Recently experienced "headlights off".After reading others experience with headlights that quit working at random & then come back on, I decided to look closely at the headlight switch. Long story,short I did see a discolorization and slight arc at one of the terminals.I tried to get the recall parts( CAJM8190)from the dealer where I bought the truck and they refused to sell them to me.They said they could only be used on recall 3500's built before Oct.96. We bought ours new in Aug.98. Do any of you know from experience if the kit will or will not work for sure on our 98? Am I doing the right thing in trying to do the recall work on a 98? The truck is used for towing only and has under 50,000 and we're afraid to be driving it after sunset= not happy situation. Thanks in advance

 

ok...haven't heard any advice from you guys yet,so I went to the dealership today and talked directly to "the guy" in the service department (didn't mention the recall for the pre Oct.96 3500's)about what is happening.He looks in "the system" and prints off this info that directs his people to servicing the headlight relay on a 98? The procedure he gave me says that it's labled as the headlight or "security" relay in the PDC by the battery? It even had directions as to how to troubleshoot the relay itself. So when I got back home I turned the lights(low beam then hi) on located the "security" relay and pulled it.Well I was disapointed with the quick check to confirm that this was a relay for the headlights because not only did the headlights not go out,but I couldn't find anything that quit working w/the relay pulled, not even the keyless entry? I guess I'm right back where I started w/random headlights and not positive what to do on a 98 3500's. The dealership has told me the recall parts wont be sold to me and that they are not to be put on a 98 and now it looks like they have given me some poor(bogus) info.to try and locate my "real" problem???

 

Headlight switches changed from the 96 model year, to the 98, they most certainly will not fit.

Replace your headlight switch, they are known to go bad on our trucks.

Alternatively, you could try and induce the issue by "nudging" things a bit here and there with the headlights on.... see if you can get it to do it, and then figger out which bit is causing the trouble.

 

Thanks for shedding some light on the switches being different. Much appreciated. With out being able to locate a factory installed headlight relay on this truck, would you guys recommend I install a relay to take the load off of the switch or is this unnessary work on the 98 trucks? I've just read so much info on here about the load being too much for the switches on some of our trucks and I'd like to feel confident that I've corrected any issue that may have led to the early failure.I had planned on the switch replacement for sure, just didn't know if this truck falls into the "overloaded switch" catagory that has plagued so many of you guys.Thanks again

 

There are some folks that use the headlight switch to control a relay, rather than than the headlights themselves, so that there is less current loss between the source, and the headlights. Result: Brighter headlights..... considering the weakness of our headlight switches, really not such a bad idea.

I think on the Sport models, and the 00+ trucks, the headlight relay actually does something...... Not 100% on that though.

 

I have a 1998 Dodge Ram 3500. Last night at 10:30 PM on a dark road I was driving with my bright lights on when I tried to dim them for a oncoming car, I lost all of my lights including the dash lights. I got them back on by turning the switch. It happen again in a few miles.
Any ideas where to start to get this problem resolved.
I called a dealer for a price on the switch close to $90 I see them all over the internet for $12-17. Are the dealer's that much better? And from what I'm reading on here it may be more than a switch problem. I have to leave on business in a few days and would like to not have to worry about losing my lights while driving. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Welcome to DF.

Pull the dash, and have a look at the headlight switch, and the connector. They like to get hot, melt, short out, and start a fire..... No idea if there was a recall on those... don't think so though. Dealer would know.