Am I thinking right---that if I tilt my steering wheel, and the blower stops and starts while going down the road, then I remove the covers around the steering column, and wiggle the wires going to a black box right beside the turn signal, and the blower magically starts blowing, with the key laying on the floor. And that black box IS the ignition switch and it needs replacing to fix my issue? Right?

 

You are probaly on the right track...I have heard of hthe tilt steering affecting/breaking the wire harness on some models. You might not even need to replace the switch, but only repair the wires if you are handy with a soldering gun and shrinkwrap.

 

There were threads a while back about charring wires and ignition switch a while back.

Blower motor gets key on + from ignition switch, and - side is completed either directly or through the resistor block, depending on the fan **** setting.

Later trucks have fan power come from the tipm.

 

Changed the switch. The terminals were burnt all up. If I feel like it one day I may add a relay so the load don't run thru the switch.

 

Yeah I think that's what dodge was thinking in the later trucks, where the TIPM also provides over current protection.

Might be worth while to take an amp meter reading of the fan motor, and replace it if it's draw is excessive.

I'd also be sure the insulation on those wires isn't charred, so the thing doesn't burn up.