The headlights on my 2004 Durango occasionally turn off while driving. So far, they have always come right back on withing a couple of seconds, and they will usually do it a few times during the course of the trip. Neither the dealer nor my independent mechanic could get the truck to repeat the behavior while they had it in the shop. So far, it seems to be happening about once a week. I've got two road trips in the next month, and my fear is that they will blink out and stay out far from home.

Here is what I tried so far.

1. Our trucks have a fail safe that should turn the lights on in the event that the front control module loses communication with the instrument panel controller. This tells me, I think, that I don't have a short between the FCM and the instrument cluster. If something shorted out there, it seems like that should trigger fail safe mode, right?

2. I've poked, prodded, twisted, pulled, and banged on the dash and the rotatory headlight switch and have not been able to make the lights blink out.

3. I've done the same with any wiring harnesses I can find and the front control module. No effect on the lights at all.

I don't know if the fog lights also go when this happens. My wife is usually driving the truck and she couldn't remember after the last time it happened. The fog lights operate with traditional mechanical relays and do not go through the FCM, so I suspect they stay on. Confirming that may help narrow down the source off the problem. Also, I do not have automatic headlights.

Has anybody else seen this problem or have any ideas on what else I should be checking? I'm at a loss here and not willing to randomly replace expensive parts hoping to hit the fix. The headlight switch is relatively cheap so I may start there if it happens again.

 

I know it's been a while since OP started this thread but am curious to know about the update as I am also having this same issue. OP I sent you a PM.

 

The 2004 had a recall for the electrical system:

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/recalls/results.cfm

FF

 

Original Poster here...

The headlights behaved all spring and summer, and as soon as the temperatures dropped in the fall they started blinking out again. It's sporadic, it'll happen a couple of nights in a row, then not happen again for a couple of weeks. I thought about moisture condensing on a wiring harness or around the front control module with the apparent temperature sensitivity, but everything under the hood was bone dry when I checked. The fog lights are not affected - they stay on. Given that the lights should fail to on (and stay on until the truck is turned off) if they lose communication with the bus, and both lights always go out together, I'm thinking the problem is the front control module. But it's too expensive a part to replace on a guess, and I've never been able to reproduce the problem on demand to troubleshoot.

I'm going to drop it at the dealer next week and tell them to get on the phone to corporate and find somebody that can help them figure it out. Otherwise, the dealer will let it run for 15 minutes, tell me they can't reproduce the problem, and send me home no better off. Been there, done that. Somebody in Dodge must know is causing this.

 

Maybe the dealer can reflash the ECM to see if it remedies the problem,
FF

 

I had the same issue (look at the thread I started for my issues). They replaced my battery checked the wiring. They test drove it and said it has been fixed. I don't know exactly what they did but will ask when I go to get it.

 

I dropped the Durango at the dealer this morning and told them if they couldn't reproduce the headlight issue in the shop, I'd like them to take a guess at what the problem might be. Of course, the headlight are behaving there. They said they asked around to 3 or 4 techs and the consensus was if they were going to change out something on a guess, they'd start with the headlight switch.

The headlight switch for an 04 Durango is on national backorder. They can't even find a 3rd party alternative to use.

I can't frigging win!

 

I just got back my D and things appear to be fixed (as of right now). Hopefully it will stay that way. I am now @ 98200km so we'll see.

As for what they did for my problem with the flickering panel/headlights, they checked the wiring for the whole D...wire by wire (that's what I was told). They found some loose connections and some stripping in the wiring harness so they repaired that. They also updated the computer (whatever that means). I had other issues that needed to be addressed as well (follow my update with the other thread) so I think the above info is what is related to the light/panel issue...not sure though.

Best of luck to you, hope you get yours resolved soon.

 

I had same problem with my '98 Dodge 2500 Ram truck. I replaced the headlight switch about a week ago. I understand it has a bi-metal overload breaker built-in & sometimes they get weak. I've had my '98 for 325K miles & 13 years...this is the second time I've replaced the headlight switch. When the lights went out...I quickly turned on the flasher lights as I was on a dark country road.

 

When I was at the dealer last month I asked them to guess, since the Durango of course would not blink when they had it. They polled the techs and the consensus was they'd replace the headlight switch first. Headlight switches for an 04 Durango are on national backorder. I can't find one anywhere. With it getting warmer there is no rush though, as my lights only blink out in cold weather. So I have plenty of time to replace to switch before fall