Headlights flash everytime I start the ignition, is this normal?

[CrazyInWeston]

Hey guys.

Basically, every time I turn the ignition my headlights do a little flash and I've been trying to look it up and getting conflicting results.

Some say its an electrical problem, others say that its a sign of your battery going flat and that this is an early warning system?? (What?)

I'm hoping some of you knowledgeable folk on here will know what exactly is going on, thanks in advance.

[Jonro2009]

Do you have a multimeter? First thing I would do is check the battery, your looking for around 12.5V when you check it. Does the radio crackle or dash flicker too? 

In my limited experience it is either the battery going bad or the alternator.

[Russ]

On 1/19/2019 at 2:21 AM, CrazyInWeston said:

Hey guys.

Basically, every time I turn the ignition my headlights do a little flash and I've been trying to look it up and getting conflicting results.

Some say its an electrical problem, others say that its a sign of your battery going flat and that this is an early warning system?? (What?)

I'm hoping some of you knowledgeable folk on here will know what exactly is going on, thanks in advance.

Your battery is going flat (as you rightly say) and yes I’ve also heard this is an indicator. Had the same on both my mk6 fiesta and my focus mk2.5. As Jonro above says, use a multimeter to check your battery. 

[CrazyInWeston]

On 1/21/2019 at 11:41 AM, Russ said:

Your battery is going flat (as you rightly say) and yes I’ve also heard this is an indicator. Had the same on both my mk6 fiesta and my focus mk2.5. As Jonro above says, use a multimeter to check your battery. 

Sorry late reply, but thanks for your comment here, confirms it for me and now need to save up for a new battery... Hmm... where did I leave my radio code?

[F0CUE]

Can confirm mines done that before battery went was like wtf.

[WireyWhenWet]

+1 Here too...

Mine has had random spats of being dead 3 times since Christmas just gone, but no reason for it. Couple of days ago I'd been out in the morning and then that night not a sausage. Dead-dead. Had to crawl through the car to get to the boot where my leads were as it had deadlocked and leccy tailgate said no.

Fast forward, couldn't seem to jump it off a van, got a few volts in and the interior lights came on, gave it a mo and fired it - starter motor turned a couple of times then rattled off like a SA80 with the lights raving to the coughs.. Gave up and put a charger on it, but it would seem to charge for 50 secs or so, hitting 12.35v and then the charger cut off, with the batt dropping to ~4v.. At that point I tried to start it after 'charging' for 45 mins and all I got was lights on then the ECU ticking and squealing - even AFTER I'd removed the key!

Finally got it going again from a newer car batt so took it for a blast and it'd been fine for that night to next morning, when I took it to Halfords and Wilko to see what their free battery checks would reveal..

Halfords tool crapped out 13 times with multiple earthing points (including the neg pole..) all I got was 'error' until #14 completed and reported my 60ah 600cca batt to be giving 9v and 15a - the fella said "Yeah that's stuffed, I'll go grab he jumper to get it going for you"

I replied with no it'll be fine.. ' (Still had dash lights). To his amazement it fired up first time with no hesitation.

Wilko just down the road then had a go, their meter came up with 'battery unstable' before their meter shut off and didn't come back on.. Pretty safe bet that it had a cell or two out at this point so bobbed to Costco and picked up a new Bosch S4 60/540 for £67, no issues at all thus far and on using the heated windscreen now my headlights dont appear to dim quite so much and quite so immediately on a morning when it's in use.

 

Time will tell and all that.