Baja

Driving home last night, I had on my highbeams. I turned them down using the high-low beam switch because of a approaching car and both headlights completely went out, just shut down. I pulled over and could not get them back on by messing with the dash switch or the high-low beam switch. I have to admit, I am not the best at electrical chasing, but if anybody has a place I can start, I would appreciate it. My guess is the dash switch or high-low switch went out, but how can I tell?

roughstock

Its probably the switch.
Pull dash trim panel off. Take out head light switch. if it or the plug looks melted, it is bad. Search headlight relay harness or such and there will be lots to read, basically, it is a bad design. Go get a new switch and harness from NAPA. 40-60 bucks. Install the relay harness, it will take some of the load off the switch and it should last longer. Also, running with the dash lights dimmed, heats up the switch. The rheostat creates resistance to dim the lights and resistance creates heat.
Just search the headlight harness switch problems etc and you will find TONS of reading.

seahawkdodge

It is more than likely the switch, but it could also be the Headlight Relay in the engine fuse box, or the fuse. Keep it simple, and replace the cheapest part first, right?

Palmetto_kid

Happened to me at night, in the rain!! A real crazy experience.

Mine was the dash switch. It was melted on the back side.

xtoyz17

If it happened RIGHT as you were turning them off it's possible your switch was already over loaded and then you pushed it over the edge. When you're switch from high to low, or low to high all of the bulbs are on momentarily.

It's possible the high/low switch is bad, but I can't say I've ever heard of one going bad....

seahawkdodge

I've had a high/low switch go bad, but my lights were stuck on high beam...

I agree that the most likey source of the problem is the headlight switch, but make sure you look at the fuse and relay. The headlight switch costs $40, where the relay is about $10, and the fuse is a fuse.

dbrick

Happened to me on the way to work a couple of winters ago. It was the switch. Fried the switch and part of the harness. Dodge has a refit kit available to adapt to a better switch. It cost me $120.00+ and only available from the steeler. It did cure the problem. I did the rewire so the cost quoted was for the parts only. A diagram was included in the kit and took me a couple of hrs to do. I soldered the conections and used heat shrink.

scoggins

i have to agree with the general consnecious and go with the switch

rip it out and straight wire it for a while until you can go to a grave yard and pull one out.

it is real fun when you have a load of cattle that are 150 mile from where they need to be and it is getting dark and late and then all of a sudden poooooof no lights on the truck or traile.

BigIron70

There is a recall for switch if you have 3500 truck.
Safety Recall No. 819 -- Headlamp Switch

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Models

1994-1997 (BR) Dodge Ram 3500 Series Trucks


NOTE: This recall applies only to 3500 series trucks built through October 21, 1996 (MDH 1021XX).

Baja

Well, I got around to looking at all the culprits. The headlight dash switch looks good, no burns or melting of anything. The fuses on the left side of the dash look good, so do the fuses and relays under the hood next to the driver battery, no burns or melting. I took off the covers on the steering wheel to try to expose the high/low switch, but it really looks like a big hassle to remove and test it. I hate to throw parts at it.
I will have to guess, and throw a part at it, and replace the headlight switch. I did have to replace the headlight dash switch a few years ago, maybe it went out again. I need to find a replacement that will not overheat or just blank out, having this happen under bad circumstances would be a bummer, as some of the above replies have suggested.

xtoyz17

Baja, why not do what others said and use a jumper to make sure it is indeed the headlight switch?

roughstock

Not ture. Napa has them for $40-60. Switch and new harness.
There was a recall for some models up thru some of '97.

dbrick

Well that is odd. I tried to get a switch from Napa and they didn't have one and referred me to the dealer. Napa didn't even have it listed in their inventory. The dealer told me it was only available from them. I also asked about a recall on these and they said no recall but they were aware of the problem with the switch.
It seems like this could be a potential fire hazzard. My wire loom was fried about 8" up from the end and the switch was burned so bad that I had trouble pulling the connection apart.

seahawkdodge

So basically the dealer said, "We are aware that the headlight switch is a poor design, and we don't give a darn. Please buy a replacement crap switch for $40."

Baja

I would but there are a bunch of wires coming into the switch and I have no idea which goes to what. Knowing as little as I do about electrical troubleshooting, I am reluctant to start sticking wires into the female connector and "see what happens".
Rock Auto has the switch for 25.00, including shipping.