2nd Gen Ram Tech 1994-2001 Rams: This section is for TECHNICAL discussions only, that involve the 1994 through 2001 Rams. For any non-tech discussions, please direct your attention to the "General discussion/NON-tech" sub sections.

Headlight issue

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
  #1  
Old 01-18-2017, 01:19 PM
Prodirt6000's Avatar
Prodirt6000
Prodirt6000 is offline
Professional
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Vermont
Posts: 107
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Headlight issue

Hello,

The other day I took my 1995 1500 out. It sat for a few hours and when I jumped back in it I had no headlights. I had all my dash lights and parking lights. There was no warning to no headlights, no flickering or anything. On my 94 diesel I had to replace the headlight switch and wired it to a relay, so I am aware of the switch prone to failing.

I pushed in on the switch, tilted the steering wheel up and down, and still had nothing. For the heck of it my buddy said shut the truck off and start it up again. So I pushed in the headlight switch to off, shut the truck off, started it back up and pulled out the headlight switch and wouldn't you know it my headlights worked.

Any ideas what happened? I don't want to get stranded some night if it happens again.

Thanks!
 
  #2  
Old 01-18-2017, 01:52 PM
dbbd1's Avatar
dbbd1
dbbd1 is offline
Record Breaker
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 1,552
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default

Maybe your defective light switch cooled enough to make contact again. I would pull the light switch out and take a look at it. Bet you the wires have gotten hot and discolored.
 

Last edited by dbbd1; 01-18-2017 at 09:22 PM.
  #3  
Old 01-18-2017, 06:51 PM
HeyYou's Avatar
HeyYou
HeyYou is online now
Administrator
Dodge Forum Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Clayton MI
Posts: 80,749
Likes: 0
Received 3,177 Likes on 2,930 Posts
Default

Do you have daytime running lights on your truck?
 
  #4  
Old 01-19-2017, 01:29 PM
Prodirt6000's Avatar
Prodirt6000
Prodirt6000 is offline
Professional
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Vermont
Posts: 107
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

No daytime running lights. i will have to pull the switch and check the wires. I ran it again the other night and had no issues at all
 
  #5  
Old 01-21-2017, 10:13 AM
Prodirt6000's Avatar
Prodirt6000
Prodirt6000 is offline
Professional
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Vermont
Posts: 107
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

If it was my headlight switch I would still have high beams, correct?
 
  #6  
Old 01-21-2017, 02:29 PM
HeyYou's Avatar
HeyYou
HeyYou is online now
Administrator
Dodge Forum Administrator
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Clayton MI
Posts: 80,749
Likes: 0
Received 3,177 Likes on 2,930 Posts
Default

Maybe.
 
  #7  
Old 01-21-2017, 03:24 PM
xjarhead69's Avatar
xjarhead69
xjarhead69 is offline
Record Breaker
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Leesburg, IN
Posts: 1,044
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

When the switch went out on my 94 i lost both high and low beams,
everything else still worked.

Dave
 
  #8  
Old 01-22-2017, 02:38 AM
DodgeFanMP's Avatar
DodgeFanMP
DodgeFanMP is offline
Professional
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 137
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default I had an issue with my low beams a few years ago...

Originally Posted by Prodirt6000
Hello,

The other day I took my 1995 1500 out. It sat for a few hours and when I jumped back in it I had no headlights. I had all my dash lights and parking lights. There was no warning to no headlights, no flickering or anything. On my 94 diesel I had to replace the headlight switch and wired it to a relay, so I am aware of the switch prone to failing.

I pushed in on the switch, tilted the steering wheel up and down, and still had nothing. For the heck of it my buddy said shut the truck off and start it up again. So I pushed in the headlight switch to off, shut the truck off, started it back up and pulled out the headlight switch and wouldn't you know it my headlights worked.

Any ideas what happened? I don't want to get stranded some night if it happens again.

Thanks!
My truck developed an issue with the low beams. The high beams worked, but low beams did not, and I finally realized that it was related to the steering wheel tilt adjustment. Sometimes the low beams would flicker while I was adjusting the wheel. So, I started taking things apart and realized one of the wires for the low beams had pulled out of the wiring terminal block that is mounted on the steering column. It seemed like the length of the wire was just short enough that adjusting the steering wheel tilt position put tension on it and pulled it out. After crimping on a new terminal and adding some cable ties to prevent the wire from being pulled again, my lights worked fine again. It might be worth a look on your truck. I filmed the process and the link to my video is below. Good luck!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8rwIR1xO6c
 




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 09:03 PM.