Lights do not work
 

I recently purchased a non-running 1989 Dodge 3500. I now have it running but the lights do not work. All of the fuses that I can find are good. I can get the headlights to come on if I remove the plug from the dimmer switch and short the hot wire to the proper terminal. I assume that power is not getting to the headlight switch. Is there a fuseable link somewhere in the system? If so where? Also does all the power go through the headlight switch or does it merely activate a relay? Thanks for any suggestions for correcting the problem.

Welcome to DF.

First, before anything else, please read this:
https://dodgeforum.com/forum/dodge-ra...s-section.html

I will move this to the 1st gen section for ya.

if your dimmer switch is the type that is on the floor then it may be bad. i had the exact sames problem when i got my 81. $6 later and i had working headlights.

Thanks for the response. My dimmer switch is on the column. When I short around the dimmer switch the lights still do not work.

have you tested for power at the fuses. the headlight should not be on relays unless someone has installed them. as far as i know all the power goes through the light switch. there are fusible links under the hood on the drivers side fender but if you have power at the fuses then yours should be ok.

I have not checked to see if I have power at all the fuses but I did pull all the fuses and check them. I assume that I need to have the key turned on when I check to see if I have power at the fuses. I can not read the fuse box markings so I can't determine what each fuse is for. I'm trying to see if I have power at the headlight switch but so far I can't get the knob off. I've looked for a button to push to release the stem as well as a "clip" on the knob but have had no luck. The stem is a triangle. Thanks for the information.

testing for power at the fuses can help you determine where the problem is. the headlight fuse should have constant power. the release switch for the head light switch knob is on the bottom of the switch. it can be very stiff the first time you push the button.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R...0/IMG_2591.JPG

Jason, your link is broken. Tried following it myself and got a "page not found" error.

I got all the lights working. The problem was power was not getting to the switch. I could not find why, all the fuses were good so I merely ran a new fused wire to the light switch. Thanks for all the help on this problem.