power fluctuations / lights getting dimmer & brighter

[fenixus]

Hi,
I have bought used 2000 Solara 2.2L I4 some time ago and since the beggining I experience some trouble with electric power fluctuations. Mainly it is perfectly visible at night, basically all lights (external & internal) including dashboard control lights get dimmer & brighter every second. It happens only when engine is running. When I shut down the engine such behaviour stops immediately.
Already replaced battery and this problem still persists. Could it be a faulty alternator? ECU doesn't show any error on that and the seller says it's always been like that... no comments.

[nyyankees3511]

My car is like this too.

[fenixus]

that's weird. at least I am not alone with this problem... guys? anyone else expereinced the same problem with solara?

[SolaraTRD]

Try this...
When parked at night with the headlights and fogs on... Look at your cluster. Rev the engine (very lightly will do) and do you notice the cluster/dash lights kinda get a bit brighter... then back to dim again when the revs goes back down?

As long as the lights/car doesn't go all the way off or to a point where you can't read the gauges, its normal. Electrical drain from everything running, especially when those headlights are on.

[fenixus]

Yes CSAXON, this is it. I will check alternator if disconnecting it helps (probably not), anyway needed to change the battery some time ago but it didn't solve the problem. The worst flickering I noticed with road map light, it makes me feel sick...

But... the problem is the air /fuel sensors are coming on at the same time, so replacing them is not gonna fix it, right? ultimate question is how da hell I fix it

Let me know if I only need to replace A/F sensor with a new one or I need Toyota dealer to reload the ECU software with updated version...

My car is 2000 and it has only 37K miles. Should I go to dealer for reprogramming of the computer? How much do they charge for something like it? I think that if Toyota admitted the problem thaey shall fix it for free since this is THEIR fault... any suggestions? should we contact Better Business Bureau www.bbb.org?
Thanks!

[fenixus]

Hi everybody.

writing now, but 2 months ago discovered the most stupid reason of lights flickering in the world and still ashamed to admit it here

well, ehhm the reason of my problem was one loose screw (one out of 2) on positive connector of the battery
once the screw was tightened the flickering disappeared. well maybe it's funny but also error code P0505 (IAC valve) is gone since that time. Looks like no more problems with my Toyota since that time, I additionally did transmission service including filter & fluid change so now my Solara runs smooth and nice.

really like this car finally

Thanks to all fr diagnosisng and good luck with your rides!

[ozarkpreacher]

these type problems can nearly always be traced back to a poor ground connection. Not always but...

[SolaraTRD]

Glad we got a good outcome