Blinker / Wiper Switch
 

Hey Guys,

Just wondering if someone can relate to my problem ,just recently2009 dakota sxt signal light and wiper switch keeps acting up..., bumper to bumper 3 year grace warranty period has ended and I don't wanna get raped by the dealer...
can someone comeup with some sort of diagnose...
Last friday stuckon red waiting to turn left signal light was working well and suddenly stopped working I switched the switch to neutreal position and switch left again and now right signal is blinking i waslike wtf..., now after a moment of switching left and right they both stop working and wipers stop working, then suddenly everything works again and then again the problem repeats,today blinkers stopped working I switched on wipers and the blinkers start working , lol this truck is possessed !!!,
anyone ? could that be a fuse going bad, the switch itself or something else,
its a 2009 truck everything works great just the damn blinker switch....
any help would be appreciated...

thanks.

Morph,

Cannot really diagnose via the forum but would start by checking the multi-function switch which controls all the functionality you indicate is having trouble.

It is the multi-function switch. There is a lot going on in a small space, and sometimes, they screw up. Mine needs to be replaced, but now that the cold weather is here (-19C this morning) it is working fine. Once it warms up, it will screw up again.

Not too difficult to replace, there is a thread somewhere here on how to do it. I've done it three times on a Neon - switch is expensive, though, but you can sometimes find a wreck with a new one in it.

Spent some time looking at youtube videos however can not find a dakota switch replacement video...
located a switch brand new for $60 on line...,
thinking about ordering it, how complicated will that be to replace it myself??
do I have take off the steering wheel?? or do I work of the side ???
any help would be appreciated.

thanks,

Removal instructions.

REMOVAL
WARNING: To avoid serious or fatal injury on vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbag, seat belt tensioner, impact sensor or instrument panel component diagnosis or service. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative (ground) cable, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before performing further diagnosis or service. This is the only sure way to disable the SRS. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment.

1.
Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable.

2.
Remove the screw that secures the tilt steering column knob and remove it from the tilt actuator on the left side of the column.

3.
From below the steering column, remove the two outboard screws that secure the upper column shroud to the lower shroud.

4.
Using hand pressure, press inward on both sides of the upper shroud above the parting line of the lower shroud to release the snap features that secure the two shroud halves to each other.

5.
Remove the upper shroud from the lower shroud and the steering column.

6.
Remove the one center screw that secures the lower shroud to the steering column.

7.
Remove the lower shroud from the steering column.

8.
Disconnect the wire harness connector from the back of the multi-function switch housing .

9.
Rotate the steering wheel far enough to access and remove the two screws that secure the switch to the multi-function switch mounting housing .

10.
Grasp the switch control stalk and pull it toward the left side of the vehicle to remove the switch from the mounting housing.

thank you DodgeCares,
I owe you some fricken beers man lol ,

This procedure seems simple I will give her a shot this weekend,
one more question ... someone mentioned a risk of air bag deploying...
should I be concerned about that?? , once the battery is out
can the bag still deploy???
and just to clarify there is no need of removing the steering wheel..

thank you again,

Beers on me :)

PM me your email and vin and say multi function switch in the heading. I will send more info.

Well were you able to replace the switch and did it work? Mine just started acting goofy last night on my 2008. I had left turn signal on and after several flashes, it began alternating between the left and right signal. And when manually turning it of, it would sometimes flash a few more times. When I had the right signal on, it worked correctly. And occasionally while driving down the road, they would occasionally just turn on for a few flashes all by themselves. That caused those behind me to get just a little upset as they probably thought I was screwing around. Then today, no matter if I turned the left or right signal on, only the right flashers would turn on. Based on this thread and a few others here, it points to a bad multi function (Turns/Wipers?Brights) switch. I should have a new replacement sometime after Monday. Is that the most likely way to cure this? Also I have read on the 2008 that the sterring wheel may have to come off. But I have read another thread that says the steering wheel does not need to be removed. Any thoughts???

There is no way anyone can say for sure if the multifunction switch will cure the issue via an online forum.

The steering wheel does not have to come off.

Hi there,

Well what I did lol is I took the most primitive approach an advice from someone on the forum
and knocked on the plastic cover with my knuckles right over next to the 4 way light switch and man it's fixed lol, seriously ... it's been a while and it acted on me only once I knocked on the column again and problem is gone...,
I think it's not the switch itself but a connector that sits right against the upper plastic column cover, I think maybe on my side there is a condensation as I live in Alberta Canada ...
You can remove the cover and remove the switch without the need of taking the wheel off, however due to air bag system disconnect you truck battery and discharge the system after that wait sometime to make sure the power is completely discharged then change the switch....
MR. DODGE CARES is the coolest person I had the pleasure to meet on line..., if he lived in Alberta I would for sure get him over for lots of beers !!! , he gave me all the information I needed and more...,

Eventually I will get at the switch and psychically remove it and examine it but that will be after the winter...
Hope yours will react to the knock knock lol on the column...

Let me know if that helped...

Cheers,


Drew