when i shut my truck off the lights will stay on. the high beam indicator is on but dash lights are not. when i turn the head light switch on the dashlights, park lights and the tail lights come on. I have to disconnect my battery inorder to get the lights to go out. I don't have a owners manual so i don't know where the headlight relays are or the running light modulator is. Any ideas or help would be great.

thanks shane

 

Is your light switch On or Off when you turn the truck off?

My truck if I have the lights on, and then turn the truck off, the lights stay on for like 2 min or so, then turn off automatically. But if I turn the lights off before I turn the truck off, they turn off too.

Now, when you turn the truck off and the lights stay on I can also turn the key back to ignition (with out starting the truck) and they turn off.

 

The head light switch is shutoff. The high beams are staying on and i have to idea why.

 

Have you checked the fuses on the dash as well as under the hood?

 

I don't think the 2000 Dakota's had the feature where the lights are on a delay before they turn off when you shut off the truck with the light switch on. On this what I would suggest is picking up the Haynes book for your truck, any parts store should have one. It should have diagrams and information on how to use a volt-ohm meter to check the operation of the headlight switch. You might have a bad headlight switch causing this problem. If you want, you could just replace the switch, it should not cost a lot.

It could also be that the multi-function switch is bad. That's the switch on the column that you use for high beams and the turn signals. I have a 2001 Dakota, which is wired differently from your 2000, but there is a chart in my Dodge Service Manual that says if the high beams are stuck on and won't turn off the first thing to check is a bad multi-function switch. From reading my manual I think this is the more likely cause of your headlight problem. Especially with you saying the high beam indicator stays on too. I had to replace mine a couple of years ago to fix my wipers. I got it at the dealer and it cost about $45.00. It's a dealer-only part, but it was not hard to replace. If it's not the switches the only other thing I could suggest and the only other thing in my manual is it is a bad Central Timer Module. But I would really doubt that, if this is the only problem you are having with the truck. The Haynes book should also have diagrams and info to test the multi-function switch with your volt-ohm meter.

Jimmy

 

01silver hit it, get you a manual, it will save your @$$ sometimes. My '03 has the timer function, but I don't think yours does. See if there is a way to test those switches or just bite about $100 and change them both. At least then you don't really have to deal with the switches again while you own the truck.