Headlight switch repair kit

[mark93]

My five month old headlight switch started to smoke on Thursday along with intermitent clearance light/IP light operation. Actually it turned out to be the wiring harness connector plastic getting hot. The two female spade connectors that service that circuit evidently corroded slightly and, because of the high current through the circuit, got very hot.

I was going to replace the headlight switch and plastic connector only (it is available from Dodge) but Fullerton Dodge had a "kit" to really fix the problem. It is p/n 4886449-AB (list $76. 50) and includes: A new headlight switch, the entire connector with wires pre-installed and shrink tubing.

The different thing is the female spade connectors and switch male connectors are chrome plated instead of just plain copper. This should help keep corrosion down so that no high resistance, with corresponding heat, causes problems.

You cut the old connector off and solder the "pigail" to the old wiring. The wire for the clearance light circuit is 14 GA on the new connector vs. 18 GA in the original.

It appears the connectors can be just as much at fault as the switch itself for the clearance light circuit problems.

The switch supplied in the kit is p/n 56021892 which is different from the stock 56021898.

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'93 W350 Club Cab, Bright White, 5 sp. , 132K, Factory Options: LE, 4. 10 Limited Slip, 7600 lb. rear springs, tachometer, front stabilizer bar. Mods: Banks stinger plus, Linex bedliner, 25,000 lb gooseneck ball, 10,000 lb receiver, Tekonsha brake controller, POWER WAGON injectors-WAY faster than stock!.

 

[reoraider00]

Mark, I have heard of problems with the headlights switch on 1st Generation trucks burning out when carrying the additional electrical load generated from trailer or camper clearance lights. Is this headlight switch repair kit suppose to remedy this problem?

thanks,

John


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93 D350 LE CC, Auto, 65,000 miles, All stock except beefed up rear springs, 94 11Z Elkhorn Camper

 

[DJP]

I think the best permanent fix for the headlight switch is to install a headlight relay, and an additional relay for the trailer electrical loads. If the headlight switch is used only to command a relay (or two) open or closed, you can reduce the amount of amperage flow through the headlight switch considerably. Less amps = less heat = longer switch life. Just my 2 cents, although I have not had any problems with mine yet.

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89 D-250 LE 5 speed 3. 55 Limited slip, K&N, straight piped, Boost/Pyro. & 16cm2 215K and still going. 91 W-250 5 speed, 4. 10 Limited slip, 16cm2, 6" Skyjacker lift, RS9000, Dump bed, 18K original mi.

 

[bandit]

Mark (et al), You've done the same thing I just did, but sounds like you did it in one "kit" instead of two pieces like I did. About two years ago, my first switch burned up, but it was actually the pigtail portion that got hot and caused the fun smell. I have a '93 W350 with enough lights on it to need power from Grand Coulee Dam. I just replaced the pigtail with a "stock" unit from a local dealer (P/N 4728204 WIRE HEADL 8015002). The wires on this new pigtail are heavier guage than the smoked piece of crud I scalpled from deep under my dash, so they can handle a higher load, but that still does not solve our problem of the pigtail/switch interface having too much current through it.
Onward to my solution for the REAL #ad
problem! I'm installing (with the help of wiring diagrams supplied to me by Rick Dusch. . Thank you sir!)a relay kit under the hood for my headlights. I made the relay kit myself with parts supplied by my local Napa gods. This will also enable me to run higher output headlights in the very near future (Hellas with the H4 bulbs). Maybe I'll even use another relay to take the load from 25+ running lights off the switch.

Best luck,
Ken

PS: If anyone needs the wiring diagrams I got from Rick, email me at wrightplace@prodigy.net, and I'll forward them to you.

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[mark93]

Hi Reoraider.

The fix I perfromed will not take care of EXTRA lights in the circuit. For that a relay is needed. Mopar sells a wiring harness for trailer towing that has a relay in it.

 

[wrk2mtch]

You can still get a harness from Mopar for trailer towing? Any idea what the part number is and what it includes?

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'90 LE W250, 727, 3. 07, Line-X bedliner, 140k miles,

 

[mark93]

Sorry it took so long to reply.

The trailer towing harness is p/n 82400961 (list $87. 00) in late '98.

 

[Dieselman359]

Gone South

I thought that I was immune to the headlight switch woes, well I guess not. The other morning I hooked up to the trailer and smelled something bad. Well I figured that the smell was coming from somewhere around the headlight switch. Later that evening I was going to turn the running lights on, only to find out that they thought otherwise.

Now to the point, I have found that most of you got a new headlight switch and wiring harness (4886449-AB). I was wondering if the trailer towing harness is what I also need (82400961)? With all the factory lights on the truck (20) plus the ones on the trailer (10) I know that they require a little juice to run. I'd like to fix this for good, (if I ever get around to getting a flatbed) I'll probably be powering even more lights on the truck.

So what do you think, will these two parts together solve all of my lighting problems?

Thanks in Advance,

Chris Hughes

 

[Dieselman359]

Just bringing it up to the top. Any suggestions?

 

[Lil' Dog]

Originally posted by Dieselman359

Just bringing it up to the top. Any suggestions?

Depending on the price of the harness for the trailer package, I saw a neat trailer wiring system in the accessory shop the other day. It was a relayed trailer lighting module that you install in between your trucks system and the plug to the trailer.



I think it was by Drawtite, not sure. Basically you run your lighting wires into it and it runs on a separate power line from the battery to operate your trailer lites. The only load your system in the truck sees is to run the relays in the system. Now I don't know what the amp limit it has but it would definitely save on the load on your switch.



I didn't look close but it was probably around $100 Cdn, so maybe $70 US???? Might be cheaper than getting a new harness for the trailer-tow package.



J-eh

 

[Paychk]

This looks pretty good and seems reasonable on cost, check it out.



http://www.drawtite.com/modulite page.htm



Alan

 

[mark93]

Hi Dieselman and others.



It's been a year since I made the repair and everything is fine.



The new switch/harness will take care of the trcuck's lights and teh relay system in the trailer tow harness will deal with the extra ones.



Several ideas will work.

 

[Dieselman359]

Thanks

Thanks guys, just what I was looking for. I'll check with the local Dodge dealer and keep my eyes open for a different wiring harness from trailer shops. I want to fix this for good, so I'll let y'all know how it goes.

Thanks again,

Chris Hughes

 

[Dieselman359]

Five Star Dealers

Went to the local Dodge dealer, to find out about the towing harness and the upgraded light switch. Gave him the part numbers, he said that the part numbers that I gave him were for a '97 and there is no way that these parts would fit on a '93. I know that a few of you guys have purchased this upgrade, did your dealer give you any trouble? Maybe I'll try a different dealer?

 

[Paychk]

Hey Dieselman359



I would suggest looking for a different dealer, if you used p/n # 4886449-AB. That # is straight off my invoice and it worked great. I think maybe he didn't dig far enough because when I ordered mine, the parts guy read off the description and it refered to repairing the early models with electrical connector damage. As a side note what does he care any way it's YOUR MONEY not his.

 

[Mel Fuelling]

I ordered the repair kit from Rhoden in Council Bluffs, IA. The

parts man checked the number, told me it was for a '97, not

a '93, I ask him to order it anyway, he told me I couldn't return

it if it didn't work, I insisted and he ordered it.



Fortunately, I had it in a box behind the seat when I smelled

smoke while pulling a flatbed trailer to an auction. I shut the

lights off(10am), the smell stopped, came home before dark not

even realizing until two days later that I had no headlites.



Installation wasn't too bad except when you cut the wires(one

at a time) off the old plug, it would be nice if the old wires were

longer. No problems since then, although I wish I had relays on

the headlites and trailer plug TM lites. They would probably cut

down on future problems.



I got my parts # from Mark 93's post & consider it a keeper.

 

[Tim1]

Hey Ken (bandit) Do you know what pn. s are that you used from napa? Did you just cut and solder the kit in? My switch is good so far, but want to reduce the amp draw to insure it doesn't go tits up. Sounds like you used a 30 amp relay? I thought that they used a relay on these trucks,guess not. Thanks Ken. Tim

 

[drives mopars]

how do ya hook up to running light wire 4 relay?

where do i get the wire off the ign switch?



if so do you just find that wire



hook it to a 30 a relay run off batteries



for running lights



is that it?????????

i also have a camper



do these lights also go thru the lousy

headlight switch too?????

 

[Braveair78]

Headlight Switch

In August of 01 a month after purchase of my

93 D350 I smelled Da funk. Appears that one

of you was right earlier, the crimp on spade

connectors become corroded and melt the

plastic that the switch is contained within.

My fix was this: Went to Auto Zone (or advance

auto. . can never keep them straight) They

actually had the switch in stock, blew me

away, for less than $20. 00. I opened the

switch prior to install and lubricated all

of the contacts with dielectric/contact grease

(a tube goes for $2, used on spark plug boot

wires to keep boots from seizing). I then

spliced and soldered the switch in with my

portasol soldering iron with the dash out.

Bit of a pain but, okay so far. I think that everyone is probably having this probelm at

the same time because the coating on the

spade connects corrodes with the wire

crimp, time related. I think that if you tow

alot, with alot of lights, that the relay is

probably the way to go, but, this is a cheap fix

that will last at least longer than the

original.

 

[bflood]

Headlight switch & burned pigtail

Well, here goes, I'm posting a reply to an old thread on this problem. Hope it works, this was a good thread.



I lost my running lights and the pigtail to the headlight switch is toasted. :{ I just replaced the switch last year and put my trailer lights on a 40 amp relay but it cooked anyway.



I'll call the Dodge Dealer tomorrow to see if they have the upgraded switch and pigtail. Sure hope they have it in stock.



Many thanks to Mark93 for his info and to TDR for keeping old threads alive.

Bruce