Well i had an odd experience this morning, I was driving along and then I noticed that the fact of my headunit was dimming and then going bright again. At first it seemed quite random, but then it started to be only when I was stopping.

Now, after some experimentation, I have deduced that when my brake lights come on, my head unit display dims. Now the dimmer wire for the head unit is wired to the ciggarette lighter light (which comes on when your headlights or parkers are on), and that allows the HU display to dim at night.

It still dims when the lights are on, but when the headlights are off, it dims when the brake lights come on, then brightens when my foot comes off the brake. All my dash lights still work normally.

The other anomolie, after further investigation, was that when the car is in Park 'P', the lights brighten with the foot on the brake. I messed around a bit more and found that it only stuffs up and dims with the brake light when the car is in 'D', '3' or '2'. It is normal in 'L' which I can only attribute to the fact that the 'L' light on the dash is out.

But it is all normal in P, R, and N.

We are thinking about upgrading the earth.. but it seems a rather odd occurrence even for an earthing issue. All other lights seem fine.

So, anyone have any idea why this is happening?

Yeah this is real odd.. I cant explain.. Been racking my brain all day..:confused:

Seems to me your battery isnt keeping its charge.

Upgrade your alternator i guess :)

Does the stereo face dim during high use of bass?

Seems to me your battery isnt keeping its charge.

Upgrade your alternator i guess :)

Does the stereo face dim during high use of bass?


Nah your thinking of the wrong dimmimg..


She is talking about the standard dim option you have for when the headlights come on it dims the Stereo lights for night driving..

It all functions well but this morning it started random diming like the headlights are being turned on when she hits the brakes..

Weird electrical problem of some sort..:confused:

yeah thats what im thinking does it dim with big bass hits???

yeah thats what im thinking does it dim with big bass hits???

NO FOOL.. its got nothing to do with bass. its not the dimmimg your thinking..:nuts:

Ready my above post..:P

Unhook the illumination wire to the ciggy lighter, and wire it into the correct wire (in the stock headunit ploom)

Check the wiring as it sounds like it is shorting against something else, check fuses as well, just to make sure its not a ground issue.

What have you changed recently (ie what did you play with before this started happening)

Unhook the illumination wire to the ciggy lighter, and wire it into the correct wire (in the stock headunit ploom)

Check the wiring as it sounds like it is shorting against something else, check fuses as well, just to make sure its not a ground issue.

What have you changed recently (ie what did you play with before this started happening)

Thanks Tim..

To be honest, I think the only thing we have done recently is wire in cathodes to teh cig lighter power.. and we connected the dimmer wire to the HU.. but that was 3 weeks ago.. and it was kinda noticeable that it was flashing dim and bright (especially sitting in traffic driving to work) so I'm not sure if it was happening prior to today.

I didnt know the stock HU had a dimmer wire, so I think thats our best option.

there is a dimmer wire on the loom for the stock head unit not sure for you car but.

A similar problem is that I have 2 LED sticks in my footwells and a blue UV neon on my parcel tray. They are all wired to my cig. lighter accesory. Everything works fine EXCEPT, one of my sticks has a few LED's really really DIM and every now or so a few more flicker dim or not. Havent experimented with gears or brakes but I hate the issue! What aleternators do the TH's have? What rating? And is it even an alernator issue?

I didnt know the stock HU had a dimmer wire, so I think thats our best option.

Yeah thats what i said we will look into on Thurs nite.. You got the wiring diagram so that will be a 10min fix..:P

Id say thats the issue.. Thanks Tim..:)

my guess is the alternator (regulator) whats the voltage output of the batt with the engine running should be around 13.8 - 14.2 give or take

Its not going to be the altenator guys... The LED in there will chew up around 1 poofteenth of a milliwatt.

Simple solutions first...

Also check the ground on the headunit. If it's not to the stock wire, then make sure it is tight into the chassis (on an unpainted spot)

Peace

Tim

Ok.. so more amazingly.. When I first start the car this anomolie does not occur. After about 15 mins of driving, when I press the brake it will flash and then dim. Then after a while it just dims when the brake is depressed. It soo doesnt make any sense!

Have you tried disconnecting the dimmer wire from the HU to see if it still dims when you put the brakes on?

When i first installed my head unit and my monoblock i was experiancing that my subs were going bang everytime someone bounced in the car or while driving over small bumps and round corners and accelerating and braking. The issue was the other two rca outputs were dangling from the head unit and grounding on the chasis.

My point is that maybe you have a loose wire grounded somewhere that is reacting with the other circuits in your car.

My advice is to narrow down the problem as much as you can and if no luck go and see a professional.