Hello fellow Ram rodders.

When I got my truck last weekend the po told me you had to hold the high beam in in order to get the headlights to work. Ok.

I bought some tamper-proof torx and a $80 multi function switch and thought, how hard can this be?

That was this morning, this evening I know how hard it can be!

Broke off the shroud around my steering colum after realizing I had no way of getting UP into the screws, no biggie.

Then I find a bundle of melted-gooey-brittle-and broken un hooked wires stuck to my colum. This is the plug that goes into my new switch.

I sorted through the wires and got them straitend out and hooked up to my new switch, and now I have working headlights! High beams, low beams, my windshield wipers even turn on!

But no signal lights, flashers, or brake lights! These worked before with the bad switch and burnt wires!

Fuses all look good.

I hooked up the OLD switch again now the signals dont work with it, like it did.

Looked over everything again, hook up and un hook new switch several times everything works execpt signals flashers and brake lights.

Now I dont know if my brake lights were working when I got it cause I never checked, but signals did.

Should I just buy a new...new...new whatever you call it that hooks up to my multi switch? Harness or pigtail? Wrecking doesnt have anything.

Thoughts, help or ideas appreciated.
Sammy

 

i changed out mine a couple of years ago chasing a wiper problem.

download the 01 service manual here. you'll want to look at the wiring diagrams to identify the wires in the column connector.
http://www.rm-indy.com/wavefiles/2001ramsrvcmanual.zip

you can also use a multimeter and do continuity tests on the multifunction switch itself, just to prove that its doing its job.

if you have a haynes manual it also has the layout of the multifunction connector, but given a choice, the service manual would be the best option.

before anything, double check fuses in end of dash and under the hood in the pdc. also check or replace the flasher.

if you feel pretty confident about the multifunction switch, trace your voltage from the brake lights backwards. if you don't feel confident about the mf sw, open it back up, identify the wires for the blinkers, and jumper them at the connector, also test for voltage where its supposed to be.

 

Thank you. I downloaded the service manual but windows keeps telling me it does not know what program to use to open it? I am a bit of a techtard.


I do have the Chilton for it, but I cant tell where to jump my blinkers from it.
Thanks again
Sammy

 

Get Foxit or Adobe PDF reader ... both are free ... I use Foxit.

http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/down_reader.htm
http://get.adobe.com/reader/

 

I did get it finally to open in adobe. After being on my head, wedged under the dash this morning trying to figure it out, I have decided to take it to a mech. while all I have done is un hooked the switch. and it still runs and drives.

Looking at wiring diagrams to me is like looking at the workings of a crashed ufo!

I have worked on hotrods a lot over the years, in fact I have a Buick Wildcat with the 425 Nailhead I got going last year after it had sat and seized many years ago, but its a 1964, less stuff to track and deal with.

This truck has been drivin hard, the po kept saying "its a work truck, its a work truck" so you get the idea of how he took care of it.

Only $3500, If I'm carfull I might still be ok and end up with a decent truck, but the four wheel drive isnt working and who knows what that might be?

Its ironic, I had two known problems when I brought it home last weekend and I figured I would tackle the easy one and pop a new signal light switch in first. Looks like the four wheel drive part MIGHT end up being an easier fix.

Thank you guys for the help-links-diagrams and such.

I will let you know after I have somebody that knows what they are doing look at it, what it is/was.

Sammy

 

dang, this was the best thread we've had in the last 2 weeks. taking it to a mechanic, that's no fun !!!!!!! c'mon man, get a $10 multimeter, the beverage of your choice, and dive into the wiring diagram.

 

Sorry to let ya down man, just give me a chance, I just know I can let you down again hahahahaha.

I took it to my mechanic today and he just wanted to fix it at first too, but after looking at it for a few minutes he said we would be better to just get a new wiring harness that my multifunction switch plugs into.

I will give him my Chilton and he wants the printout of the service manual but he said it wil be easy breezy beautiful cover girl. I know, I watch too much tv.

There will be lots of things I can ask questions over and get greezy with but wiring to my is like kryptonite to superman and I really wanna drive it.

Anyway does anybody here know where I can find a new wiring harness that my multifunction switch plugs into?

I have checked LMC trucks, schmucks, and napa but they dont have them.
Also checked local wrecking yard, zip there too.

The wires are just too burnt and brittle to try and re-use and the end plug itself is effed up. so.

Any help is (as always) much appreciated!

Sammy