1987 Dodge Ram Dim Lights

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ZDEMARIO
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
So I own a 1987 Dodge Ram (B-150 Van with a V-8) with about... 110k mi. on it.

Anyway I noticed a few nights ago that the electrical bits of the car are dimming then getting brighter again. Kind of like a flicker. It didn't bother me much at first because the lights would only dim when the car was stopped or going slowish. Once I got a little bit of speed the lights (both headlights/brights and the ones in the dash) got brighter again.

But now they're dimmer all time and while the car runs fine, it does unnerve me a little bit. And an interesting bit of information is that the CD player's lights don't dim at all.

And it's not just the lights, the wipers get slower, as do the blinkers, and my brake lights aren't as bright anymore either. It's also a little harder to start the car in the morning (takes the engine a few tries to start).

Any ideas?

Oh, and as a seperate concern, when I start the car up when it's cold, the engine makes sort of a "tickity-tickity" noise until the temperature gage gets to about the second notch (and stops raising).

That is all. Thank you.

-Z. De Mario
May 21, 2006 at 8:19 PM
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VANDRAGON
  • ✓Experienced Mechanic
  • 298 POSTS
sounds like the altenator but could be a just a bad battery connection. take it to autozone and they will check it for free....vandragon
May 22, 2006 at 12:57 AM

Suggested Repair

Have the alternator and battery connections tested, such as with a free charging-system check at an auto parts store.

Conversation Summary

The owner of a 1987 Dodge Ram B-150 van reports dimming lights and slower wipers, blinkers, and brake lights, along with harder morning starts. The dimming was worse at low speed and later became constant, while the CD player lights did not dim. A separate cold-start ticking noise stops as the engine warms. The expert suggests a failing alternator or poor battery connection and recommends a free charging-system test.

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