I've had nothing but problems with my lights for the past year and a half. Headlights didn't work when I got it, had to mess with the half melted switch to get them on again. Parking lights stopped working eventually so I got a new switch and put it in, and cut the ends of all the wires off and put new connectors on them. 6 months later my headlights are completely unreliable. They stay on for about 5-10 minutes of driving and then started turning on and off. Good thing i have a couple led fog lights. It doesn't seem like a connection problem since they will behave like this even when the truck is parked.

That being said I'd like to rewire the headlights to a separate toggle switch. Any tips on how to go about doing this? I've done some basic wiring with light bars and aux lightinlighting, but I'm not to sure how to go about rerouting a factory circuit

 

LMC truck has heavy duty wiring harnesses for the headlights on the full-size trucks..... I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't have 'em for the Dakota's as well. It's pretty much plug and play. It moves the load for the headlights from the switch, to a pair of relays. Switch just controls the relays. You get brighter lights, and no longer have to worry about melting headlight switches.

 

The problem is the switch again. Or more accurately, the circuit breaker on the switch. After the lights are on long enough, it heats up and thermally trips; then cools and turns on; then heats up and turns off; lather, rinse, repeat.

You can wire toggle switches in all you want; don't forget that each side can pull up to 6A steady, and inrush can be up to 12A or so, so use big beefy toggle switches.

And when that 30A breaker starts tripping AGAIN, do it right; add a relay harness to the front of the truck, taking the current off that poor switch, and putting it on a Bosch relay and a pair of 20A or 30A fuses (one for low, one for high). Or circuit breakers; I've got a 30A ATC-sized circuit breaker on both sides of my truck relay harness.

(I'd do the relays even if you toggle; but if you relay, and replace that cheap after market switch with a good one, you'll get rid of your problem.)

RwP

 

I’m having this same problem also..

i went and and bought a switch today come to find out the connector is melted. So now gotta wait till tomorrow

 

Thank you for all the info. As a quick fix to be able to get home from work at night, I just picked up a new switch from advance for $20. Aside from terrible design by dodge, I believe my switch failed so fast due to the headlight wire being frayed at the end with half the strands not making contact, essentially making it twice the gauge it's supposed to be. Made a clean cut up the wire, new connector, and new switch and so far all is good.
Once I get a couple other things sorted out on the truck I will wire the lights up with some relays.