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Keith
Dodge Dakota
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11/03/2005
21:41:04
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 Subject: Lights out in Missouri!
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I have a 1990 Dodge Dakota 3.9L V6. It's been a good little truck, but it's got a weird (or should I say wired) problem now. The headlights, brake lights, horn, electric locks, and instrument panel lights all quit at the same time. All fuses in the fuse box checked out good. The relay assembly (longish aluminum tube that plugs into the fuse box next to the flasher) is good (replaced), and the circuit breaker appears to be good. The flashers work, turn signals work, light bulbs are good (I pulled a few and tested for continuity), buzzers work, power windows work, blower motor works, radio and radio display lights work, dome lamp works, cigar lighter works.
Any idea what's wrong?
Keith
Any
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Gregg
Dodge Dakota
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11/04/2005
00:00:40
| RE: Lights out in Missouri!
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Message:
The first list of failed lamps may be on one common circuit where the second list is on seperate fused circuit(s), therefore not related. It does indicate you probably did not lose the ground path common to all lamps.
Now check for 12 V positive to ground with a volt meter or test lamp from the load side of the fuse(s)or breaker to a easy to reach lamp socket. Test for continuity to ground from the socket if voltage present.
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Keith
Dodge Dakota
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11/04/2005
08:31:11
| RE: Lights out in Missouri!
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Message:
I pulled a taillight lens off and checked with lights and brakes "on" and got no 12V signal. Could this be a relay somewhere?
Keith
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Lemmon714
Dodge Dakota
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11/04/2005
11:39:10
| RE: Lights out in Missouri!
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I had a similar problem with my 96. It wound up being my headlight switch. I don't think this is your problem. I knew it was the headlight switch because everything worked when the dimmer knob was turned "Off."
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Keith
Dodge Dakota
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11/05/2005
09:18:29
| RE: Lights out in Missouri!
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On the chance that it might be the headlight switch, I removed it. Then I found the "hot" connections that go into it (there are 3). I ran a wire from each of the "cold" connections to the 12V hot and nothing happened, i.e., no lights came on etc. Seems that if the circuit was good, the headlights should have come on at some point, with one of those connections.
Keith
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toolfan
Dodge Dakota
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11/05/2005
12:58:11
| RE: Lights out in Missouri!
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Message:
just part this truck out u'll get more money that way i will take parts
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Keith
Dodge Dakota
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11/05/2005
16:39:54
| RE: Lights out in Missouri!
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Nice try. This is just a minor kink.
BTW, on the fuse block, I replaced the horn relay, and the circuit breaker. Then, just to make sure, I replaced the headlight switch. Still no lights.
Keith
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LESchwartz
Dodge Dakota
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11/07/2005
11:41:46
| RE: Lights out in Missouri!
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Keith,
I've fixed a number of electrical problems over the years, my advice: There's no substitute for getting a copy of the electrical diagram. There are three points of failure: Components (switches, fuses, etc.), connections (dirt, mechanical failures, etc), and wiring (typically where wires go through sheet metal -- pretty rare these days).
Larry
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Amanda
Dodge Dakota
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11/07/2005
22:36:00
| RE: Lights out in Missouri!
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Message:
I also have a 1990 Dakota, and had this exact same thing happen two days ago, while attempting to leave for a graveyard shift nonetheless. I replaced the Headlight switch this morning without any luck. If I find out what the problem is I will let you know. Good luck to us both...
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Amanda
Dodge Dakota
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11/08/2005
17:04:58
|  RE: Lights out in Missouri!
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Still searching for answers, however I did discover while tracing wires from the fuse box to the firewall, that I had a small amount of water leaking through the wire housing attatched to the firewall. Looking at the side of that electrical housing from under the hood, it was sealed with electrical tape (don't know if that was from a previous owner or not) pulled the tape and the boot to find that pretty much all the electrical wires on the bottom were sitting in water and were corroding. Spent most of the morning drying out the unit and wires, without any luck so far.
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Brian22
Dodge Dakota
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11/08/2005
18:57:16
| RE: Lights out in Missouri!
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Message:
I just fixed this exact problem on my 97 cc 318 4x4... i replaced the multifunction switch (turn signal assembly)... the old switch caused one of my fuses to blow, (inside the cab) replaced the fuse and the problem was fixed. Hope this helps
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Brian22
Dodge Dakota
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11/08/2005
19:06:56
| RE: Lights out in Missouri!
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BTW, if that doesnt fix it, check the wiring inside the steering column, near the steering wheel, all of those circuits run through the multifinction switch ,and wires have been know to come loose from the multifunction switch plug, in my case, it was a purple wire... (powered the low beam headlights)
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Brian22
Dodge Dakota
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11/08/2005
19:08:59
| RE: Lights out in Missouri!
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If you need a wiring diagram ... go here
http://search.epnet.com/login.aspx?profile=autorefctr
username: lcls23
password: library
they have wiring diagrams and instructions to do just about anything to your truck
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Keith
Dodge Dakota
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11/08/2005
19:21:47
| RE: Lights out in Missouri!
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Message:
Lots of help! Thanks. I got the wiring diagram from the local library, which has reference copies of Mitchells (probably the most complete and useful publicly available books on vehicles). I discovered that ALL the functions that the truck lost (headlights, brakelights, dash lights, horn, and power locks) were controlled by one wire -- a red and white one that hooked to a brass bar behind the fuse block and powered all those fuses through their contact with that bar. It connected to the battery through the "gray fusible link," plus ran to the headlight switch. Thinking the fusible link might have fused and thus be the problem, I cut it (easy to find--right out there over the left front fender well, exposed along with several other colored fusible links). But there was power all the way through it! So I rigged a hotwire from the battery to the brass bar behind the fuses and everything came back on. So I hooked the hotwire to the red and white wire where I had cut it after the link... and nothing worked. So it had to be a break in the red and white wire. I ran a heavy guage wire through the dash, wired it to the red and white wire where it connects to the brass bar, connected it to the fusible link and I now have lights, brake lights, horn, power locks etc. I haven't found where the red and white wire it broken yet, but broken it is. I have to keep looking because it might short out if it's cut by a sharp metal edge somewhere. But for now I have lights etc.
Keith
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