98 Accord LX 2.3 L headlights quit or flicker

[RER55]

I have a 98 Accord LX with 2.3L 4 cyl. with 356,000 miles. It looks and runs fantastic. However, lately, both the headlights and heater/blower/control console -- either will not come on even though the engine is running or sometimes flicker while driving down the road. Looking for some guidance for the problem/fix. I obviously could use a little help in searching the 305 pages of replies in the "Accord" forum. When I type in "98 Accord no headlights" it gives me a couple topics about headlights then jumps all around and even goes to totally different car manufactures. I'm sure out of 305 pages of replies there are lots of readers that have had similar issues. I installed a new alternator about 3-4 months ago. Maybe that I'm a seldom user and 61 years old are contributing factors. Thanks.

[somick]

"NEW" alternator might be the problem.

When engine is not running your battery output suppose to be around 12.6 volts. With the engine running measure the alternator's output. At idle it should read around 13.8. Start here.

And also make sure the battery clamps are tight.

Also try to look at the battery cables. The residue inside may also contribute to your problems.

Good luck,
Sam

[hakachukai]

I had a similar issue on a high mile car. It turned out to be dirty connections on the fuse / fuse box.

Cleaning the legs of the fuse and the socket that it plugs into solved the problem.

Strangely enough, in my case the fuse was blowing because of the constant high in rushing current caused by the flickering lights.

Your headlights and your blower fan must have something in common if they both fail at the same time.

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I see that your headlights and blower fan have one thing in common. They both use Ground #401. If I were you, I'd check out that ground connection ;-)

On the head light circuit, the signal to the head light relay gets grounded at G401. No signal means no relay activation, which means no headlights.

On the blower fan circuit, the fan speed selector switch gets grounded at G401.

It looks like G401 is in the Left kick panel between the OBDII port and the connector/relay/fuse box that is in there.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

If that doesn't work, here's some more info:

For headlights (assuming you don't have auto-off headlights):
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Check fuse #43 ( 20 amp ) in the under hood fuse box
Check fuse #45 ( 20 amp ) in the under hood fuse box
Check both of the headlight relays in the under hood fuse box


We also need more trouble shooting info about your exact conditions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
in what modes do the head lights flicker? ( high beam, low beam, both? )

When / If the head lights flicker in high beam, does the high beam indicator also flicker?

Do they flicker on both the left and the right side, or does just one side flicker?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[RER55]

Thanks for the reply Sam.
Tomorrow is my day off and I plan to start this project by just pulling the battery cables off and double checking them for
cleanliness and tightness even though they appear to look good. Thanks for being a contributor to the forum and offering guidance.

Sa

Originally Posted by somick

"NEW" alternator might be the problem.

When engine is not running your battery output suppose to be around 12.6 volts. With the engine running measure the alternator's output. At idle it should read around 13.8. Start here.

And also make sure the battery clamps are tight.

Also try to look at the battery cables. The residue inside may also contribute to your problems.

Good luck,
Sam

[RER55]

Thanks Hakachukai for the reply.
As I just replied to Sam, tomorrow is my day off and even though its cold here, I plan on doing some further troubleshooting and searching. I actually bought the big Honda Service Manual and in and have been looking at some the reference points you mention which are located in section 22 under "Body Electrical". Thanks you for all the time you spent researching the statistics and reference points. When I isolate and fix this guy, I will reply back with what I found. Thanks for adding value to this forum.

Originally Posted by hakachukai

I had a similar issue on a high mile car. It turned out to be dirty connections on the fuse / fuse box.

Cleaning the legs of the fuse and the socket that it plugs into solved the problem.

Strangely enough, in my case the fuse was blowing because of the constant high in rushing current caused by the flickering lights.

Your headlights and your blower fan must have something in common if they both fail at the same time.

--------------------------------------------------------
I see that your headlights and blower fan have one thing in common. They both use Ground #401. If I were you, I'd check out that ground connection ;-)

On the head light circuit, the signal to the head light relay gets grounded at G401. No signal means no relay activation, which means no headlights.

On the blower fan circuit, the fan speed selector switch gets grounded at G401.

It looks like G401 is in the Left kick panel between the OBDII port and the connector/relay/fuse box that is in there.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

If that doesn't work, here's some more info:

For headlights (assuming you don't have auto-off headlights):
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Check fuse #43 ( 20 amp ) in the under hood fuse box
Check fuse #45 ( 20 amp ) in the under hood fuse box
Check both of the headlight relays in the under hood fuse box


We also need more trouble shooting info about your exact conditions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
in what modes do the head lights flicker? ( high beam, low beam, both? )

When / If the head lights flicker in high beam, does the high beam indicator also flicker?

Do they flicker on both the left and the right side, or does just one side flicker?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[hakachukai]

Did you ever find out what the issues was?

[RER55]

Originally Posted by hakachukai

Did you ever find out what the issues was?

Hakachukai,
I spent some time under the hood last night. I started with all the connections from the battery to fuse box and all surrounding areas. Everything was clean and tight. Moved to the inside of the car and was checking the area G401 with the cluster of ground wires that you mention on the wiring schematic located slightly above the left kick panel by the OBDII port connector. Sure enough the 6 mm factory painted red headed bolt was so loose you could have stuck an 1/8" spacer in between the wiring cluster and the bolt. I tightened it down snug onto the connectors. I am very comfortable that that was my intermittent once a month loss of headlights and blower motor console power problem. You were spot on this one. Great job troubleshooting it just by looking at the wiring diagram. I could have spent a week looking for it and never found it. I'm obviously not as electrically sharp at looking at wiring diagrams as I need to be. I am just amazed that I didn't have more problems in the previous 354,000 miles. You could tell by looking at the bolt that it had never been tightened from the factory 18 years ago. Thank you very much. After that success story I'm going to re-post with a sporadic idling problem that's driving me crazy. Thanks again for being part of this knowledge sharing team and forum.

[RER55]

Not sure how to insert or reply with the "Thumbs Up" thank you icons I have seen in other replies. I did notice in me contact information box on the left that it says I have given or returned "zero" thanks. Wow that couldn't be any further from the truth. Sorry I'm not clicking the right box or icon. Thanks a million for helping me out of this one.