Alright, I was driving my 93 home the other night with my high beams on and suddenly my lights went off. Switched to dim, nothing. Hit the dimmer switch a few times, and my dims finally came back on. Drove home on dim and didn't have any more problems. This has happened to me a couple times. Do you guys think it's the dimmer switch on the column, or the headlight switch on the dash? When my headlights go out, I still have park, interior, and tail lights. I'm hoping it's the headlight switch because I really don't want to pull the steering wheel to change the dimmer switch

 

Odds are good if you did nothing, the headlights would come back on in a few minutes.

There's a thermal breaker in the headlight switch. When the switch is wearing out and heating up, it'll break the circuit before it catches fire.

 

Ok thanks! I'll replace the headlight switch, and hopefully that cures the problem!!

 

check out the head light relay write up in the sticky. it takes the load off the switch and makes the lights much brighter. then your switch will last for a long time, its worth the little bit of wiring to put it together.

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=176263

 

First check the core support ground. Mine came loose and was doing the same thing.
https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...p-t306070.html

I keep a piece of 12 ga wire tied to the battery hold-down. If I lose my lights I can stuff one end into the back of the light socket and tie the other to the battery hot lead. And hope that it's not a short that caused them to go out, because then I still won't have any headlights.

 

I checked the ground, and it's tight. It's slightly corroded beings it's almost 20 years old, I'll clean it and hopefully it cures my problem, but I'm not thinking thats it. If the lights keep going out, I'll replace the switch.
taterfarm-I read the sticky and maybe I'll put those relays in! Looks fairly simple and like it's worth the time

 

a must do.....

 

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...ght=headlights

This old thread contains some good info.

The headlamp relay kit from Painless Performance is expensive but I found it to be an enormous timesaver when compared with fabricating one's own relay harness.

 

Its your dimmer switch. I've replaced mine on my 91 and I just replaced one on a 98 ram about 10 minutes ago that was doing the same thing!(same part # on the switches) Very easy to do, no need to remove the steering wheel. You will need a T20H security torx. Remove the steering column cover(it has 3 screws and is clipped together). Remove the wire connector and 2 screws from the combination switch and presto its out.

 

Thanks guys. Nick, it wasn't my dimmer switch. I replaced it today and within 10 minutes my headlights were doing the same thing, it has to be the headlight switch. I plan on doing relays soon, thanks for the help guys!

 

My 93 did the same until I replaced the headlight switch and installed the relays.. the relay mod is a "must-do" for any 1st Gen IMHO

 

Just my 2 cents worth. Factory wiring to the headlights is just too little to carry the load. I relayed mine some time back and ran ten gauge copper strand wire directly to the lights from the battery through 30 amp relays. Wow what a difference it made. I have been running Hella conversion headlights with DOT approved bulbs wired so the low beams run with the high beams. These bulbs have been working for a few years now without a failure......so far.

 

There was a TSB for this problem actually. I used to work for Jack Powell Dodge in CA. They recommended soldering in a new headlight connector and installing a new headlight switch. It fixed mine when mine did this. The lights intermittantly went off and then totally went out. One of the wires gets cooked for some reason.

Standard still carries the connector and also makes a good headlight switch. I bought my originals from Jack Powell, but got my backup sets in case of future issues from parts Geek online.

 

Its the headlight switch. I have done it twice now, replacing switches.

 

...but the TSB called for soldering in a new connector too. Mopar might still sell this since it was a TSB. That or you could look up NOS_Bill on eBay. He has connexions.

Jozef