New Battery - stray indicator lights
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5th Gear
Joined: Jan 2017
Posts: 5
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From: Northern California
New Battery - stray indicator lights
I own a 2005 MDX standard model (not the Touring model)
A month or so ago I decided I needed to replace the battery. Before doing so I checked the alternator and it was working fine - proper voltage output. I bought a new Sears Diehard. I used the code to get the radio working. Then the gremlins haunted my car even after several days of driving - maybe 50 miles total. The dash indicator lights would randomly turn themselves on and off, back and forth it went even after resetting using the trip odometer switch. When turning the headlights on the radio would temporarily turn off, then on, then off, etc. All of these were random. I was told by an auto shop owner the computer needed to reset after several driving cycles and some cars need more cycles. Still, nothing changed after many driving cycles. There was no predicting which indicator lights would turn off and which on - everything was random. Even the fuel gauge would die for a second or two. As I recall any gauge on the dash would just drop out for a second or two and then come back - off and on, and back and forth.
After getting nowhere I did an internet search. I found a thread on another bulletin board where the owner turned all electrical systems off - headlights, interior lights, heaters, a/c, radio, etc. Then insert the key and turn to the on position without starting the engine. Push the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and wait 30 - 60 seconds with the pedal to the metal. Then release the pedal. Remove the key from the ignition switch. Reinsert the key and start the engine. It worked! All the stray indicator lights were gone.
Thought I'd pass this on to the board in case someone else has the same problem.
A month or so ago I decided I needed to replace the battery. Before doing so I checked the alternator and it was working fine - proper voltage output. I bought a new Sears Diehard. I used the code to get the radio working. Then the gremlins haunted my car even after several days of driving - maybe 50 miles total. The dash indicator lights would randomly turn themselves on and off, back and forth it went even after resetting using the trip odometer switch. When turning the headlights on the radio would temporarily turn off, then on, then off, etc. All of these were random. I was told by an auto shop owner the computer needed to reset after several driving cycles and some cars need more cycles. Still, nothing changed after many driving cycles. There was no predicting which indicator lights would turn off and which on - everything was random. Even the fuel gauge would die for a second or two. As I recall any gauge on the dash would just drop out for a second or two and then come back - off and on, and back and forth.
After getting nowhere I did an internet search. I found a thread on another bulletin board where the owner turned all electrical systems off - headlights, interior lights, heaters, a/c, radio, etc. Then insert the key and turn to the on position without starting the engine. Push the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor and wait 30 - 60 seconds with the pedal to the metal. Then release the pedal. Remove the key from the ignition switch. Reinsert the key and start the engine. It worked! All the stray indicator lights were gone.
Thought I'd pass this on to the board in case someone else has the same problem.
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