{"id":139933,"date":"2025-05-16T09:49:57","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T16:49:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogv2prod.wpenginepowered.com\/blog\/?p=139933"},"modified":"2025-10-08T22:24:15","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T05:24:15","slug":"what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/","title":{"rendered":"What Causes Car Dashboard Lights Flashing?"},"content":{"rendered":"<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\">\n<html><body><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><style>.kadence-column139933_e1e673-4f > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column139933_e1e673-4f > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column139933_e1e673-4f > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column139933_e1e673-4f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column139933_e1e673-4f > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column139933_e1e673-4f > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column139933_e1e673-4f{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column139933_e1e673-4f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kadence-column139933_e1e673-4f > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column139933_e1e673-4f inner-column-1 qk-look-widget\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-row ultp-block-adcea4  qk-main-wrap\"><div class=\"ultp-row-wrapper\"><div class=\"ultp-row-content\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-ultimate-post-column ultp-block-23c675\"><div class=\"ultp-column-wrapper\"><style>.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading139933_b978d8-76, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading139933_b978d8-76[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading139933_b978d8-76\"]{text-align:center;font-size:20px;font-style:normal;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading139933_b978d8-76 mark.kt-highlight, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading139933_b978d8-76[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading139933_b978d8-76\"] mark.kt-highlight{font-family:Inter;font-weight:500;font-style:normal;color:#f76a0c;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;box-decoration-break:clone;padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading139933_b978d8-76 img.kb-inline-image, .wp-block-kadence-advancedheading.kt-adv-heading139933_b978d8-76[data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading139933_b978d8-76\"] img.kb-inline-image{width:150px;vertical-align:baseline;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"kt-adv-heading139933_b978d8-76 summary-title wp-block-kadence-advancedheading\" data-kb-block=\"kb-adv-heading139933_b978d8-76\"><span>Summary<\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Flickering dashboard lights usually mean the dashboard isn&rsquo;t getting steady electrical power, most often due to a weak battery, failing alternator, or faulty voltage regulator, though bad fuses, poor grounds, loose connections, or defective power modules can also cause the issue.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the vehicle won&rsquo;t start and the dashboard lights are blinking, the problem often involves the battery, alternator, voltage regulator, or fuse panel circuits, while isolated flickering lights may point to issues in the PCM, wiring, or security system that require diagnostic trouble code checks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To address the problem, test or replace an aging battery, inspect the alternator or voltage regulator if flickering happens while driving, consult the owner&rsquo;s manual for specific light meanings, and seek professional help promptly, especially if headlights also flicker, which indicates alternator, ground, or connection faults.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine driving about normally, when you notice lights flashing on your dashboard. It&rsquo;s not just the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/check-engine-light-flashing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"check engine light\">check engine light<\/a>. Other visuals like the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/speedometer\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"speedometer\">speedometer<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/fuel-gauge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"fuel gauge\">fuel gauge<\/a> are also flickering, looking like strange disco lights on your dash.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your vehicle&rsquo;s dashboard holds a wealth of information. It provides real-time updates about things that are crucial to driving through gauges, signs, and other visuals. Seeing its lights flashing can be alarming because that can point to a wide array of issues.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The exact circumstances surrounding the flickering dashboard lights can help you pinpoint what&rsquo;s wrong. Here are some possible causes behind flickering dashboard lights:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why the Dashboard Lights Are Flickering While Driving<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Dashboard lights flashing typically indicate that the dashboard isn&rsquo;t receiving enough electrical power from the battery or alternator.<\/strong> You&rsquo;ll need to determine which of the following issues is the culprit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Weak Car Battery<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/my-car-battery-wont-hold-a-charge-what-do-i-do\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"weak car battery\">weak car battery<\/a> can&rsquo;t retain the right amount of charge for efficient operations. Its power tends to drop intermittently. This can cause your dashboard lights and other vehicle accessories to falter. Also note that a poor connection at the battery can also cause strange problems like this even if the alternator is working perfectly.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A typical <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-does-a-car-battery-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"car battery\">car battery<\/a> lasts three to four years. If your dashboard lights are flickering and it&rsquo;s been a while since your last battery replacement, changing the battery might fix the problem.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bad Alternator<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/alternator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"alternator\">alternator<\/a> produces electricity as the engine runs, recharging the battery and powering the vehicle&rsquo;s electric components, including the dashboard lights. A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-diagnose-a-faulty-alternator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"failing alternator\">failing alternator<\/a> won&rsquo;t be able to keep up with the power demand. The electrical components will drain the battery instead.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When the battery power runs out, features like the dashboard lights will start to malfunction. A few related symptoms you might notice include difficulty starting the vehicle, finicky accessories, and frequent engine stalling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Usually, you&rsquo;ll see a battery indicator light on or flashing when the alternator isn&rsquo;t working, so pay attention to that and notice other electrical accessories like the A\/C blower and the power windows. If they&rsquo;re working slowly, it&rsquo;s another indicator that the battery is draining. Eventually, the vehicle will stall and not start.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Inoperative or Malfunctioning Voltage Regulator<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The voltage regulator&rsquo;s job is to keep the electrical system running well without overcharging or undercharging the battery.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/bad-voltage-regulator-symptoms-testing-replacement-cost-more\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"faulty voltage regulator\">faulty voltage regulator<\/a> can&rsquo;t control the voltage moving between the alternator and the battery. This leads to malfunctioning components, including flashing or dimming dashboard lights. Also, if the regulator fails so that the alternator is full-fielded, the battery and system voltage will go too high, and that can be an even bigger problem for modules and other components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"pro-tip-widget\">\n\n    <div class=\"pro-tip-item\">\n        <figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cld.partsimg.com\/image\/upload\/f_auto,dpr_auto,q_auto,c_pad\/carparts\/blog\/widgets\/protip\/services-icon\" alt=\", P0442 Code: Evaporative Emission Control System Leak Detected (Small Leak)\" class=\"kb-img\"><\/figure>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <div class=\"protip-desc\">\n        <div class=\"help-tip\">\n        <p><strong>Pro Tips<\/strong> are nuggets of information direct from ASE-certified automobile technicians working with CarParts.com, which may include unique, personal insights based on their years of experience working in the automotive industry. These can help you make more informed decisions about your car.<\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"help-caption\">\n            <p>\n                <strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong>\n                Some alternators have the voltage regulator built into the alternator but many have the voltage regulation function built into the PCM. The voltage regulator keeps track of the battery voltage and controls alternator output by the amount of current delivered to rotor windings. Target voltage is typically around 14.5 volts when the alternator is working.            <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Failing Fuse Boxes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Bad fuses or bulbs are another possible cause for your vehicle&rsquo;s flickering dash lights. Fuses protect the electrical system from too much current. Bad fuse panel circuitry may cause flickering lights, but typically fuses are either blown or they&rsquo;re not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Smart junction boxes and totally integrated power modules can cause issues as well and may need to be replaced. Be careful because some of these need to be programmed before they&rsquo;ll work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Your Car Won&rsquo;t Start While Its Dashboard Lights Are Blinking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If your vehicle isn&rsquo;t starting but you notice some dashboard lights are flashing, it&rsquo;s likely connected to something amiss in one of the vehicle&rsquo;s systems.<strong> <\/strong>It might be safe to assume it&rsquo;s the battery, alternator, or voltage regulator if the battery dashboard light is flashing, or perhaps even an issue with some of the relays or fuse panel circuits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>While the battery is yet again the most likely culprit, other issues might be present if only one or two of the dashboard lights are flickering.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dashboard lights have different meanings. The check engine light will have your mechanic scanning the powertrain control module (PCM) for diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs). That way, they can identify what might be causing your vehicle&rsquo;s no-start condition.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Inoperative or malfunctioning parts and systems that might be triggering the dashboard lights include the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Powertrain control module<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wiring and electrical system<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Security system<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can look up the specific meanings of other dashboard lights in your owner&rsquo;s manual. In general, the lights can help you identify which system needs attention.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Automakers can create customized dashboard lights, but a few universal ones include the check engine light, the battery check light, and the anti-lock brake system light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Your Car Headlights and Dashboard Lights Are Flickering<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If both headlights and dashboard lights are flickering, you can likely blame a faulty alternator, a bad ground, or a bad connection somewhere in the harness or in a switch. A bad alternator will struggle to provide consistent voltage for all of the vehicle&rsquo;s electric systems, which includes all of the lights. It&rsquo;s a problem you&rsquo;ll notice especially well at night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Flickering lights are a big safety hazard in the dark, so if this happens, be sure to bring your vehicle in for repairs as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What To Do If Your Vehicle&rsquo;s Dashboard Lights Are Blinking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In the end, if all your dash lights are blinking, you can likely blame an issue with the vehicle&rsquo;s battery or its related components.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/how-to-replace-a-car-battery\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Change the battery\">Change the battery<\/a> right away, or at the very least, have it checked if it&rsquo;s been three to four years since your last battery replacement. If the dashboard lights are flickering while driving, then check out the alternator or voltage regulator<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If only a few dashboard lights are flashing, double-check that light&rsquo;s meaning in the owner&rsquo;s manual and address the problem accordingly. Familiarizing yourself with the lights and their meanings will help you diagnose issues you can fix yourself and those that need the professional touch.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Take your vehicle to a trusted mechanic if you aren&rsquo;t too familiar with your vehicle&rsquo;s systems. They can help you read and address any DTCs logged in the PCM.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 4<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span>Imagine driving about normally, when you notice lights flashing on your dashboard. It&rsquo;s not just the check engine light. Other&#8230; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1651,"featured_media":165135,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1034,52,3751],"tags":[19,73,3032,1161],"ppma_author":[2607,2985],"class_list":{"0":"post-139933","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-auto-repair","8":"category-diy","9":"category-warning-lights","10":"tag-alternator","11":"tag-battery","12":"tag-fuse","13":"tag-voltage-regulator","14":"entry"},"acf":{"adrotate_specific_mobile_ad":"","adrotate_specific_desktop_ad":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What Causes Car Dashboard Lights Flashing? - In The Garage with CarParts.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Your vehicle\u2019s dashboard lights flash to warn you about possible issues, but what if they\u2019re all flickering at once? Here are the common causes.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Causes Car Dashboard Lights Flashing? - In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Your vehicle\u2019s dashboard lights flash to warn you about possible issues, but what if they\u2019re all flickering at once? Here are the common causes.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-16T16:49:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-09T05:24:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/dashboard-lights.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"CarParts.com Research Team, Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarPartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@carpartscom\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"CarParts.com Research Team\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\\\/\"},\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"1651\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"jobTitle\":\"Expert Automotive Writer\",\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com&#039;s thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.\",\"knowsAbout\":\"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews\",\"publishingPrinciples\":\"\\\/blog\\\/our-team\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/thecpteam\\\/\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/carpartscom, https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/CarPartscom, https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@CarPartscomOfficial\\\/, https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/carpartscom\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"$id\":\"1651\",\"name\":\"Richard McCuistian\",\"jobTitle\":\"ASE Master Automobile Technician\",\"description\":\"Richard McCuistian has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, and a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others. Richard is ASE certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.\",\"knowsAbout\":\"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews\",\"publishingPrinciples\":\"\\\/blog\\\/our-team\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/richardmccuistian\\\/\",\"sameAs\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/in\\\/richard-mccuistian-2681891b\\\/, https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/McCuistian\"}],\"headline\":\"What Causes Car Dashboard Lights Flashing?\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-16T16:49:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-09T05:24:15+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1161,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/dashboard-lights.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"alternator\",\"battery\",\"fuse\",\"voltage-regulator\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Auto Repair\",\"DIY\",\"Warning Lights\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\\\/\",\"name\":\"What Causes Car Dashboard Lights Flashing? - In The Garage with CarParts.com\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/dashboard-lights.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-16T16:49:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-09T05:24:15+00:00\",\"description\":\"Your vehicle\u2019s dashboard lights flash to warn you about possible issues, but what if they\u2019re all flickering at once? Here are the common causes.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/dashboard-lights.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/dashboard-lights.jpg\",\"width\":1500,\"height\":1000,\"caption\":\"dashboard lights\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"In The Garage with CarParts.com\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/cp-itg-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/03\\\/cp-itg-logo.png\",\"width\":2048,\"height\":398,\"caption\":\"CarParts.com\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/carpartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/carpartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/carpartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@CarPartscomOfficial\\\/\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/9f8a8b00e1b9f62f86295617b525e1f0\",\"name\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/04\\\/thecpteam.jpg485c93be26f8b27acc17cbe4a2313397\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/04\\\/thecpteam.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/04\\\/thecpteam.jpg\",\"caption\":\"CarParts.com Research Team\"},\"description\":\"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com's thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/thecpteam\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/carpartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/carpartscom\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/https:\\\/\\\/twitter.com\\\/CarPartscom\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/@CarPartscomOfficial\\\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.carparts.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/thecpteam\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What Causes Car Dashboard Lights Flashing? - In The Garage with CarParts.com","description":"Your vehicle\u2019s dashboard lights flash to warn you about possible issues, but what if they\u2019re all flickering at once? Here are the common causes.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What Causes Car Dashboard Lights Flashing? - In The Garage with CarParts.com","og_description":"Your vehicle\u2019s dashboard lights flash to warn you about possible issues, but what if they\u2019re all flickering at once? Here are the common causes.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/","og_site_name":"In The Garage with CarParts.com","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom","article_published_time":"2025-05-16T16:49:57+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-10-09T05:24:15+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1500,"height":1000,"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/dashboard-lights.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"CarParts.com Research Team, Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarPartscom","twitter_site":"@carpartscom","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"CarParts.com Research Team","Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/"},"author":[{"@type":"Person","$id":"1651","name":"CarParts.com Research Team","jobTitle":"Expert Automotive Writer","description":"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com&#039;s thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.","knowsAbout":"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews","publishingPrinciples":"\/blog\/our-team\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/thecpteam\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom, https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarPartscom, https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CarPartscomOfficial\/, https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/carpartscom\/"},{"@type":"Person","$id":"1651","name":"Richard McCuistian","jobTitle":"ASE Master Automobile Technician","description":"Richard McCuistian has worked for nearly 50 years in the automotive field as a professional technician, an instructor, and a freelance automotive writer for Motor Age, ACtion magazine, Power Stroke Registry, and others. Richard is ASE certified for more than 30 years in 10 categories, including L1 Advanced Engine Performance and Light Vehicle Diesel.","knowsAbout":"Auto Repair, Car Maintenance, Auto Parts, Car Reviews","publishingPrinciples":"\/blog\/our-team\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/richardmccuistian\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/richard-mccuistian-2681891b\/, https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/McCuistian"}],"headline":"What Causes Car Dashboard Lights Flashing?","datePublished":"2025-05-16T16:49:57+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-09T05:24:15+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/"},"wordCount":1161,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/dashboard-lights.jpg","keywords":["alternator","battery","fuse","voltage-regulator"],"articleSection":["Auto Repair","DIY","Warning Lights"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/","name":"What Causes Car Dashboard Lights Flashing? - In The Garage with CarParts.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/dashboard-lights.jpg","datePublished":"2025-05-16T16:49:57+00:00","dateModified":"2025-10-09T05:24:15+00:00","description":"Your vehicle\u2019s dashboard lights flash to warn you about possible issues, but what if they\u2019re all flickering at once? Here are the common causes.","inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/what-causes-car-dashboard-lights-flashing\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/dashboard-lights.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/dashboard-lights.jpg","width":1500,"height":1000,"caption":"dashboard lights"},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/","name":"In The Garage with CarParts.com","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"CarParts.com","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cp-itg-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cp-itg-logo.png","width":2048,"height":398,"caption":"CarParts.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom","https:\/\/x.com\/carpartscom","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/carpartscom","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CarPartscomOfficial\/"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/9f8a8b00e1b9f62f86295617b525e1f0","name":"CarParts.com Research Team","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/thecpteam.jpg485c93be26f8b27acc17cbe4a2313397","url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/thecpteam.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/thecpteam.jpg","caption":"CarParts.com Research Team"},"description":"The CarParts.com Research Team is composed of experienced automotive and tech writers working with (ASE)-certified automobile technicians and automotive journalists to bring up-to-date, helpful information to car owners in the US. Guided by CarParts.com's thorough editorial process, our team strives to produce guides and resources DIYers and casual car owners can trust.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/thecpteam\/","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/carpartscom","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/carpartscom\/","https:\/\/x.com\/https:\/\/twitter.com\/CarPartscom","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@CarPartscomOfficial\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/thecpteam\/"}]}},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/dashboard-lights.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/dashboard-lights.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"CarParts.com Research Team","author_link":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/author\/thecpteam\/"},"authors":[{"term_id":2607,"user_id":1651,"is_guest":0,"slug":"thecpteam","display_name":"CarParts.com Research Team","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/thecpteam.jpg","url2x":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/thecpteam.jpg"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""},{"term_id":2985,"user_id":1646,"is_guest":0,"slug":"richardmccuistian","display_name":"Richard McCuistian, ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/richard-mccuistian.png","url2x":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/richard-mccuistian.png"},"0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139933","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1651"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139933"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139933\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/165135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139933"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139933"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139933"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.carparts.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=139933"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}