I'm bamboozled! Parking lights flash until lights are turned on.

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cokizashi
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2018 11:34 pm

I have a 2011 Kiz SLS AWD with approx. 86k miles.

The car is doing something that I cannot explain. When I start the car, the parking lights flash repeatedly (one second on, one second off, again and again) until I turn on the parking lights or headlights. It's as if somebody is turning the parking lights on/off/on/off over and over again. The interior lights turn on as well as the exterior parking lights, as does the parking light indicator in the dash. When I physically turn on the parking lights (or headlights), they stop flashing. If I physically turn the parking (or headlights) back off, they flash again.

I took the following video to show what's going on:


Despite the flashing lights, everything else is normal. I can put the car in gear and drive, and everything works as expected (except that the parking lights are flashing). As a solution, I simply physically turn on the headlights every time I start the car and it's not a problem. I have noticed that after driving I can turn the headlights & parking lights off and they no longer flash.

I thought it had something to do with the alarm, but the appear to be different. I sat in the car, engaged the alarm, waited about 30 seconds, then opened the door, and the alarm went off. But the alarm is different than the flashing light mystery. When the alarm goes off, the turn signals indicators flash on the dash, and the horn honks. In contrast, the flash parking light scenario only flashes the parking light indicator. Therefore, I don't believe that this is related to the alarm.

What could be causing this?

Things I've checked:
1) Verified that all exterior lights are working (none are burned out)
2) Checked all fuses (all are good!)
3) Replaced all bulbs for headlights (high and low beams) and driving lights
4) Engaged parking brake after start (driving lights turn off, but parking lights still flash)
5) Verified that the ECU is not throwing any error codes
6) Replaced the battery in both key fobs
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SAEED_KIZZY
Posts: 507
Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2017 2:31 pm

Hi
I think your rain/light sensor module is cleared and you have to initialize it follow the procedure in kizashi manual to reinitialize it.
or go to section Rain / Light Sensor Initialization in service manual
cokizashi
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2018 11:34 pm

OH MY GOD that was it!! I've spent probably 40 hours over the past few weeks trying to figure this out. I should have posted this sooner!

I just got in the car and disconnected the rain sensor module (green plug above the rear view mirror on the windshield) and started the car, and the lights no longer flash!

I will do some research to see how to initialize/reprogram the rain sensor. But if I can't figure that out, I'll simply leave the sensor disconnected and use the wipers the good ol' fashioned way.

THANK YOU a thousand times for the help!
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SAEED_KIZZY
Posts: 507
Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2017 2:31 pm

you are welcome :D

in case you want to do initialization download this pdf it is really simple
https://www.dropbox.com/s/i99me3b1d2l4x ... n.pdf?dl=0
cokizashi
Posts: 8
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2018 11:34 pm

I just followed those instructions and it worked!

Thank you again! I'm so glad this was such an easy fix!
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Woodie
Posts: 1167
Joined: Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:09 am
Location: Laurel, MD

SAEED_KIZZY wrote:Hi
I think your rain/light sensor module is cleared and you have to initialize it follow the procedure in kizashi manual to reinitialize it.
or go to section Rain / Light Sensor Initialization in service manual
Excellent catch on that one SAEED KIZZY. There's nothing like a huge knowledgebase when it comes to sorting out obscure problems like this.
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SAEED_KIZZY
Posts: 507
Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2017 2:31 pm

Thanks Woodie :D
I guess as a electronic engineer I am obsessed with Kizashi design and fascinated by quality of materials used in this car.
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LPSISRL
Posts: 991
Joined: Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:49 pm
Location: Chesapeake, Virginia

Yikes. I never would have thought of that unless reading the manual said the lights would flash during the initialization. But that makes no sense since you wouldn't see them. Awesome catch.
2011 Kizashi SLS CVT (silver)
2005 Honda Odyssey
Priors:
2009 Suzuki SX4 Cross AWD 5-speed Tech package (vapor metallic blue)
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