Flickering rear cabin dome lights

[dataguy]

I haven't heard of this one before, but the dome lights over the rear cabin of my sedan intermittently flicker (meaning sometimes the lights are fine some of the time, flickering randomly at others), both bulbs at the same time. The front lights are fine when the rears act up. It makes my cabin look like a creepy phone booth

If it were not synchronized or if they flickered all of the time, I'd suspect a bad bulb. But I'm thinking maybe a loose connection somewhere. Any ideas?

 

[Seth]

I have the exact same problem! It happens intermittently. When i had my 09 Gen 3.8 serviced last, i mentioned it, they couldn't replicate it. if i tap on the rear light housing it seems to help a little, but the problem persists.

any thoughts?

 

[MattG]

DG - I know that you have swapped at least some of your interior lighting for LED. I'm not saying that is the problem, directly, but any time that I hear of lights flickering, my first thought is that there is a power draw problem. If there are other mods that you have that interact with the electrical system, I'd put them on the suspect list as well.

That the problem is intermittent makes me wonder if it is tied to some other intermittent factor (electric cooling fan, AC compressor, etc.)

If that is the problem, then an inline capacitor might clear things up, although it seems like a lot of trouble to go to for dome lights, and to my way of thinking, it would be preferable to find the source of the excess power draw instead of merely compensating by increasing the peak power available.

Sounds like you and your car may have a date with a multimeter this weekend.

 

[mikec]

Next time it acts up and you have a moment, tap the ends of the dashboard and see if that makes a difference. It may be a loose/flakey fuse connection. I don't know if the front & rear overheads on are separate fuses or not but I wouldn't be surprised if they were separate. There is another thread with a blank stereo display that was a loose fuse issue; maybe you have something similar.

I did have a loose connector on the engine (camshaft position sensor) early on; it seems Hyundai's assembly folks don't "push" hard enough sometimes to fully seat things. Meanwhile another assembly person apparently over-pushes the wrench on some suspension bolts based on how tight bushing bolts were in a different thread...

mike c.

 

[dataguy]

Thanks for the suggestions. Seeing that I don't have a multimeter and don't have the foggiest how to open up the dome light housing, I'll try tapping on the fuse boxes.

Excessive draw did cross my mind, but even if I turn on all lights and open all doors, I can't replicate the problem. It's usually when I just open one door (and not the same door) when the the rear lights act possessed. In other words, even with multi-LED bulbs in all of the puddle lights on, I can't get the rear overheads to brown out.

I see there was an old thread with basically the same thing reported: http://genesisowners.com/hyundai-genesis-forum/showthread.php?t=727

 

[TreeHaus]

I've experienced the same problem too. Random for a couple of days, but hasn't returned for two weeks. Don't have a solution. Just hoping someone from Hyundai reads the forum and notices a growing problem.

Also have a random (avg. once every other week) TPMS light. Re-start the car & the light goes away. ??

I'll try the fuse thing for both.

 

[bcahn]

Yes,
First night with the car in the garage and me programming the opener transmitters, the dome and drivers light started flickering. Maybe due to the time I was on battery power, haven't had a repeat since.
More to come

 

[ImInPA]

Thanks for the suggestions. Seeing that I don't have a multimeter and don't have the foggiest how to open up the dome light housing, I'll try tapping on the fuse boxes.

Excessive draw did cross my mind, but even if I turn on all lights and open all doors, I can't replicate the problem. It's usually when I just open one door (and not the same door) when the the rear lights act possessed. In other words, even with multi-LED bulbs in all of the puddle lights on, I can't get the rear overheads to brown out.

I see there was an old thread with basically the same thing reported: http://genesisowners.com/hyundai-genesis-forum/showthread.php?t=727

I had a problem with my prior passat. it turns out that the read dome lights were wired in series. one of the bulbs was not seated correctly and caused both rear lights to flicker. Se if you can figure out how to access the rear domes and see if it is something simple like that.

 

[dataguy]

I had a problem with my prior passat. it turns out that the read dome lights were wired in series. one of the bulbs was not seated correctly and caused both rear lights to flicker. Se if you can figure out how to access the rear domes and see if it is something simple like that.

Thanks, I'll give that a try next time it happens...hasn't reoccurred in a while.

 

[dataguy]

After several months of no flickering, it's starting again intermittently with the back row lighting usually out. It's usually when it's cold and when the wind is blowing. But if I knock on the roof near the console light buttons, the flickering stops and the back row lights come back on. So it sounds like maybe a loose connector. Any other thoughts?

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[BocaDave]

Sounds like a bad connection.

Try the simplest things first, see steps 1-5 below, in order, or just skip to step 6. Step 6 will work 99.44% of the time.

1) Remove the light housing, clean any contacts it may make with metal, inspect the few inches of wire you can see, then put a light coat of WD-40 on anything in the area that looks like metal that could touch the light fixture.

2) Before replacing the light fixture, jiggle the wire, tug gently on it, and see if you can replicate the problem. If its in the end of the wire you're playing with, you're lucky. Just fix the break.

3) Replace the bulb. It couldn't hoit, and might help.

4) Check the TSBs.

4) Write Hyundai regional support (they gotta be in the handbook somewhere).

5) No luck, even after going to the dealer? Try another dealer's shop if still under warrantyh.

5) Still no luck, look up the best automtive electrical shop in town, and take your car to them. Be prepared to pay for an hour's labor (maybe a lot less). Pick a shop that only does automotive electric work, and that has several bays, and several mechanics, they probably know their stuff, even if they don't know the Genesis, they'll solve the problem. I guarantee it!

6) Skip steps 1-4 and go immediately to step 5. Save yourself a lot of time and frustration.

Good luck.

 

[bluegreen]

I think this is a problem with the dome button, when this happens to me, I can press down (or up really) on the dome button, and it stops flickering.

 

[dataguy]

Update: Had dealer look at this during an oil change. Diagnosis: sticky lamp switch, corrected by replacing the dome light assembly. So far so good, no flickering.

 

[nearwater]

Thanks for the update, dataguy.
Although I do not have this problem, I will know what to look for if it ever happens to me.

Dan

 

[crhbobby]

I just wanted to say, mine has done this several times. I think if I turn on the dome light...they got brighter...when off, they flickered.

Bob

 

[STREETS]

Mine was doing this the other night- previously 4 months ago. Until it happens frequently- I will not be concerned. When it does- have the dealer replace the lamp.

 

[TNTitan]

Same issue here. If it continues, I will ask service rep to replace the dome light assembly

 

[gerryb]

Also had this happen once. I agree that the dome assy might be the first place to look. Bulbs themselves are in there tight.

 

[dataguy]

A side benefit: I haven't had a plate bulb or courtesy/puddle door bulb (both LEDs) burn out since the switch assembly was replaced. I went through at least a half dozen, which I chalked up to bad bulbs, but perhaps it was the rapid on/off of the bad wiring.

 

[Onedurwho]

Related...but a side-bar on the subject...led bulbs are "electronic". I've replaced all interior lights in a pontiac G6 of ours and when the bulbs are 'on' (doors open) and the radio is on, I have a decrease in signal strength, mostly on the am band, as I listen to some local talk radio. Windows are also tinted, which also cuts the signal strength. Lights go off, signal kicks up again. Since they are electronic I'm wondering what other kind of "interference" we can expect (maybe the 'flicker' problem?).