? I have the same problem with my lights going dim/bright/dim/bright and the voltage moving with it. Is there a way you can check the alternator with a volt meter?

TBSPW

well the simple fix is the light burned out lol...but no if you remove your center console theres something that triggers the light....completely forget what it was though....i think it was just like a little push button or something....ill take a look later if your interested more

jmmullin

There was a small contact switch bolted to the floorpan after I removed the center console. There was all kinds of grime covering it, so I cleaned it up with some alcohol and reinstalled. Works great now! Thanks!

TBSPW

well narrow things down more guys...see if the voltmeter likes to hop around with the lights off....it could be the altenator a bad connection with the altenator a loose battery cable or even maybe the belt is slipping....if this is only a problem with the headlights on your car is drawing more power for something....i know i heard a few stories awhile ago with some bulbs actually pulling enough power to heat the wires enough to screw up the harness and melt some things maybe grounding it or something to that effect...maybe with some intense details i can figure it out...see if it does it while revving the car or if its just while stopped idling...also see if its while driving if maybe the bumps or something else makes it more frequent...

jmmullin

Well, in my case...

Pulsing is most noticeable when car is first started at night and lights are turned on. While revving the car, the pulsing just gets a faster frequency. After driving down the road a considerable distance (Varies...sometimes a few miles, sometimes 30 miles), the pulsing will stop. If I slow down and come to a stop, and engine idles again, pulsing will NOT come back. I believe it is something with the alternator, and will try to get it tested after work on my way home tonight.

30AnniversaryZ28

With the parking brake up (and the BRAKE light on the dash) your auto headlights should not come on.

geo1400

Any update on this?

I have developed a squeak from one of my pulleys which is noticable only on cold start up - this is also when the pulsing is at it's worse. I'm thinking alternator/pully.

Cheers

jmmullin

Nothing new; I've had the camaro parked due to gas prices anyway. I haven't made much of a further attempt to diagnose the issue...sorry