Ever watch a movie called "Christine"? :-)
-Ryan
99 DA RC R/T
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-dakota-truck@buffnet.net
[mailto:owner-dakota-truck@buffnet.net]On Behalf Of Bill Coleman
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2000 10:42 PM
To: dakota-truck@buffnet.net
Subject: DML: A Problem With the Headlight Switch (Maybe)
Hello. I am having a rather puzzling problem and hope one of you may have
had the same problem and will be able to lend some advice.
About a week ago I got in my 1995 Dak at started it up. It was dark and as
soon as I started it I noticed the parking lights reflecting off of the car
in front of me. I thought to myself that it was strange that I had never
noticed that the parking lights come on by themselves. Then I noticed that
the dash lights were on also. At this point I had NOT pulled the headlight
switch.
I then pulled the headlight switch to the “parking light” position and I
noticed that the parking lights brightened a little. I did not notice if
the dome light was working at this point or not. I then turned on the
headlights and everything seemed OK so I went on my way.
The next day I drove to work in the morning. When I pulled up to a
stoplight I noticed my parking lights reflection on the car in front of me.
I did NOT have the switch on.
I came out to my Dak at lunch and noticed the clock/radio had stopped
working (it had been working that morning). At this point I gave the truck
a little better inspection. I found that the dome light was not working,
the clock/radio was not working, the cassette deck in the radio will run (I
can here it run when I put in a tape) but there is no sound. I tried
various combinations of headlight switch on/off but was not able to get the
dome light or the radio to work.
I drove a short distance and when I turned the ignition off the blower fan
kept running! I started playing with that and found the headlight switch
was in the parking light position. When I turned the headlight switch off
the fan went off. When I turned the headlight switch on the fan would come
on! This was with the key OUT of the ignition.
The problem with the parking lights and the fan are intermittent. The dome
light and clock/radio will not work at all.
I read in my owner’s manual that if you tow a trailer that has several
lights on it, it may overload the headlight switch and cause the switch to
fail. I do tow a pop-up camper so I thought maybe the switch had been
damaged. I replaced the switch today but still have all the same problems!
The dome light and clock/radio will not work at all. Intermittently, the
parking lights will come on when the ignition is turned on. When this
happens the headlight switch will also turn on the blower fan (I find this
to be the most baffleling part of the problem).
Any suggestions?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Bill Coleman
’95 Dakota 4x4
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