I have a 2006 3500. The parking lights automatically switch off after about 10 minutes - a battery saver function.

Here in the UK trucks over 3.5T gross weight (my RAM is over 5T gross weight) must have parking lights permanently on at night when parked on the street. This is a legal requirement.

I often have to leave my truck parked on the street (most of our parking lots struggle to accommodate a long-bed dually!) and I would like to leave the lights on for a couple of hours or so.

Does anyone know if the 10 minute switch off delay is a programmable option? How can I make the parking lights stay on?

 

That's an annoying requirement.

How is it that you weigh over 10,000 lbs?

 

OK I've just checked the regulations and it's based on curb (we spell it kerb) weight not gross weight (I remembered it wrong). My RAM has a curb weight of 7,091lbs which is 3.22T. The law is that over 1.525T must have lights on at all times when parked on the street:

Cars, goods vehicles not exceeding 1525 kg unladen weight, invalid carriages, motorcycles and pedal cycles may be parked without lights on a road (or lay-by) with a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) or less if they are at least 10 metres (32 feet) away from any junction, close to the kerb and facing in the direction of the traffic flow, or in a recognised parking place or lay-by.

Other vehicles and trailers, and all vehicles with projecting loads, MUST NOT be left on a road at night without lights.

 

I doubt it's a programmable option. Do you want them on a seperate toggle switch? You could just tie into the output side of the relay, or use one of these coool little pieces to fire said relay and control it from them comfort of your home.

http://www.xoxide.com/remote-12vdc-relay-kit.html

 

as far as I know you can go to a dealer and they can set the time for the lights using the star scan tool

 

The rules are based on GVWR, not actual vehicle weight. My RAM has a GVWR of 11,500lbs.

 

I know I can hard-wire the lights through some kind of switch/relay circuit to force them to stay on, and that's probably what I'll end up doing (using separate LED lamps to save battery and not mess-up the standard lamps).

I was just wondering if the the timeout could be removed via programming, as that would be far easier.

We don't have easy access to Dodge dealers in the UK (my RAM was a personal import) so I would have to buy an aftermarket programming tool.

 

Lots of 12v timers on Google also.............................

 

My suggestion was also going to be to add some small, separate LED lamps for this single purpose. Having all the truck's parking lamps on would consume quite a bit of power. I'm not sure how your law reads, but are you required to light all four corners of the truck, or just on the side that is facing the street? I remember from the past, a European car that allowed you to switch on the left side park lamps OR the right side park lamps.