hi everyone im new here to the forum but i got a problem i need some help with when i turn my lights on in my 02 ram 1500 sport 2wd 4.7l i get no tail lights or parking lamps anywhere so i changed the relay and still nothing i then put a jumper wire from the fog light relay to the parking lamp relay turned on the fogs and they worked i found that wierd so i took the wire out of the fog light spot and accidently touched the body of the truck with the wire and the parking lamps came on took the wire of the body and they went out so i repeated to touch the body with the wire and they kept comming on and going out every time can anybody explain this to me thank you very much.almost forgot the switch was in the off posistion when the wire touched the body and the lights came on

 

Do a search on here about Park lamp problems.
I and several others on here, have had this issue and found it to be the Power Distribution Centre.....the fuse box to you and I lol.
There are internal printed circuits in it and they corrode over time, with the elements etc.
These either produce an open circuit, or high resistance circuit.
This causes the front control module, to not activate the park lamp relay and swich on the rear lights.
Jumpering the park lamp relay as you have, proves that it's the fuse box.

Here's what the manual says :-

"Coil Ground Terminal of the park lamp relay - The coil ground terminal
(85) is connected to a control output of the Front
Control Module (FCM) through a park lamp relay
control circuit. The FCM controls park lamp operation
by controlling a ground path through this circuit."

That's what I did to prove it was the fuse box by jumpering pins 30 to pin 87 on the park lamp relay. The lights should all now switch on and prove that everything going towards the park and running lights, is OK. Fuses wiring etc. Many people have done in the past including as I say myself to test this out.
The fuse box is an expensive replacement and I think off the top of my head, cost the last person I read about who replaced it him self which is very easy to do, about $450.
There was a write up somewhere of a guy who resoldered the earth retun paths in the fuse box and did a cheap but somewhat involved fix.
I temporarily jumpered the park lamp relay so I could use my truck, but I had to disconect the jumper everytime I left the truck, otherwise it would run the battery down.
Someone on here might chime in?
Hope this points you in the right direction.
Good luck.
Al.

 

thanks alot for the help im gonna try to find a new fuse box somewhere the dealer near me wants $975 for brand new gonna check some wreckers see what i can find thanks again.

 

yeah the tipm/pdc is a common problem on those. you can make an external relay that bypasses them if your good with electrical stuff.
you touching your wire to the chassis meant that the circuit wasnt being grounded

 

There was a write up somwhere showing pics and everything, to show you how to re-solder connections to make good the earth return paths somewhere in cyber space.
It might have been on DT???
IT would save you hundreds of $'s if you can find the article.
As for getting a used unit.......it might have the same problems?
Al.

 

Check this thread out......https://dodgeforum.com/forum/search....archid=2487772

Al.

 

Hey tsna02ram.

I've just PM'd you with a fix involving the soldering of the bad printed circuit board.
Check your mail bud and I hope I've just saved you lot's of $'s my friend???
Al.

 

thanks alot for the help im gonna try and fix it myself gonna take out the fuse box tonight and figure it out let ya know how it goes when im done thanks again

 

Just wanted to say thanks for the tip on soldering the printed circuit under the fuse box. I just bought this 02 ram 1500, it's a bit of a project, already over $500 into it in parts, glad i didn't have to shell out for another big money part. I also soldered a jumper in for the power lock circuit too, as it was starting to show corrosion. Put Dilectric grease on all the connectors while i had it apart. Only took about an hour total, great tip.

 

My pleasure.
Glad it all worked out and you saved $'s.
Al.