Headlights Dim when wheel turned

My headlights noticeably dim when I turn the wheel. Only apparent at idle (and not rolling) Also it was pretty cold tonight.

My old accord used to do this and was especially apparent when the battery was nearing the end of its life.

This being a new car and battery- Curious if anyone else has noticed this?

Pretty sure cars do this especially if you do a hard cut while idle

sesty said:

My headlights noticeably dim when I turn the wheel. Only apparent at idle (and not rolling) Also it was pretty cold tonight.

My old accord used to do this and was especially apparent when the battery was nearing the end of its life.

This being a new car and battery- Curious if anyone else has noticed this?

Click to expand...

Older cars with hydraulic power steering do this because the hydraulic pump causes the engine to slow down which causes the alternator to slow down which causes the battery voltage to drop.

Newer cars with electric power steering do this because the power steering motor consumes a lot of power when turning the wheel at a stop which causes the battery voltage to drop.

The degree to which it becomes apparent varies depending on lots of variables such as idle speed, the battery's state of charge, the type of lighting the vehicle has, and the way the charging system operates.

I rarely notice this because I avoid turn my steering wheel unless the vehicle is rolling whenever possible. Otherwise, you're just grinding your tires into the pavement causing premature wear.