[vaquero]

So, I was driving thru town tonight, after trailering horses 700 mi. today, and all of a sudden, my dash lights go out! Then, a cop pulls me over because my tail lights are out. I have head lights, brake lights, and directionals, but no dash or tail lights!! Where do I start looking?opcorn:

 

[boggin79ford]

id start off by checking your fuses

 

[8UPRACIN]

probably the head light switch

the early dodges were really bad about melting the wires in the back of the head light switch. i went through several before i had to install a relay to run the tail lights for towing trailers with my 97 that i drove. pull the switch out and check the wires and plastic around the back of the switch

 

[vaquero]

Thanks for the advice. Yeah, 8UPRACIN, I think that may be whats wrong. It started to flicker, and I fiddled with the headlight switch, and it helped for a littel while, then just went black..

 

[Cookie]

Word of warning, the connection behind the headlight switch on the dasj has been known to fill the cab with smoke, it happened to me on night in the middle of the dessert, talk about fun. Thank god for fog lights.
Real easy to fix, I had a 96 and have small hands, if you don't it might be a little tight for you and you might have to take JUST the driverside dash and let it hang down while you do it, really it took me about 30 minutes to do it the second time LOL.

You might also want to check for wire chafing under your truck, sometimes when you tug on the connector it can scrape the plastic coating off the wire making a live wire on metal contact and cause it to short out as well.

 

[vaquero]

yeah, two wires were fragged back behind the headlight switch.:RANTIN: I think that the dash lights going out was only because the connnector was closest to the taillight connector. I don't know why it would do that, I think it only would happen if I was connected to a trailer.
8UPRACIN, how did you go about running a relay on yours, if you don't mind me asking.opcorn:

 

[chevy791979]

HEAD LIGHT SWITCH and the connector.... when you take it apart you will find the terminals are BURNT, when replacing connector cut the wires as far back as possible cause dodge even admitts that there is a problem with the load on such a small wire.

 

[cumminsnh]

Head light and tail light problems also

I have a very similar problem. Started with dash and tail lights then head lights. actuate the switch just right and it all works. Have even smelled hot plastic with head lamps on. So I figure the switch as well. Just not had the time to figure out how to take the dash apart on my 98 dodge. I need a manual but that has been back ordered for a year. Can someone tell me the easy way to take the dash appart to get to the switch?

Thanks,

 

[98-12valve]

all yo do is flip up the cover by the 12 volt acc plug and take out that screw then the black part of the dash is just hel with clips. tilt steering wheel down and find a spt you can get ahold of that part of the dash and just pop it lose working your way around.:thumbsup i know this cause i had my wires melt too. anyone got any info on how to do this relay?

 

[cumminsnh]

Giddy UP! You guys nailed it. The green wire and one other adjacent. Looks more like a corroded or loose connection. I will replace the connector on the green wire and hopefully the switch as well.

Thanks,