Annoying Blinking radio and info panel lights... HELP!!

[poohracing]

hi everyone.. i have a 2002 tahoe. when i have my headlights on, my radio and info panel lights start to blink. the more i dim the dash lights the more it blinks!! can anyone shed a lil light on this!!?? thanks for looking!!

 

[Jack_leg]

I’m new here too,
I’m wondering if your radio is on when it is blinking.

Idea A:
If you have a really larger amplifier it will bring the voltage down. Adding a capacitor will help that.

Idea B:
If your radio is stock, no add-ons, it could be a weak or bleeding diode from the alternator. That will allow a small bit of alternating current to bleed back into the electrical system; when that happens the voltage will have a drop that cycles with the alternator speed. A sign of that is if the blinking is faster when you rev the engine.

So my questions are:
Is the blinking constant a speed or does it speed up with the motor?
Does the radio have to be on when this happens?

 

[poohracing]

i would have to check on that... but i do notice that the info panel on the dash, where the "PRND12" is, that blinks as well... thanks for the help!

 

[jey_]

It could be something wrong with the dimmer. Though I usually see this kind of problem with older GM cars - exact same symptom - the more I dim the dash lights, the more it flickers, and when I crank the light intensity all the way up, it stops blinking. Almost like there's a bad connection in the dimmer or something.