Climate Control Lights Flashing

kcoyo

Well-Known Member
29
23
Hey Guys need help/advice.

My interior lights (AC Console) blink like this when I have my Low Beams off. The console goes into "night mode" (Night mode is when the interior lights dim when headlights turn on, note only AC console is affected not the gauges). Notice that the lights do not turn off but dim as if my headlights were on?


View: http://youtu.be/sW1oDl-Hs9c


Lighting mods I have:
- UAE Headlights
- LED Taillights
- LED DRL with resistors
- LED Interior Lighting (map and dome) and License Plate lights

I haven't tested things out yet because of time.

My Tests so far:
This has been ongoing since I installed my UAE Headlights (I installed it with DRL LED). But the console will only flash when I had hazards on (low beam off). It will not flash when I use my turn signals (low beams off). When low beams on, it does not flash for hazard or turn signals because it is already in "night mode".

But after installing my LED tail lights (with resistors), turn signal and hazard make the climate console lights flash into "night mode". And LED strip flashes with turn signal and hazard when Low Beam is off so it is also going into "night mode".


View: http://youtu.be/B6OQr2dZ_FY


Starting to think there is a bad ground in my UAE turn signals. I did buy it with the PNP harness that makes it alternate.


View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpIGHKIMDMQ


Thanks for any advice!
 
so you have a harness that is supposed to make the turn signals alternate like that? Something tells me it is the source of your odd ground, its making the car think that the lights are on and somehow that is backflowing to the MICU and triggering night panel dimming
 
got a link to the switchback harness you bought?
 
Are you tapped into any power wires or you just have all plug and play harnesses with resistors for the LEDs?
Like Ethlar, said, would like to see what the harness looks like.

I think I might have the same LED DRL kit as you (got mine from iJDMToy) and have absolutely no problems with them. I would guess that the problem relates to the taillight LEDs. Then again, you said the problem seems to be related to when the low beams are off.
 
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really basic switchback harnesses involve crossing grounds to positives somewhere to make the switchback effect. To do it right and without that crossover you really need a relay that switches a + signal between two poles, cycling with the turn signal
 
Thank you all for your fastidious responses! The harness was included from the vendor (team3d) I bought the projectors from. I'm sure he followed the DIY from here: http://9thcivic.com/forum/threads/2012-civic-oem-halogen-projector-headlights.4834/

About an hour ago I removed the tail lights completely. The turn signals began hyperflashing... I haven't tried much since I do not want to remove the front bumper yet.

What I did notice during the testing, was that when I used my turn signals, BOTH turn signals bulbs were lit (outer bulbs would both blink but one would be dimmer- ie using my left turn signal, my right turn signal bulb would be on but dim). And that both LED tails would blink (the LED strip not the turn signal bulbs)
 
somewhere you have a crossed wire, a positive is going to a ground im 99% sure of it

i would double check all your wires
 
Also I was able to reach the passenger side harness and unplug it completely. The LED tails were no longer blinking, but rear turn signal was hyperflashing. Guessing because nothing was plugged in in the front turn signal.
 
somewhere you have a crossed wire, a positive is going to a ground im 99% sure of it

i would double check all your wires

Unfortunately, I did not do the soldering. The vendor did, so I would have to unwrap what he did to see. Or I can contact him after I actually make sure the harness is what is causing the problem. But I also believe it has to do with the turn signal harness.
 
easy way to start testing is one by one unplug one of the 4 bulbs connected to the front turn signals, id start with the left side and see if pulling one stops the issue, then at least youve localized it and can look for either a replacement harness from the vendor or rewiring yourself

you could also swap harness sides
 
Thank you all for your input, much obliged! Will take off the bumper during the weekend and do more testing. In the meantime, the best I can do (since it is quicker) is to put back my stock tail lights tomorrow after work to see if that helps with the turn signals flashing. As aforementioned, the hazards (before I installed the LED Tails) would cause the console flashing but not the turn signals. But after I installed the tails, the turn signal causes it to flash. Or it could all be a coincidence haha. I will keep you all updated. Thank you all :)
 
A real puzzle. This is beyond my very limited expertise. Can't wait to find out what is causing all the madness.
 
Well so that I am not a hazard on the road I will just keep my headlights on so that I don't cause confusion when turning lol (both the led strips would blink if I didn't turn on my headlights :( ).

1374036_4775742611319_620779736_n.jpg
 
This is an easy fix. don't really want to read what everyone else wrote.
This is what you need to know.
- signal draw is off the wrong power feed and happens to be pulling amperage from interior ACC lighting

This is what you need to know to fix it.
- singal lights need to be powered from another means of power feed and keep the switch wire coming from signal harness in cabin
- LED signals can be installed for a quick fix to reduce amperage draw but outcome may be only reduced

Simple, easy way to eliminate this is to re-wire the signal power feed (#18AWG will be sufficient)
- you can feed directly from battery and keep switchable harness portion of wiring
- you can completely re-do the wiring, wire from either cabin fuse box, bay fuse box, or direct for alternative source of power that will be isolated from your cabin ACC/lighting

If you need a wiring diagram/or are not very familiar with what needs to be done let me know and i can try to do now for you now.

Hopefully that was clear enough! Sorry for the short response.
 
This is an easy fix. don't really want to read what everyone else wrote.
This is what you need to know.
- signal draw is off the wrong power feed and happens to be pulling amperage from interior ACC lighting

This is what you need to know to fix it.
- singal lights need to be powered from another means of power feed and keep the switch wire coming from signal harness in cabin
- LED signals can be installed for a quick fix to reduce amperage draw but outcome may be only reduced

Simple, easy way to eliminate this is to re-wire the signal power feed (#18AWG will be sufficient)
- you can feed directly from battery and keep switchable harness portion of wiring
- you can completely re-do the wiring, wire from either cabin fuse box, bay fuse box, or direct for alternative source of power that will be isolated from your cabin ACC/lighting

If you need a wiring diagram/or are not very familiar with what needs to be done let me know and i can try to do now for you now.

Hopefully that was clear enough! Sorry for the short response.

Hey AP,

Thanks for the response. I don't know if you were able to see the DIY harness that is being used. But this is what it looks like.

004_G_004.jpg


It connects to the OEM turn signal socket then the other two ends connect to the two turn signals. I would prefer to refrain from re-wiring or pulling power from another source. I am suspecting that something has happened to the connection since installation. My first troubleshoot would probably to re-install my OEM tail lights (which I can do after work). Just to pinpoint the problem to be related to the turn signals.

Thank you!
 
Hey fellas, did a few more tests. So I swapped my tail lights back to OEM. The tail lights (its not LED and no resistors involved) and climate control NO longer flash. I did, however, find out that the hazard lights still make the console flash. But under one condition.. if I am applying the brakes. Excuse my feet.



The video below shows that when I unplug the left turn signal harness (only one I can reach since I do not want to take my bumper off), the console blinking does not occur when hazards are on or when the brakes are applied.



Another reason I do not want to touch the bumper yet. A guy forgot to put up his e-brake and rolls back on me:

mIBAS6o.jpg
 
Hey Fellas,

After going through a list of what to unplug to troubleshoot the problem, I finally found a workaround. I unplugged the parking lights (outer lights of the headlights) on both sides. Everything is all happy again.

 
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