On my trusty and like-new '97 Ram Laramie SLT 2WD Pickup, the headlights won't come on. The highbeams will come on with the passing-light switch (on the turn signal), and the stoplights work, so it's not a fuse issue. My useless Chilton "manual" shows a wiring diagram titled, "typical diagram," so it is not specific to this truck and shows no realy in the circuit. (Typical for Chilton to do that, though.)

So if I could only locate the headlight relay, at least I could diagnose whether the problem is on the switch side or the headlight side.

Any help here would be appreciated, as I really do need to drive at night occasionally!

 

if there is a relay, it will be in the power distribution box beside the battery with all the other relays. my 01 has headlight relays. i've heard that older models, not sure which years, don't have relays, instead push all amps through the headlight switch, which is prone to burn out.

 

dont think my 01 ram has headkight relay.
if it does I cannot find it/or I am blind.

 

All 2001s should have it in that big black box (Power Distribution Center, or PDC) which is between the cab and the battery, dhvaughan is right.

Not sure on 1997 though. From what I've read, 1996 model years have a breaker switch in the PDC, so maybe you have one of those.

It might also be a bad headlight switch, as those are known to burn out.

 

ok, i just checked the pdc box in my 01. no headlight relays.
dang. i hate it when i'm wrong.

there is an open slot labeled 'quad light hi-beam' or something like that, but its empty.
it might be for the sport option.

 

My 98 has no relay, but there is a 40 amp fuse. Did you check it?

Sounds to me like the switch is bad anyway.

 

 

There is no relay. People are installing relay kits from Daniel Stern or LMC. The stock wiring is to small. It's burning up the switch and the wire pigtail in the dash.

 

Here's the Daniel Stern kit. The LMC kit is pre wired, but sounds like the wires are a little short. I'm hoping to put this in next week. Looks like good quality parts.