Hey fellas,
Let's see if I could get through this post without bawling my eyes out. So I have a 1993 Dodge Dakota 3.9 l V6 and I'm having some major electrical issues with it.. 1st thing that happened was my headlights just gave out for no apparent reason at all I drove my truck down to the ferry, jumped on the ferry, Went across the sound, when I got off I want to turn my headlights and there was nothing and this is where it all begins. It's. So I did everything I could trouble shooting and I know that the bulbs are good, The fuse are good, I'm pretty sure I have a broken wire somewhere or no but that I can't find.. I swapped out a new headlight switch and multifunction switch, no difference. I think it might have something to do with grounds. I tried to look in the service manual and figured it out but it is so vague on where they see the grounds are and I'm not real technical in that stuff I'm a plumber not electrician. But anyway I just decided to wire my own lights with the relay and what are those pre made auxiliary light things things from autozone and just hooked up my headlights to that and they seemed to work fine . The night I got I got my headlights working my tail lights and my fog lights and my - lights went out everything else works and I can't figure what the problem is now. Again, all the fuses are good, But I just need help figuring out what's wrong with my - lights and my tail lights. Any suggestions at all? Maybe somebody has been through this before

 

Sounds like the headlight switch itself. You need the wiring diagram to make sure there is power at the switch. Since all lights went out its the main power to the switch or the switch itself.

 

I second Glen440.

Which manual are you using? For wiring, Haynes and Chiltons are worse than toilet paper - you need the factory service manual.

(It's just plumbing for electricity; variable controls are like faucets, ground points are like sewer / drainage lines, etc.)

I've attached the headlight diagram for a 1993 from the FSM here, also the power distribution so you know which fuse is which.

Don't forget - the headlight CONNECTOR can fail. I'd be checking that out. (What? Would you replace the fitting on a black metal or galvanized pipe that was almost see thru due to rust? No? Same thing - check connectors.)

RwP

 

I third Glen440.

My headlights crapped out several years ago and I swapped out the headlight switch and problem solved. Didn't wait around long enough to see if the tail lights would go out too.

I got a little bit of a head's up. I could wiggle the switch or turn them off/on and the headlights would come back on until they didn't. Tipped me off that the switch was roached. But bad switches do crazy things. Based on my experience I'd swap out your headlight switch first and see what happens.

 

I thought switch too but he says he changed it in the middle of that post. Sounds like a short or lost ground but IDK from wiring.

 

We stand corrected!

 

I only skimmed the thread as it's long.

Has to be power to the switch. These trucks are old now, mine has rotted wires inside the plastic coating. Have only had to repair gas Guage wire, it's black inside. I'm waiting for another to go.

Wire diagram and an ohm meter will be needed.

 

I get it right once in a while

 

Twice a day like a broken clock.

 

And if nothing else, while the battery's disconnected, split the bulkhead fitting.

There's been a few reports of the high power wires corroding out in them, due to insufficient sealing and a cowl leak over the bulkhead.

RwP