pjc360

Got a very strange problem with my 91 that i can not figure out. First off all i was getting now blinkers or brake lights what so ever, so i took the multi functional switch out of my parts truck wich is a 2wd 92. And once i put the multi functional switch out of the 92 into my 91 i got blinkers and brake lights but only when the hazard button is pushed inn??? what is up with that? and when the hazard button is pushed inn the passenger blinker indiacator lights up and stays lit up in the dash when the head lights are on. Also my drivers side tail light is lit up brighter then my passenger side tail light, its like the brake light and tail light are on in the passenger side tail light. And when i hit the brakes with the headlights on and the hazard switch pushed inn only the passenger side brake light comes on because the drivers side tail light is lit up bright alll the time when the headlights are on.
Also when the lights are turned on and the hazard button is pushed inn and the right blinker indiacator light is lit up in the dash i get no orange park light on the passenger front side... But when i push the hazard switch out both orange park lights come on but no blinkers or brake lights. what in the heck is going on here? why are the blinkers aand brake lights only working with the hazard switch pushed inn? and is there any cheap fast fix i can do to get everything working right? could i run a jumper wire from something hot in the fuse box to a fuse? Anything? this is very frustrating.

carrnutt

First thing I would check is for a ground issue.

pjc360

ok how do i check for a ground issue?

pjc360

i forgot to mention, when i first got the truck, the blinkers and brake lights were working just fine, then one day out of th blue they just stopped working. I looked at all the fuses changed the flasher units on the fuse block. made sure i had power to the fuse block. So then i decided to take the multi functional switch out and swap in another multi funtional switch that i had taken out of my parts truck wich is a 92 2wd dodge truck. With the multi functional switch out of the 92 truck the blinkers and brake lights still didnt work. but then when i pushed the hazard button inn i noticed my brake lights and blinkers started working... so i just left the hazard switch pused in so i had brake lights and blinkers but i know i need to figure out why.
I think if i can figure out why the hazard switch has to be pushed down in order to get binkers and brake lights i can solve this eentire issue.

carrnutt

Hmm strange, indeed. Well you just need to look for and clean up all the ground connections associated with the lights. Bad grounds can cause all kinds of weird crap. You know for a fact that other switch was working before the swap?

greendodge

Sounds like ground to me too.
Start by tracing the tail light wires from each light to find a wire that ends in a ring terminal ( probably black with a colored stripe ) screwed to the box or frame.
Same with headlights and all other electrical grounds. there are many throughout the truck.
Take the screw out and using a wire brush or sandpaper, clean the ring , the screw, and the spot where it was fastened. Apply a small dab of grease to keep it from rusting again and re-attach the terminal.
sooner or later you"ll fix the problem. It's not a fun job!
Ray

dodgenstein

Believe it not, the ground for the taillight circuit is at the base of the dash, just to the right of the steering column. The grey wires from the taillight sockets go to a splice and join several wires grounded to a screw in the cadmium plated area at the bottom of the dash below the cargo light switch.

NE frmhnd

Sounds like what mine did, when the flasher unit went out. It actually blew the fuse.

The power for the brake and signal lights feeds through all the switches in the column somehow before it makes its way to the lights.

ChrisLib

swap the hazard switch ut of your parts truck, signal and brake lamps all go thru the hazard switch....worth a shot.

pjc360

the multi functional switch that i swapped with was working in the 92 2wd truck. So i now the switch its self is ok.
I found out what was causing my blinker indicator light to light up in the dash when the headlights got turned on, that was due to a bad ground up front under the hood up near the headlights. got the one fixed.
But i'm still dealing with my brake lights and blinkers only working when the hazard button is pushed inn. And i still have my drivers side tail light lighting up brighter then the passenger side tail light when i have the head lights on.
So the ground to the taail lights is under the dash by the gas pedal somehwere? anyone know what color of wire black or grey? And is it possible for me to just tie into the tail light ground back by the tail lights and just create a new ground wire back there?

pjc360

i'm just wondering if i can cut into the ground wire in he group wires that leads to the the tail light bulbs in the back and just run a new ground? i dont see why couldnt, i just need to know what color wire is the ground wire in th group of wires that runs to the tail light bulbs.

dodgenstein

I had to get my lights working for an inspection in the middle of the winter and got lazy. I cut the ground wire on my drivers side turn signal, and ring terminalled it to one of the taillight bezel screws. Worked like a charm. The wire was grey.

NE frmhnd

I had a ground wire break last week, it backfed my left signal/brake through the back-up lights to ground on the passenger side.

I also didn't get any ground at the taillight mounting screws.

In your situation I think I would add a supplemental ground in the back, if you don't find a broken wire underneath somewhere.

pjc360

i will add a supplemental ground to the back, i just need to know wich wire do i tap into? what color wire anyways a grey wire? i would like to just tap into a wire right at the tail light and ground it thru one of the mounting screws like a previous poster said. tommarrow i will look at the colors of the wires and post what they are and then maybe one of you will know wich wire to tp into to make a supplemental grround.

NE frmhnd

I think mine was grey as well, You will want to check that you have ground at the tail light mounting screw before you button it up, I had none there.