Flickering Headlights

[Deleted User 1715]

I hope that sorts it, I find it very odd to leave this connection so exposed. I cleaned mine up and sprayed it with an anti-corrosion wax and will be checking it each year to see how it lasts.

[Philskill]

It's definitely a weak point, mine with only 5000 miles on was full of grit and corrosion started, good clean and treatment required from time to time.

Hopefully that was the cause, maybe the entertainment system plus the lights were struggling to pull juice through the corroded connector, but its purely a guess/speculation.

My connection point when I checked it!

[StevenS]

Sadly the lights flickered again today. I then switched off the screen on the entertainment system and drove on. No more flickering headlights- did the same on the way home and no flickering. Such a random problem this could be pure luck !!

Anyone know how to get to the wiring / connector to the entertainment unit just in case it is working loose ?

I suspect perseverance will be required with this one - and hopefully I can find some !!

[MANTOT3]

This link will show you how to get behind the head unit/ screen to the connectors plus a whole forest of cables!

Its not a difficult job, the connectors I've handled have a very positive clip securing them together though so would be surprised if they've worked loose.
Good luck, hope you find the answer.

[StevenS]

Thank you. Will give it a go.

Searching for something that might be the cause. Screen blacks out as headlights flicker. Just don’t know which is causing the other. Lights and head unit seem to work fine until the problem comes along

It definitely feels like a bad connection / bad earth type problem but no idea why the lights and screen are linked

Will keep trying !!

[scm]

The horn stopped working on my F-Type shortly after I took delivery. Being lazy, I checked the fuse first and it wasn't fully seated. Out of interest, I checked all the other fuses and many of them benefitted from an extra little push. Horn's worked perfectly ever since. Nothing to lose by trying?

[StevenS]

Thanks - I thought I had cracked it with Gus’ tip on the corroded connector - but to no avail. I have checked all the fuse seatings in the numerous fuse boxes but will go back over them. Might even swap the entertainment unit fuse with another one of same rating just in case it is faulty.

Since the lights last flickered ( yesterday evening ) I have driven with the entertainment unit screen switched off and not had any flickering since - but again such a random issue it could happen again tomorrow

I will follow the guidance to remove the unit at the weekend and see if I find anything there

It has to be a loose / bad connection somewhere - but why the lights and the entertainment unit are linked is a mystery to me !

More to follow if I find a cure - if not it will be going to an auto electrician to see if they can find something

Anyone know of any other connections that could be subject to corrosion etc ?

Thanks

Steven

[Deleted User 1715]

It’s a bit strange that it’s affecting lights and infotainment which you would not assume were closely linked systems, but not affecting other areas like engine electronics. I would be looking at the electrical distribution, maybe worth checking the security of connections to the bus bars in the boot and other main circuit connections.

I hope you get it sorted, must be very frustrating.

[RPSN]

Since the lights last flickered ( yesterday evening ) I have driven with the entertainment unit screen switched off and not had any flickering since - but again such a random issue it could happen again tomorrow

I will follow the guidance to remove the unit at the weekend and see if I find anything there

It has to be a loose / bad connection somewhere - but why the lights and the entertainment unit are linked is a mystery to me !

More to follow if I find a cure - if not it will be going to an auto electrician to see if they can find something

Anyone know of any other connections that could be subject to corrosion etc ?

As you’ve said that the issue could be caused by a bad connection / bad earth type problem, have a look at the following link and scroll down to Nick’s post near the bottom of the page. He was having electrical issues and found the problem was caused by corrosion on the engine earth strap connection.

He removed the strap from the chassis and cleaned the affected areas with emery paper before reconnecting it. The other end of the strap (which is on the engine itself) was fine and he didn’t remove it.

viewtopic.php?f=21&t=4482&start=10

Also, have a look at his earlier topic on the link below as it explains in more detail the electrical issues he was having and how he resolved the problem as mentioned above. These are the issues he reported........"unable to use the steering wheel buttons to change track on a cd / tried the touch screen and nothing worked / tried to change using the mode buttons, no go / car wouldn't start, low battery message."

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=4283

Note: His car doesn't have the power stud/earth connection point which is encased in the plastic cover (junction box) under the front driver’s side wheel arch of his MY2015 V8R Coupe. This is different to your MY2015 V6S Coupe but your car should have the engine earth strap that he mentions (mine does) so it could be worth checking?

I can see from your earlier post that your car's electrical connections inside the front wheel arch junction box were badly corroded and you've now cleaned them up. I'm assuming you actually loosened the connections and re-seated them? Can't quite see from your photo but it's also a good idea to smother them with a corrosion protector to help prevent further issues (you may have already done this?).

I've attached Nick's photos of the engine earth strap and connection point.

[simpleR]

I don't know whether the below is helpful or not and is posted as is. From the repair manual with my comments with **.


Earth and Fuses
==============================
So headlights and touchscreen are not only separate fuses but completely different fuse boxes in different areas of the car.

PASSENGER COMPARTMENT FUSE BOX - Left side A pillar fuse box
F21 10A Red Rear camera, Headlamps, Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Park Distance Control (PDC), Interior mirror
F22 5A Tan Right side headlamp motor
F23 5A Tan Left side headlamp motor
F24 5A Tan Headlamp levelling

LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT FUSE BOX
F1 15A Blue Touch screen, Front integrated control panel
F4 10A Red Digital radio, Navigation system, Television tuner
F5 15A Blue Audio head unit
F6 15A Blue Audio video input

** If you had a bad earth on a major strap or earth point then you might expect multiple issues not just two minor ones but of course ruling out a bad earth is a good thing to do I guess.




Auto Lights and Connections
=============================
** yeah I know everyone knows this, lifted from repair manual.

The lighting control switch is located on the left steering column multifunction switch. The lighting control switch is a rotary control with positions for the following lighting functions:
- Off
- Side and tail lamps
- Headlamps
- Autolamps
- Headlamp delay timer (3 time period selections).

For both the lighting control switch and steering column multifunction switch, analogue inputs are used by the Control Board. When a switching event occurs, the change of input voltage, referenced against the reference ground, is assessed in order to determine which switching mechanism was activated.
The autolamps operation uses ambient light levels which are monitored by a photo-diode incorporated in the rain/light sensor. The rain/light sensor sends a lights on/off request to the CJB via the LIN bus, which responds by switching the low beam headlamps, front side lamps and rear tail lamps on/off.

** From looking at it, if the lights were to activate due to a low light situation then touchscreen might try and flick from day mode to night mode or reduce brightness. And vice versa. So if the head lights are flickering because the car is trying to turn lights off/on quickly then that might explain the touchscreen doing the same. Maybe.



Troubleshooting Guide
============================

Ensure there are no large reflective items, white papers, etc., sitting on top of the instrument panel in near view of the auto high beam camera, or stickers placed directly in front of the camera.

Ensure any dashcams are removed as they can affect the light sensor.

Ensure windscreen is clear and clean with no defects.

Set the lights to ON using "Headlamps" (Lights manually ON - not auto).

Test

If OK and flickering STOPS then inspect rain/light sensor and circuits.
If not OK and issue continues inspect "left steering column multifunction switch".

** So rule out "autolamps" and then I know you have had the stork replaced already but perhaps start again there and the cabling/wires from that into steering wheel and as you can see above it uses a reference signal against ground so check ground on steering wheel and storks etc.



Hope that helps, hope you get it sorted and let everyone know what is was.
Scott