My headlight switch and the headlight plug itself burnt out on my 85 crew cab. Not only will I be needing a new switch, but I'm gonna need a new plug as well. I'm told there's a headlight switch repair kit available from Dodge. Comes with a switch and plug with wires to tie back into the wiring harness. The only problem is the pre-93 kit is no longer available from Dodge. But the 94-96 switch will work. I was hoping someone else has been down this road and possibly has a part number. I never go to the Dodge dealer for anything. I source everything I need in other ways. But for something like this I'd like to get all new. Thanks in advance.

 

Put the headlights on relays. Takes the load off the switch. You can buy the plugs from the parts store or go to a junkyard and cut one out. They were the same on Lot's of vehicles.

 

I plan on putting the markers on a relay once I get a new switch and plug. I'm no stranger to a junkyard but I figure it's a 20 plus year old DODGE truck in a junkyard with the same sketchy wiring/headlight plug in the same condition as the one I already have.. or worse.

 

Funny thing is, I have a junk Mitsubishi truck (early 90's). Takes the same 6052 bulbs and the plugs are the same 3 wire deal. Dodge was cheap and the low beam wire is an 18 or 20 gauge. The Mitsubishi plugs all 3 leads are 14 ga.

 

All these cars took the same bulbs as our truck...

Take your pick at the junk yard

ACURA (1986 - 1989)
AMERICAN MOTORS 1978
BUICK (1978 - 1991)
CHEVROLET (1978 - 2006)
CHRYSLER (1980 - 1989)
DODGE (1978 - 1993)
FORD (1978 - 2009)
GMC (1979 - 2002)
HONDA (1979 - 1991)
HYUNDAI 1986
ISUZU (1981 - 1995)
JEEP (1979 - 2001)
MAZDA (1979 - 1993)
MERCEDES-BENZ (1981 - 1985)
MERCURY (1978 - 1985)
MITSUBISHI (1983 - 1996)
NISSAN (1981 - 1997)
OLDSMOBILE (1978 - 1994)
PEUGEOT (1984 - 1991)
PLYMOUTH (1978 - 1991)
PONTIAC (1978 - 1990)
RENAULT (1981 - 1985)
SAAB (1981 - 1986)
SUBARU (1980 - 1991)
TOYOTA (1980 - 1997)
VOLKSWAGEN (1979 - 1991)
YUGO (1986 - 1991)

 

Same bulb, same pull-out headlight switch?

 

same bulb, different harness and switch. But you could cut a plug off any of those vehicles. Run the heavier wire right back to the relay.

 

My problem is a burned up headlight switch and the plug that plugs into the switch under the dash in the cab, not at the bulb.

 

If you run a relay, you will have milliamps at the switch instead of 15 amps running through the switch.

 

I would first go to an auto supply and get a new switch and then go to a junkyard with a switch and start comparing. Start with the oldest Dodges, you can find. If that doesn't work then get to the appropriate state connectors to fit all the terminals on the switch, and you have to wire them in independently. Since you're not going to run heavy current through the switch anymore he should be able to use 14 gauge wire. You will most probably need to get a warrant diagram for that part of the circuit.

 

You now have a good excuse to replace that mess with some good old toggle-switches.

Three should do the job; one for head-lights, one for dash and markers, and one for the dome.

Everything nice and separate, independently switchable, a breeze to trouble-shoot.

 

True, but I'd prefer the pull out oem switch with the markers on a relay. I should have put them on a relay a long time ago. I've bought too many parts trucks that the previous owners hacked up the dash with every type of toggle switch, even household light switches.

A little background on the bad switch. For the longest time it started out as intermittent dash lights. Hit a bump and they'd come back on. Then they never came back on, yet the boost and pyro gauge which are tapped into the dash lights behind the gauge cluster always worked. To finally intermittent marker lights all the way around, then no marker lights. The old truck certainly was trying to warn me of something. Then with my vast knowledge of either rebuilding a getrag or an injection pump, I had no idea how to remove the headlight switch. Once I was told how, I removed it to find the marker light terminals on the switch heavily burnt and the plastic plug itself nearly melted into two pieces. I'm surprised it never caught fire.

I guess I'll go spend some time at the dealer arguing with the parts guy that a switch from a 94 will work or that Dodge built trucks prior to 94.

 

I got a new plug from NAPA and its for 94 and up trucks. Its the same plug but the wires have different colors codes on the wires and some of the wires are of a larger gauge Ken

 

Around here no one had the plug. A friend had one he had gotten from a wrecking yard a few years back in perfect condition. Had about 12'' pigtails on it which was good. Now to figure out how to get enough slack in the harness to do the splicing. I did the relay the day before mine burnt out, but you could tell it had already shorted long before I relayed it. The BearKiller system of toggle switches makes it way too easy and very user friendly. If i didnt already have everything for the factory setup i would do the toggle switch setup.

 

I was SURE there was a sticky on this, involving running wires thru the burnt block terminal and plugging female crimp terminals onto the corresponding blades on the new switch, .... couldn't find the sticky with pictures, but this is the idea to keep track of which wire goes where. I'll be doing this exact job shortly and will keep my camera handy, ... meanwhile my system is running as BK suggests above with switches and relays