Hi all, I'm new to the forum. I have a 1994 Dakota, and my headlights keep intermittently turning off while I'm driving. The parking lights, tail lights and dash lights remain on. If I jiggle the headlight switch, I can sometimes get the headlights to come back on. I don't know if the switch itself is bad or if there's just a loose wire.

I've never torn into a dash without destroying clips and such--can someone give me some advice on removing the dash and getting to the internals of the switch, and what to look for in the case of the light problem?

Thanks,
zombieCat

 

OK, I got the dash apart and removed the switch. Now I'm having trouble figuring out how to remove the **** from the switch assembly. Here's a picture:



Any help would be appreciated.

zombieCat

 

There should be a small push button on the bottom. Push it in & pull the **** out and that should do the trick.

 

That was it--kind of a no-brainer once I saw what was going on. Thanks for the reply.

zombieCat

 

I've had the same problem happen twice before and now it is happening for the third time on my 98 Ram 1500. The first time it completely melted the plug on the end of the wiring harness and I had to replace that and the switch, the second time (8 months - 1 year later cant remember) I just had to replace the switch, now it has started happing for a third time (about another 8 months or so). Does anyone have an idea what might be causing the problem in general, I would think if it was just the switch then it would have been a one and done thing, Im really getting tired of it. I know its two different vehicles but its the same problem so maybe the same thing has caused it in both.

 

The melting switch/wiring happens.
This is because Dodge has all the power going to the headlights running through the switch (no relay). And, if that's not retarded enough, there's no separate fuse for just the headlights (at least on the Dakotas), so until the 50AMP fuse pops, your burning up the 16gauge wires running to the lights.
To properly fix this, you will need to install a relay.

 

Dodgerules:
I've seen this thing about the poor headlight switch on 1st Gen Daks and needing a relay a couple of times. Any more details on this procedure? A link to more info, or a link to purchase the correct relay? I've already replaced the headlight switch in my '96 SLT once, and now it's acting up again. Thanks in advance...

 

Basically, you'r gonna run a wire, with an inline fuse, from the battery to where you decide to mount the relays. I believe out headlights are rated at 55W, so you'd probably want to use either a 10 or 15AMP fuse.
Than, you will cut two wires from under the steering column.
The first one, which is violet with a white tracer, is the output to the low beams.
The second, which is red with an orange tracer, is the output for the high beams.

You will also need to make a ground wire for the relays, too.
You than need to run wires from the output side of each relay to the other end of the cut wires.
Doing this will take the majority of the load off the headlight switch (except the load for the parking lamps).

I can post up a how-to in a few days.

 

I was wondering if you might have a pic or a link of a diagram for this.....im having the same problem for the second time now too, and now that I hear it may continue I would like to fix it right. If you had any more helpful info about this it would be awesome!

 

Here is a basic diagram.

Your going to need to cut into the wiring somewhere around the steering column -- not at the light switch. I spliced into mine somewhere around the brake pedal. The reason you can't splice in at the light switch is that the light switch doesn't differentiate between low and high beams. This is done by the headlight dimmer switch, which is the multi-function switch on the steering column.

Where you mount the relays is completely up to you. I put mine under the rear seats. I ran wires from the battery to the compartment under the rear seats. Make sure you run proper size wire and put a proper rated fuse on the positive wire!! I ran the wires from the existing headlight wires under the carpet and door trim to the back seats. Regardless of where you run wires, make sure to wrap them up good to help prevent chaffing. If you drill holes through metal, make sure to also use rubber grommets.

As I said, all my splices (new wires to old wires) is done under my dash. The only things I needed to remove to do this is the knee guard around the steering column, as well as the tape around the wire bundle.
Hope this helps, and if you have any questions, just ask.