morning 1:started truck, turned on head lights, only head lights came on (factory fog lights underneath head lights work when you pull head light switch out). no dash lights or front or rear running lights or signal lights. turned off head lights & signal lights worked. drove to work in dark with flashers on, BUT all dash lights, heater lights & radio lights flashed OPPOSITE flashers' flash.

later in day 1:noted 15a fuse blown for tail lights, replaced it. everything worked now fine EXCEPT left interior signal light stayed lit. dash, running lights & right signal light were fine. if i put on flashers, same scenario as above happened, yet with flashers off, everything was good except signal light.

morning 2:all was same as 'later in day 1'. in fact, day 3 was the same as well. not perfect, but good enough til i could get a chance to more closely examine the situation.

morning 4: perfection, all lights working again as they should, and i did nothing to resolve the situation. either a miracle from above or...

morning 5: all good still

night 5: pulled on headlights, NO DASH OR TAIL LIGHTS AGAIN. signals worked perfect, brakelights worked perfect(they did the whole way through here), flashers worked NORMALLY-no flashing of dash/heater/radio lights this time. the tail light fuse blown again.
replaced it & pulled headlights on & it popped instantly.

morning 6:exactly as last nite. everything works PERFECTLY til i turn on headlights, then the tail light fuse pops. no apparent interaction of any lights like on day 1 or 2, everything works except of course all running lights. there is NO DELAY in popping of fuse, if i leave headlight switch on & try to place fuse it blows the second it touches.

obviously NOW a dead short somewhere.

any suggestions as to where to look? durango-known trouble spots? any possibility of 'flasher' problems causing all of this, or should i just be concentrating on finding a short? rain has subsided for the moment, will crawl underneath & check trailer light connections.....yea, done by a butcher, but never gave problems & STILL appear sealed.

any suggestions would be appreciated.....

 

followup:

trailer connections APPEAR ok.

signals work fine, brakelights work fine, running lights work fine....for 10-15 seconds, then blow fuse.

next step was to turn ONLY running lights on, they work fine....for 10-15 seconds, then blow fuse. removed tail light assemblies & disconnected plugs. running lights STILL blow fuse in 10-15 seconds.

SO, i've narrowed it down to a short in the running lights circuit....i assume(remember, dash lights, radio lights, heater lights all on the same fuse).

should i try cutting tail light lead to trailer connector boxed unit-is it possible a short inside this unit?

OR

i see the small little bulb in pass side front running light is burned out, not one of the multi-lites, but the little bulb around the side of the lower lens. is it possible that burned out bulb is causing the short?

HOW do i get that bulb out??? i can't reach the plug, nor do i see how to remove the housing....

 

DRAWTITE.....he says with baited breath & fingers crossed. cut the 'tail light IN' lead, removing it from the drawtite unit and all is good thus far.

thanks for all the.........help.....

 

Im having the same problem how much did it cost you to fix it and what did u exactly do to fix it!?
Thanks!

 

Fix the obvious!


Replace the bulb that's grounding first BEFORE playing butcher with wires.



If you blow a fuse and see a problem then FIX IT. Next take it to a shop BEFORE you start cutting wires.