NHTSA Complaint #10604722 — 2004 BUICK RAINIER

ELECTRICAL ? MY 2004 BUICK RAINIER HAS HAD A PROBLEM FOR A FEW YEARS NOW WITH THE INTERMITTENT DIMMING OF THE HEADLIGHTS. AS BEST AS I CAN FIGURE OUT, IT HAPPENS NOTICEABLY AT NIGHT WHEN I AM COASTING AT 30-32 MPH. THE BATTERY VOLTAGE METER WILL DROP DOWN TO AROUND 11, CAUSING THE LIGHTS TO DIM AND THEN GO BACK UP. IT MOSTLY HAPPENS WHEN THERE IS MOISTURE IN THE AIR, IT IS NOT GENERALLY AN ISSUE DURING THE MONTHS OF JAN-MAR WHERE IT IS CRISP AND DRIER. I START MY VEHICLE AND LET IT RUN FOR ABOUT A MINUTE OR MORE BEFORE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND DURING MY NIGHT TIME TRAVEL, IT MAY HAPPEN 3 TIMES OR MORE THAN A DOZEN TIMES. THERE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE A DRAIN ON THE POWER OR HANDLING OF THE VEHICLE. I FIND THIS DISCONCERTING WHEREAS MY LIGHTS ARE NOTICEABLY DIMMING TO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. IT MAY APPEAR TO OTHER DRIVERS THAT I AM INDICATING WITH THE ?FLASHING? OF THE HEADLIGHTS THAT THEY CAN CUT OUT IN FRONT OF ME OR MAKE THE TURN FROM A SIDE STREET. I HAVE HAD A FEW CLOSE CALLS IN THIS REGARD BUT I DRIVE KNOWING THAT IT COULD BE AN ISSUE. IT ONLY APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM WHEN I AM COASTING AND NOT APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE GAS PEDAL. *TR