Any auto electricians? Dodge truck friendly?

[AnthonyS]

Son's Dakota had a headlight switch short out and melt the plug and nearby wiring. Sadly it seems like s common issue. I don't have time to chase down all the potential shorts and replace the wiring. Any here a good auto electrician or know one?

I've seen writeups installating new headlight relays so light power is turned on by and doesn't flow through the switch. This short is eating 40 amp fuses, so it's really bad.

[Gasser64]

I'm not an auto electrician but a new circuit does seem like your best bet. That's what I did on my old chevy. The headlights died for some reason and I just really couldn't be bothered to sit there and track down the issue. Not when the headlight relay mod is common for the 80's chevys. A few reasons to do it to the dodge:

1. Somewhat brighter lights now that they're going direct to battery
2. No auto electrician bill
3. Never worry about that short again since you won't be using that circuit anymore. Just might save his truck from burning down. You never know...

I'd just wire the new relays to the old headlight switch. And I'd get these relays. They're great, no need for nappy looking inline fuses. I'm not sure how exactly the Dakota works, but I needed 2 relays. 1 for brights, and one for dims. Wouldn't surprise me if his dodge needs the same.

https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-003530041-SPST-Relay-Bracket/dp/B005OV274W

[AnthonyS]

That's exactly the idea I found on a dodge forum. I will have to think about it. I will call ins to have it towed tomorrow.

[Gasser64]

Thought of this a few minutes later..

I'd thoroughly inspect the factory switch if you do decide to go with the headlight relay mod. Just on the off chance that the problem is somehow inside the switch itself. If its simple enough and not some unit you have to open up, you may be able to rule out the switch just by looking it over. If not you may want to consider a new factory switch, just to be on the safe side. Can't imagine they'd be too awful expensive.

[AnthonyS]

The switch is bad. The short started in the switch. It also melted the plug and a few of the spade connectors in both are charred and pulled out. I took it out last night on the side of the road when my son called hoping it was just a switch. I've found that wiring pigtails and switches are for sale everywhere, so dodges of this vintage have this problem frequently.

[svauto-erotic855]

I recently used a harness from this company on a 2003 Dakota and thought that the quality was first rate.

https://ceautoelectricsupply.com/headlight-relay-kits/

[Gasser64]

The switch is bad. The short started in the switch. It also melted the plug and a few of the spade connectors in both are charred and pulled out. I took it out last night on the side of the road when my son called hoping it was just a switch. I've found that wiring pigtails and switches are for sale everywhere, so dodges of this vintage have this problem frequently.

Is there an updated switch off of a later model that you can use instead? Maybe they corrected the problem in later years. That's something I always look at. If I'm installing a part that is likely to just fail again at some point, due to inherent defects.

[shumpertdavid]

That's the type of work I tend to do. I do general auto repair but mess with a lot of electrical.