2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission headlight switch

[Garyd]

1995 2500 4x4 standard cab SLTI have highbeams only no lowbeams. Changed high low switch. Not it. My Haynes manual does not show which pins on the switch to check for contact. Anyone have a link to a schematic or other idea. Thank's

Sorry about that

 

[mwilson]

I have highbeams only no lowbeams. Changed high low switch. Not it. My Haynes manual does not show which pins on the switch to check for contact. Anyone have a link to a schematic or other idea. Thank's

Please fill in your signature so that we all know exactly what year your truck is.



Have you checked everything over out in the Power Distribution Box right behind the left battery??? Assuming your truck is like my '97.



Also have seen cases where one lightbulb was burned out and nobody noticed it. Then the other side blows and the assumption is made that the wiring is bad, when in reality both bulbs are blown. If you haven't checked that out yet, do it now.



Mike.

 

[PBJ2500CTD]

Hmmm... Let's see... ... The great Carnac I am not. What truck do you have?

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

'99 and up headlight switches are much different than the '98 & older.

 

[mwilson]

'99 and up headlight switches are much different than the '98 & older.

Where he used the word "pin" rather than "terminals" maybe it is the newer rotary switch.

Hopefully he will provide more info... .



Mike.

 

[POBRO]

remove your head light switch & check pin side of switch for burnt or dark spots, also check that platsic conector on wiring harnes, that it dosent have any melted spots in it. if signs that connector is melted or switch has been hot you will have to replace them . ( can get replacement pig tail for for wiring harness, and switch from parts store - BWD borg warner parts ).

 

[Garyd]

I have not used this site much over the years. I thought the 2nd generation was close enough for a headlight switch. I was mistaken. I have owned this fine truck for 16 years

and other then the killer dowel pin and valve adj. I haven't had to do anything to it.

All the help and input for others with truck issues makes me proud to own one and communicate with people who care about helping others. To PBJ2500CTD and The Great Carnac thank's for the laugh,I needed it. I will try looking a little deeper this weekend.

Thank's for the help

Gary D

Black 1995 Ram 2500 Reg Cab Laramie 4x4 5 Spd. and loving it!

 

[PBJ2500CTD]

Gary D,I don't have a book specific to the '95, but I think it is similar to the '98. The easiest check is verifying that both L & R bulbs are OK like Mike mentioned. I have seen many times where both bulbs blow the high or low at the same time. If you changed the multifunction switch and the problem remains, I would check the wiring in the steering column for breaks.

 

[Bunyan]

if you have tilt steering the wires to the headlight switch behind the steering wheel may have pulled loose from tilting the steering wheel. this has happened on many trucks including mine. mine was the opposite the low beams would work and the high beams would not.

 

[Tractorat]

if you have tilt steering the wires to the headlight switch behind the steering wheel may have pulled loose from tilting the steering wheel. this has happened on many trucks including mine. mine was the opposite the low beams would work and the high beams would not.

I wonder if that can cause an intermittent problem. Sometimes if I go to high beams and then back to low, I have no low beams. But, if I tilt the wheel back up and almost slam it up, the lights come back on. Ive thought about replacing the multifunction switch, but I havent gotten around to it yet. And I really dont use high beams all that often, so it hasnt been a problem.

 

[Bunyan]

I wonder if that can cause an intermittent problem. Sometimes if I go to high beams and then back to low, I have no low beams. But, if I tilt the wheel back up and almost slam it up, the lights come back on. Ive thought about replacing the multifunction switch, but I havent gotten around to it yet. And I really dont use high beams all that often, so it hasnt been a problem.

that's what mine did. with the wheel up, my high beams would come on. when i lowered it to my desired level the high beams would go off. the wiring harness is stretched very tight at the connector behind the wheel and over time moving the wheel up and down the wires can pull out of the connector. i'll bet that's what's happening.

 

[GAmes]

1995 2500 4x4 standard cab SLTI have highbeams only no lowbeams. Changed high low switch. Not it. My Haynes manual does not show which pins on the switch to check for contact. Anyone have a link to a schematic or other idea. Thank's

Sorry about that

First of all, the Haynes manual is only good as emergency toilet paper. Spend the $$ and get a factory service manual from Genos.



I once pulled thru a weigh station in KS, dimmed my headlights as a courtesy for the weigh master, then had no dims when I pulled the switch back out. I too thought it was the multifunction switch, but that didn't fix it. I adjusted the headlights so they pointed down and drove with the high beams until I got home. After a day and a half chasing wires I found that both low beam filaments had burned out at the same time. I replaced the bulbs and readjusted the lights. I told this story on another forum, and it turned out the poster of that thread also had both bulbs fail at the same time. Have you tried new bulbs?

 

[Tractorat]

that's what mine did. with the wheel up, my high beams would come on. when i lowered it to my desired level the high beams would go off. the wiring harness is stretched very tight at the connector behind the wheel and over time moving the wheel up and down the wires can pull out of the connector. i'll bet that's what's happening.

Not quite the same as my experience. I lose low beam when I just click on high beam and then back to low. I can sometimes get low beam back by quickly going from low to high to low to high to low etc. Or sometimes by just slamming the steering wheel up. It seems to have more to do with the slam, than with the actual tilt.

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

Not quite the same as my experience. I lose low beam when I just click on high beam and then back to low. I can sometimes get low beam back by quickly going from low to high to low to high to low etc. Or sometimes by just slamming the steering wheel up. It seems to have more to do with the slam, than with the actual tilt.

Had a similar problem when the multifunction switch was failing on my '96. As I recall it wasn't too terribly expensive (under $30 from Save Big @ Mopar4Less.com!! - Full Line Of Mopar Parts -).