Is there a hidden relay for the headlights or is my dash switch about to crap out?

Both Low Beam Headlights flicker quite randomly. Act up for about 4 or 5 minutes and then they stay on. Dash and switch are not hot when this happens. Not a good thing to happen when you are driving behind somebody.

Just pulled the relay cover under the hood and used compressed air to clean and also pulled the 40 amp fuse and it checks o.k. Have not had time to see if the cleaning process will fix the problem.

Anybody else had this happen? Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

John (DH)

 

Never had anything happen like that..but sounds like a circuit breaker problem and not a fuse problem. Fuse would blow and be out until you changed it. Circuit breaker or relay would heat up, cool down etc, etc. I'd start there.

 

I have a strange short in my steering column, When I put my steering wheel all the way down my headlights go out.

I would start by replacing the relay and check the connectors, if the connectors is spread to far a flaky connection will result. Goodluck.

 

Check your ground from the engine to the body. There is a known issue with these rigs trying to ground through the ignition switch and it can lead to a wiring fire.

 

have you tried "flicking" the high beam switch when this occurs? Rams also have a history of the multi function switch taking a dump.

 

Guys, thanks for the replys.

The shop air cleaning of the relay box seems to have fixed the problem - at least temporarily.

hvanflee or Magnum: Where is the circuit breaker for the headlights? All I can find in the relay box under the hood on the drivers side wheel well is a 40 amp fuse for the headlights. Don't see a relay in there marked for the headlights.

RCW: Where is the main ground from the engine to the body? Sorry, I'm kind of new at this but willing to learn!

Thanks

John (DH)

 

Circuit breaker for the lamps is in the headlamp switch itself.

 

JBODY:

Thanks, that was what I was afraid of. Going to give it a few days and if the problem comes back will check the switch and other grounds.

John (DH)

 

FYI, I have had to replace the headlight switch on a couple of trucks. It just goes out for a bit then back on when it wants. never got hot either, not fun on a mountain road on a dark night.
Apache

 

The switch is definatly something to check.

Last year I was driving to work one morning in my '97. It was before daylight, and it was raining.
All of the sudden my healights went out! The first thing I did was start franticly switching from on to off hoping it would come back on. Well it did, and just in time too! The Good Lord was definatly watching over me that morning, because that could have easily been disaterous.

After I calmed down, I started to smell an electrical burning smell. So with that, I went down and bought a new switch that day after work in hopes it would fix it.
I pulled the dash off, and pulle dout the switch. There was burnt up spot on the switch. So i swapt them out, and never had that problem again.

So for your own safety, check the switch. Mine still worked somehow eventhough it was burnt out.

good luck.

 

[quote author=Palmetto_kid link=board=13;threadid=23449;start=0#msg221443 date=1071078746]
So for your own safety, check the switch. Mine still worked somehow eventhough it was burnt out.
[/quote]

Palmetto:

Got it isolated down to a bulb problem or short on the driver's side headlight only - I thought it was both lights but I was driving behind my friend last night and he confirmed it was only one light.

I know what you mean - no lights + dark road = potential disaster.

Thanks for the heads up on the switch going out!

John (DH)