Lost both my low and high beams on my 94 diesel. High beams will only work if I told switch in. Any suggestions on a fix? New switch at NAPA is $104.

 

Can you wriggle the headlight switch and see any lights come on, even intermittently? What you described sounds somewhat similar to what mine did about a year ago. I was out on dark Colorado mountain roads and using high beams for the most part while hunting and I smelled an odor that reminded me of someone smoking or burning very stale cigars that got worse the longer I drove. A while later the lights just totally shut off as I was making a turn onto another road. I grabbed the light switch and wriggled it and got the lights to flash on intermittently enough to find a place to pull over so I could investigate. I noticed the panel around the light switch felt much warmer than I thought it should and concluded the switch or wiring to/from it was overheating. I left the lights off for a while to cool down and was able to pull the light switch on a little later and use low beams to get back to camp. I got a new switch assembly from NAPA and started taking the switch out, at which point I confirmed the switch contacts inside the housing had worn so much that they had developed too much resistance, causing heat build-up inside and literally melting the internal switch components and housing, causing the metal contacts to move out of position so they no longer made reliable contact. The cigar smell was the plastic housing melting. The NAPA replacement went in perfectly and has been working great ever since. Hope this helps.

 

Exactly what it was, thanks

 

there was a recall for this. my truck was NOT covered by the recall, but I was able to order the "fix kit" and installed it myself.

 

Report Receipt Date: FEB 05, 1999
NHTSA Campaign Number: 99V024000
Component(s): EXTERIOR LIGHTING



DODGERAM 35001994-1997




SUMMARY:
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MODEL 3500 LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS ONLY. OPERATION OF THE HEADLAMPS OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME CAN RESULT IN HEADLAMP SWITCH FAILURE, CAUSING THE HEADLAMPS OR PARK LAMPS TO GO OUT.
CONSEQUENCE:
IF THE LIGHTS FAIL, A VISIBILITY PROBLEM COULD OCCUR, INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
REMEDY:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE HEADLAMP SWITCH INCLUDING A RELAY IN THE PARK LAMP WIRING CIRCUIT.
NOTES:
OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 14, 1999. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-992-1997. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).