While cleaning up my wiring jobs for my gauges with zip-ties my hand bumped into this fairly hot piece underneath the dash around the hood release cable. Its hot enough that I can't hold my finger on it which has me worried for a fire hazard. The best I can describe it without pictures is a silver cylinderical piece about 1-1.5" long at about 3/4" wide.

Any ideas on what this piece is or does? The last thing I need is to watch my truck go up in flames

 

I've heard headlight switches will do this.

 

are you sure it not your turn sign stat or relay.

 

I'm not entirely sure what it is or what its for. I do know that my cargo light rarely works, it will work, then it won't and then it will . Also my hazard lights are very weak and very quick and sudden (short dull blinks as opposed to the slower 1-2 rythm).

 

I knew what that piece was at one time...

Hmm.... Thinking.... Thinking.... Thinking....

Nope, brainfault, I'll come back tomorrow...

 

Is it in the fuse block?

 

I think I read that it has to do with the light around your ignition and will only be hot like that when the door is opened for an extended period of time. I bumped into it too and was really worried the truck would be burned down by morning.

Hopefully Wanna will chime in, as I think he's the one who said it in an old post I found while searching for something else.

 

If the item you are talking about looks like an old fluorescent lamp starter or 1/2 of a 20 ga. shotgun shell and has 3 prongs sticking out the end of it that plugs into a socket that has 1 pink and 2 yellow wires on it and burns your hand when you bump against it, you just found your thermal timer that controls the key ring light.

Surprisingly it's supposed to get hot.
I am always a bit leery of HOT things under my dash also but I learned to ignore it.
But every time I get under my dash I always burn my hand on the courtesy light bulb.

Just tuck it between the parking brake assy. and the electronic module where it won't bother anything and you will be fine.

Jim

 

SO! That is what it is. Always wondered but never asked.

 

Remember, 1st gens were hard on headlight switches and if your 4-ways are flashing real quick go to a heavy duty flasher. I used an electronic type for an 18 wheeler. They run about $15-20, don't get hot and never wear out.

 

I too wondered what that was for, I combed the service manual until I found it. Now it's in the glovebox . Too hot for my taste, and I really don't need a lit ring around my ignition switch, that's 2nd gen stuff.

 

No kidding, I was going to ask the same question!