Kizashi Club

Anyone else notice their headlights dimming/getting brighter when driving around? After driving around at night recently I noticed the headlights would dim a bit when hitting the brakes and would then subsequently brighten when accelerating from a stop sign, for example. I also noticed dimming anytime I would turn the steering wheel when trying to parallel park.

After doing a quick Google search it sounds like the headlights dimming while parallel parking is a normal issue for cars with electric power steering...which makes sense since you're applying the most load on the system when trying to turn the steering wheel while at a stop. But what about when stopping/accelerating? Normal? Or is it a sign of an alternator going bad?

smsmart wrote:Anyone else notice their headlights dimming/getting brighter when driving around? After driving around at night recently I noticed the headlights would dim a bit when hitting the brakes and would then subsequently brighten when accelerating from a stop sign, for example. I also noticed dimming anytime I would turn the steering wheel when trying to parallel park.

After doing a quick Google search it sounds like the headlights dimming while parallel parking is a normal issue for cars with electric power steering...which makes sense since you're applying the most load on the system when trying to turn the steering wheel while at a stop. But what about when stopping/accelerating? Normal? Or is it a sign of an alternator going bad?

It seems to me that the alternator for the Kizashi is rather weak. I don't have halogen bulbs but have HID and LED lights. I recently got a LED conversion kit for my DRL/high beams. I've noticed some dimming like you noted and also have an issue of the DRLs flickering off and on at idle. It never does this when the car is running. This suggests that the car's electrical system voltage drops rather low when the engine is not at higher RPMs (the engine drives the alternator via the serpentine belt). This would explain why you noticed the dimming while braking and brightening while accelerating. The harder the engine works, the more power it's making via the alternator. The electrical power steering would also consume power, especially at the lower speeds needed for sharp turns.

This makes me think the alternator is not a very powerful one and that the stock battery is also not that great. The simple solution is to get a good upgraded battery to compensate for the weak alternator at low RPMs. Getting an upgraded alternator is also an option, but who knows if actual aftermarket upgrades exist for the Kizashi instead of mere replacements.

As for the flickering issue with my LEDs, I've ordered custom-made capacitor harnesses that should compensate for the lower, unstable voltage of the DRLs at low RPM. However, I really think the best solution to boost voltage stability is to get a higher performance battery.

Which battery you recommend?

Sears DieHard Platinum or Odyssey (same battery)

Optima and Braille are also solid choices (I own several of both).