Elec. problems...
 

One day leaving for work in the morning I didn't have any "running" lights. Head lights and turn signals work, but no dash, or parking lights. All fuses under steering column are good. Any ideas as to what prob is? Anyone else have same issue?

Headlight switch. A lot of times the dimmer part of the switch burns out. you can test it to see if it has power coming out of it to the dash lights. check and see if you have power on fuse #14 (3 amp fuse).

great. thanks. I suspected that but day light was running out and rain was coming down hard so didnt check.

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No dash lights, no pwr to fuse. That thing is hard to get into. basically pull dash out to get to switch. Good job engineers!

hmm. nope. just replaced dimmer switch. kind of a pain. and still no lights

start checking grounds. check the ground on that connects to the core support from the battery. sounds pretty similar to what my truck was doing and thats where my problem was. Good Luck

dimmer switch = turn signal stalk

headlight switch = knob lower left dash

you replace the dimmer switch (multifunction switch)or headlight switch?

I would call it a dimmer switch but its function is running light, head lights, and instrument panel dimmer. But when looking at napa and autozone they ask about intermit. wipers or not. It is the head light switch on lower left dash that has instrument dimmer attached. I suspect a grounding issue because I got the running lights to work a few times for a moment. Is that what the spade term. on back of that housing is for is a ground wire?

The HL on/off switch (which also "dims" the dash lights) is a push/pull knob that rotates to dim the dash lights. They are notorious for failure due to carrying full headlight current load, like all the other inadequately designed Mopar HL circuits of the era. If that is the problem, I'd recommend replacing it and running the headlights off relays to preserve the switch/knob which is becoming expensive and difficult to find.

Yea, cant find any prob. But also the ground to it must be in that giant plug on top. I can get the running lights to come on when I pull the knob out about mid way from off to the first click (running lights).

X2

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And yes it is a ground wire that is supposed to be on that spade

So I returned my old switch and bought new one. Still same symptoms. Can anyone tell me where some of the factory grounding points are? Elec. gremlins are kind of a b*tch. Need to get my old girl back on road. Borrowing 06 6.0 PS ford till I can and it feels like I'm cheating on her.

That doesn't make any sence. that the lights a working if you play around with the switch. unless something is loose. Did you ever find the ground wire that goes on the spade on the switch? It has a Black connector on it & black wire. its by itself under the dash

Yea its really wierd. running lights only come in in some odd sweat spot but if you cuntinue to pull switch out it goes out. I did find that ground. the metal bracket on the front thats bent in way that it goes behind as well has a couple spade tabs on it that it was connected too. I connected it to the metal housing on switch to see if it made a diff. but nope. Is it possible that when I'm plugging new switches in its burning them out with a spike? But the fuse is fine and gets pwr. I just hope its not wiring harness. Nothing looks as though its "burnt" or even got hot.

PM me ur email and I'll try senting u the wiring and ground points of my manual. Or u can buy the factory manual from geno's garage on DVD for $34

If the fuse is getting power now, and wasn't before like you said, check the fuse again. Also check the wires on the back of the fuse panel. I had some wires work there way out and mine did the same thing, new headlight switch and fuse after it kept blowing it, was shorting out.

im curently having the same problem with my truck right now!!!! 96cummins. its driving me nuts because i cant find the problem ive been following wires for a week now nothing is burnt nothing is cut! but the same problem ur having! only headlights, brake lights, and blinkers ! NO running lights no parking lights front or rear and no interior dash lights!! idk what to do i hope you found your problem already because i cant find mine!!!!!!:argh:

Talked to my friend at the dodge dealer. Told me he added a relay kit to some of thess trucks for the running lights. He said he mostly did it on the 2nd gens but has done it on the first gen trucks too. Was done to stop headlight switch from burning up when towing trailers. May or may not be ur problem(s). He told me the relay should be behind the headlight switch. If it was installed at the dealership

all of my wireing looks brand new! same with the switch! even if the switch was bad tho would the blinkers and brake lights work along with the head lights? because i have no power to the parking light plugs but when i hit the blinker it will get power! its driving me crazy! think im goin to pop in a new switch anyways to see if it dose anything

To anyone interested or following my little running light elec problem. It turned out the head light switch has 2 pwr supplies to it. owners manual only says the 3 amp fuse but there is also a 20 amp fuse that sends pwr to rear half trk. Fuse was not blown but looked broken. One of my license plate lights looks like it got real hot but cant seem to find what would cause anything to go bad like this. Either way the old girl is back on the road and lit up!

if you have the wiring diagram then start tracing down wires it what i did i found the hot was burnt/ melted into the other wires but you can rewire your cab with a better fuse block for $225 its what i did but it takes alot of time and patience i got tired of stuff not workin right and electrical gremilins so i redid it.