Headlights/Dashlights flickering

[bonnierussell]

Hi,

I have a 99 Olds Intrigue I bought used. I LOVE the car and the previous owner had taken excellent care of it, but I have one problem. When I first bought the car I noticed that the headlights would dim when I accelerated - weird. Thought maybe the car had been sitting awhile or something because the problem stopped. I got the car in March.

Now that the weather is getting cold again, the problem has returned. If the outside temp is below 40 degrees, my headlamps and dash lights will flicker - not completely off, just dimming then coming back to full light. I've had a mechanic check over the car and he could not find an obvious problem.

If anyone knows what my problem may be or has an idea of where to go searching for information, I would greatly appreciate your help.

Thank you
Bonnie

[burijon]

I am no mechanic but have done quite a bit of research on this matter. After looking at every website possible and talking many times with my local dealer I have been informed that there is some sort of smog/air pump that is turning on and briefly pulling mega amps till the alternator can catch up and the pump is running without the initial pull in amperage. This is by design I am told. There is no fix for it and I doubt GM is going to invest anymore time and money since the Intrigue is no more. Maybe there is a way to put an inline capacitor between the power to the pump to "store up" for when it turns on to avoid the headlights dimming. I thought I remembered that it only affected 2000 and newer Intrigues but could be mistaken. Any GM/Olds mechanics that can confirm this?

Thanks

[naturalone11]

hi
my friend had the same problem. and what it turned out to be is a problem with the design of the alternator.Oldsmobile knows about it and made a change to the alternator.but if the car is not under warranty you will have to replace it yourself like my friend did. that alternator only fits the 99 intrigue and to get the right one that is modified you have to go to your olds dealer. It is also a very expensive alternator.Cost over $400.00 just for alternator. my fiend has had no trouble since. except with the trans.

[jretrooper]

Greetings,

I too have the same headlight/interior light problem. It is on a 2001 GX. I have gone through all of the channels to get it fixed. Come to find out they put a new alternator in the middle of the 2001 model year. If you car is before that VIN point your will get your new alternator. However, I have the car with the new alternator installed on them and the problem still occures. Gm admits that they are aware of the problem, however, they now consider that normal operation of the car. Therefore, they will not do anything about it. I spent alot of time on the phone with oldsmobile and gm and hit a brick wall. SO i have given up, I still more more important electrical issues with the car to get fixed.

The cars effected by the lights are the 1999-2002 with the 3.5L V6 engine ONLY. The 3.8L V6 engine cars have no problems.

If anyone has been able to get GM to do something with this problem, please inform me.

Jared

[neubaug]

Just got my daughter's car fixed. The alternator's wiring harness (wires) was burnt and melted. My mechanic thought that the motor flex caused the wiring to rub against the engine block or exhaust manifold. Check the wiring harness under the engine! Her's is a 99 with the 3.5 engine. Olds reps said they know of no problem.

[Kojiro]

There is a TSB out for this problem. The alternator regulator is faulty and sensitive to vibrations, esp. in cold weather. You can have the regulator replaced to fix, but the TSB also recommends replacing the whole alternator as well because it might be damaged or something, I don't remember exactly what it said. I called GM about it because my GFs Intrigue was 2k out of warranty and I finally convinced them to split the cost with her, total was $600 (cost to us was $300). They weren't too happy about the fact that I had the TSB in hand

If I can find the TSB online I will post a link. But any good parts shop will have a database, too. That's how I found out actually, from the local parts shop.

[josh0411]

[/color] I just replaced the original alternator in my `99 Intrigue with a Bosch unit. I was told by a local mechanic that the Delphi/AC Delco units were defective and even though they supposedly fixed the issue, why take the chance? I no longer have flickering lights, dimming or any of the electrical gremlins I once had. The replacement unit was about $150 and I installed it myself. Feel free to e-mail me with any questions. Put Oldsmobile in the subject line. I'll try to help anyone I can, since Olds/GM don't want to. The problem is the voltage regulator is built in and is the main problem.

Originally Posted by bonnierussell

Hi,

I have a 99 Olds Intrigue I bought used. I LOVE the car and the previous owner had taken excellent care of it, but I have one problem. When I first bought the car I noticed that the headlights would dim when I accelerated - weird. Thought maybe the car had been sitting awhile or something because the problem stopped. I got the car in March.

Now that the weather is getting cold again, the problem has returned. If the outside temp is below 40 degrees, my headlamps and dash lights will flicker - not completely off, just dimming then coming back to full light. I've had a mechanic check over the car and he could not find an obvious problem.

If anyone knows what my problem may be or has an idea of where to go searching for information, I would greatly appreciate your help.

Thank you
Bonnie

[josh0411]

Easiest way to fix this problem is to replace the OEM Delphi/AC Delco unit with a Bosch unit. I had the same problems and now they're gone. Cost about $150 for the alternator.

[jsages]

Thanks for the info! I just made a trip through the mountains of Penna. and my lights started the flickering thing. I had my wife, 2 year old and 6 week old with me and was sweating. It's about 15 degrees and I was sure we were going to be along the road with no head lights. Who sells Bosch alts for this car?

Thanks
Joe

[Intigue]

Hey guys/gals,

Here's some info I got. I got a '00 Intrigue, got it in '01 with 16K. Since day one we've had the flickering problem (@101K). Ran it for 2yrs, then finally asked a family member who works at a dealership. Was told Olds is aware of the situation, but doesn't wanna deal with out of warranty issues. Anyways, they have replaced the alternator design/model (?)twice and still have had the problems. Finally a new kind has been made/designed that doesn't have the problems. Got it at dealer price from our family member ($150), otherwise we were told list is around $400 (this was 5 months ago). Still running the old alt with the same problems, just haven't got around to changing it cause labour to fix it now is about 3 hrs worth of work. Has anyone tackled changing one of these puppies? How hard is it, that sucker burried deep.

The model we got:
ACDelco GM#10464469 GR 2.275

[paulkramer]

Yeah would love to hear how to do that job! You are right - buried deep....looks like everything else in the M/C needs to come out first!

[n0rt0n]

As Per Your Request and directly out of the GM Manual...

(and by the way your friend at the dealer fibbed to you, the ACDelco GM#10464469 GR 2.275 LISTS at $230.60)

Engine
Generator Replacement
(3.5L Twin Cam V6)
Removal Procedure
The Delphi AD23? (KG?) generator is serviced as a
complete unit only.
1. Disconnect the battery ground (negative) cable.
Refer to Battery Negative Cable
Disconnect/Connect Procedure.
2. Remove the drive belt. Refer to Drive Belt
Replacement in Engine Mechanical -3.5L.
3 Drain the engine coolant. Refer to Draining and
Filling Cooling System (3.5L V6) in Engine
Cooling.
4. Remove the battery tray. Refer to Battery Tray
Replacement.
5. Remove the engine cooling fan assembly.
Refer to Cooling Fan Replacement -Electric
(3.5L V6) in Engine Cooling.
6. Remove the thermostat housing and the radiator
hose. Refer to Thermostat Replacement
(3.5L V6) in Engine Cooling.
7. Remove the outboard generator bolt.
8. Loosen the inboard generator bolt.
9. Remove the idler pulley bolt and the idler pulley.
10. Disconnect the wiring harness connector from
the generator .
11. Reposition the protective boot from the generator
output BAT terminal for access.
12. Remove the generator output BAT terminal nut
and disconnect the battery (positive) lead from
the generator .
13. Remove the generator.

Originally Posted by Intigue

Hey guys/gals,

Here's some info I got. I got a '00 Intrigue, got it in '01 with 16K. Since day one we've had the flickering problem (@101K). Ran it for 2yrs, then finally asked a family member who works at a dealership. Was told Olds is aware of the situation, but doesn't wanna deal with out of warranty issues. Anyways, they have replaced the alternator design/model (?)twice and still have had the problems. Finally a new kind has been made/designed that doesn't have the problems. Got it at dealer price from our family member ($150), otherwise we were told list is around $400 (this was 5 months ago). Still running the old alt with the same problems, just haven't got around to changing it cause labour to fix it now is about 3 hrs worth of work. Has anyone tackled changing one of these puppies? How hard is it, that sucker burried deep.

The model we got:
ACDelco GM#10464469 GR 2.275