Q: Car starts, dashboard lights flicker, air conditioning shuts off

asked by on September 14, 2016

All the dashboard lights come on when I start my truck. For example, the oil light, engine light, brake light, etc. and then they properly turn off when the car has started. The problem that I’m having comes when I'm driving (after the dashboard lights have gone off) and then the dashboard lights begin to randomly flicker on and off as if I’m turning the engine on and off. All the time they flicker, the engine is running. After this happens there is loss of power in the cabin and the air conditioning turns off. What is your diagnosis of my pickup and the fix?

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Hello there, thank you for asking about your 1993 Isuzu Pickup. It sounds like a bad ground in the instrument panel circuit. Looking at the wiring diagram, I see the AC heater control panel and instrument cluster share the same ground, which is designated G200. That is the first place I would start. Electrical diagnosis and repair can be tricky, so I suggest you have a professional look into this for you. A certified technician from YourMechanic can inspect your car’s electrical problems and make the necessary repairs.

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