At 96,500 miles our 07 Fit definitely has the pulsing lights issue, started a long long time ago. Got one of those "11177" re-manufactured units that are everywhere. Not only did it whine (bad bearing I guess) but the car was flickering the battery warning light, however the lights didn't pulse. My digital multimeter couldn't see a problem, but I did note the replacement was running 0.3-0.4 volts lower than the original. What a messed up Saturday. So I wrenched it out and put the original back in, which works fine no battery light on the dash, just the lights pulse again.

Did you guys use the $360 Honda OEM, or did I just get a lemon remanuf unit?

 

Aftermarket starters and alternators are always a crapshoot.

If you have a reputable auto electric rebuilder in your area, you might look into having the original alternator rebuilt....but not if they are going to use the cheapest parts to do it.




I put a Honda reman alt on an 07 (@270k miles) for a customer about a month ago, theirs was pulsing the lights too...my voltmeter was too slow to see it unless I set it on min/max capture.
That car was totaled last week, I should have asked if I can get the alt I installed....so I can put it on my GFs Fit before hers craps out LOL

 

I replaced the OEM Mitsubishi alternator with a Denso unit from Rock Auto, no issues. It was $45 more but I've had good luck with that brand in other makes.

++++++++

I second the idea of having the original unit rebuilt at a shop. It takes a day to do, but if you have the time it's the way to go.

 

I saw that Denso on Amazon, but the $322 price is higher than OEM from the popular online Honda parts stores ($310-$315), but maybe that's a brand new Denso, not a reman. How hard/easy is it to get the $35 core back to Rock Auto for refund credit? Ah, probably not worth the shipping cost, that's on me not them. I guess I'll roll the dice one more time and hope for the best. I'm a pro at changing the alternator now though, lol. Unfortunately having the car down on a weekday is pretty impossible for a local alternator rebuild. I guess I should have left the junk one in for a week and dropped mine off at the shop, too late now, I returned it already.

 

No issue with core charges on Rock Auto...in fact on a different car, they gave me the core credit on an alternator that I had purchased over a YEAR previous. I did call them first, so as not to waste the shipping $$.

 

Thanks, will probably try RockAuto/Denso on the next attempt. WHY is the regulator not external to the alternator ... imagine if Apple made cars, you'd have to buy a new car to change the battery.

 

That seems so 1960's. Who uses external regulators these days?

You should check out some of the much newer Hondas... The alternator on a 2015 Fit has become part of a communication network, the single small wire in the back of the alternator now carries data.....and aftermarket already seems to have one hell of a time getting that to work right.

I can't wait to see what the future brings for the discount parts situation.

 

My Z4 has that for the marker lights at each corner of the vehicle. Nobody can get the driver side lights to come on!!! "Bulbs are good, light modules are good, we see the command data on the wire, but they just don't turn on when installed in your car!"

 

Okay, the Denso reman (from rockauto) is in, and everything seems happy!