OK guys I started having trouble with my trailer lights 9 months ago in a March snow storm. Lamp out chime, lights on trailor acting funny. I could not find any thing wrong... Fast foward to 1 week ago & I am out getting a Christmas tree after our first snow storm & Lamp out chime starts again. I replace rear lamps. Stops for a day or so & starts back. Yesterday starts really acting up during a rain storm. Now right rear brake light burns all the time!!! Will not go off. I happen to swing by my garage as this is happening. I look high & low and cannot find anything funny, loose, burnt or defective!!
That is until I decide to run the harness from rear to front. As I am going from rear to front of truck I find under the drivers side front, under where ur left foot would be, 2 connectors. I look agian & I see scorching at the larger of the 2 on the truck body, I pull at the wires & guess what a FIRE breaks out between the wires!!! I quickly disconnect & isolate the harnesses.
2 hours later I got the wires repaired, taped CORRECTLY, LOOM INSTALLED, & RE-ROUTED TO AVOID FUTURE PROBLEMS. I cannot believe a work truck would have such a sorry *** setup on this connection. Mud, gravel, salt , water, and whatever else the road and toss up collect at this very point at which the harness comes up over the frame and is sandwiched by the cab!! Come on, build a better mouse trap!! I inspected my buddies 04.5 and it seams as if Dodge has changed this set up to a better system. 1 big connector routed somewhat better. If you have an 03, I would check this out. Feel free to email me if you have a specific question!!!!!!

 

You say under the drivers left foot, is this under the carpet or under the cab? I'm having issues w/ mine as well.

 

look up behind right front tire, you will see a cab mount THE wires are on top of the frame sandwiched between cab. You will see 2 connecters, the larger
one is the one with the problem!!! The wires get chaffed before it enters the loom!!!

 

Glad you caught it before the truck caught fire..

 

Mine might be a freak thing, but if not, Dodge needs to looking at that southern help very carefully!!!! Made in Mexico has always been a problem for me anyway. I haven't seen Q&A problems like I have lately from Mexico since the 70's with the early Japanesse stuff. This thing could have easily caught fire and burned down my HOUSE!!!!!

 

Mine might be a freak thing, but if not, Dodge needs to looking at that southern help very carefully!!!! Made in Mexico has always been a problem for me anyway. I haven't seen Q&A problems like I have lately from Mexico since the 70's with the early Japanesse stuff. This thing could have easily caught fire and burned down my HOUSE!!!!!


I dont think the help in mexico that is putting to gether something we designed can be blamed for bad enginering.

 

might not be bad engineering, could be bad assembly if it is sandwiched between the cab and such. they could take a couple extra minutes in Quality Assurance! or is there such a thing anymore?

 

Question? I am assuming the trailer was connected to the extra four pin connector that is hidden under the rear bumper on the drivers side. Or was it connected to the seven pin plug (or do you have one)?

Also ref the quality assurance issue. I had no problems with my truck and was happy with the Mexico manf until my turbo charger chewed itself up due to a missing clamp on the exhaust side.

 

My problem was a asm. screw up. I'm sorry,the Mexico thing is a personal issue with me also, I understand the whole global economy thing. But, buy American... what does it mean anymore???? I am very, very picky about things and my truck overall has been pretty good. This is a very serious problem with this wiring setup, like I stated the 04.5 have been changed to a much simpler design. I guess the 03 setup was to hard for the hired help to asm. correctly!!!!

 

Oh yeah any trailer that has been towed has been hooked to the big boy 7 pin connector. When I was trouble shooting I tested the 7 pin & it was pretty much all HOT.

 

Dang, now I have to look at my wiring. Also, I am sure we are in agreement as far as not slamming Mexicans (my mother is half, lives in CA and is fluent). American mfg cars have their issues also. The problem is not with the hard working guy in the Mexican factory but with the final quality control.