[devildodge]

HI all. Well ice is hitting central Pa and my brake lights don't work.

Here is the deal. Parking lights work. Turn signals work. Hazards work in the front not the back, and the brake lights don't work. Also, when I turn on the right signal, if I don't get it in the exact position the headlights and radio flicker.

The fuse hasn't blown for the hazards or brakes, and the turn signal is only an occasional thing.

I have power at the brake pedal switch.

Now, is it most likely a ground, or is it the turn signal or hazard switch.

The manual says you have to take the steering wheel off to change the turn signal switch. Any one have any experiance with this.

Hopefully some one can give me some advice soon, it is scary driving to work with all the idiots who drive to fast and give no room for error....luckily I go to work at 4:00 a.m. and hardly no one is out, and the ice should be done by the time I come home.

Thanks for the help

 

[Dodge 85 RC]

Ground. I had a similar problem. Accept that I lost my dash lights too. But mine was a ground. If you have any trailer wiring check that first. Then work your way to the front.

 

[Guest]

"I have power at the brake pedal switch."

Do you have power coming out of that switch when you depress the brake pedal? I'm thinking the brake light switch is your problem.

 

[macario]

Howdy, I've done the switch. Got one at the Autozone HELP section and then put it in there. You have to bend the little finger contacts to fit right but that was about the hardest part.

Mac

The manual says you have to take the steering wheel off to change the turn signal switch. Any one have any experiance with this.

 

[devildodge]

Yeah that is what I meant, I have power in and out of the switch.

 

[TheRamChargerMan]

Well, the turn signal switch has nothign to do with the brake lights. but, the hazard switch is another story. if it is stickign or bad or broken, it will cauase all kind of weird lighting problems.

check the sockets the brakes light bulbs go in...I had one short inside the socket, and it did the same thing you are experiencing. Also sounds like you have a problem in your wiring from the radio / dash lights dimming with the blinker.

check to make sure you have good connections on the ignition harness in the column. I had a situation once where the column itself was getting some juice to it. Same scenario as you mention with the radio lights and all. When you have the truck running, and you put the turn signal on, check with a meter to see if the column is gettign any juice to it...and I mean any....even as little as .5 volts is a big problem. I had to replace the whole harness inside the column.

 

[Guest]

Well, the turn signal switch has nothign to do with the brake lights.

Not so. It can be the problem. When I bought my 75 RC I had no brake lights, no rear turn signals and no hazards on it. Everything else worked fine. The turn signal switch wouldn't cancel either. I bought a turn signal switch for it, changed it and all my lights started working. Haven't had a problem since either.

Chris

 

[TaZMaNiaK]

Actually, when you step on the brake, power goes through the turn signal switch then the hazard switch to get to the tail lights.

 

[TheRamChargerMan]

by the column, I mean the actual column..not the wires in it

 

[TheRamChargerMan]

by the column, I mean the actual column..not the wires in it

 

[Johno]

sounds like a ground or a switch is shorting, or you wouldn t be blowing fuses. it s gonna be a shit job cause everything electrical in a dodge is,...shit. i agree with starting from the lights and working forward. could be a simple bad connection back there.
don t be afraid of taking the steering wheel down, it s not difficult. just becareful of all the plastic in there. if you break one thing you ll probably have to replace the WHOLE thing.

 

[Chump]

Is this your 79 RC...you don't say? If you need some wiring diagrams posted I should be able to find some. The power for the brake lights comes form the stoplight switch and goes to the hazard switch...the hazard switch is part of the trun signal switch assembly. From the hazard switch the power goes to internal contacts and wiring within the turn signal switch and then back out the brake lights themselves. Make sure you hazard switch button is not jammed halfway between on and off..this will cause problems also.

 

[devildodge]

Thanks for the info. I have the wireing diagrams and have gone buggy looking at them. Chump, you helped me realize I am on the right track. Sucky thing is the truck is now unsafe to drive and I am looking to getting the trailduster going. The brake problem was with the powerwagon, but the trailduster is having turn signal problems....I was hoping to get a chance to completly replace all systems that are for saftey (lighting, brakes, fuel) but now it has to come out of hibernation and fast. Thanks for the help....i will probably need more.

 

[stinger74]

Thanks for the info. I have the wireing diagrams and have gone buggy looking at them. Chump, you helped me realize I am on the right track. Sucky thing is the truck is now unsafe to drive and I am looking to getting the trailduster going. The brake problem was with the powerwagon, but the trailduster is having turn signal problems....I was hoping to get a chance to completly replace all systems that are for saftey (lighting, brakes, fuel) but now it has to come out of hibernation and fast. Thanks for the help....i will probably need more.

Hi. I'm new to the rc's but I've already had a similar problem to yours. My answer was in two directions. Someone had clipped the trailer wiring and the wiring were arcing to one another and a parking light bulb up front was bad. So after chasing wiring harnesses for two hours, these two problems happening at once when fixed solved it. The dash lights was different. The battery was grounded to the radiator, so I ran a new ground to the core support and that fixed the dash lights. BTW, I hate electrical stuff.

 

[mrpacu]

well that sounds familiar and i went to the fuse box, pull out glovebox...remove 2 screws holding fusebox..to get a better peek.....and there was this wire that plugged into the back side of fusebox see if that is plugged in and tight.

 

[GT4x4]

I've poured thru these posts...
My 85 Power Ram Lost brake lights and interior and cab lights. I've replaced the turn signal/hazard switch, and put a new stoplight switch in. Still no luck. Where is the ground for the stoplight switch? Where it bolts to the bracket? I've tried it in diff. positions to no avail.
Not sure if I got power at the switch, tho..I've tested it with the light but can't see anything yet. Where does it go forward of the switch?
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance...

 

[3jvj]

You need this:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/72-85-DODGE-PICKUP-TRUCK-Ramcharger-TURN-SIGNAL-SWITCH_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ50459QQitemZ8056946591QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Trust me. I've done it twice now. same symptoms.

 

[3jvj]

Wait: you already replaced this?

 

[GT4x4]

Yeah! two hours ago!

 

[GT4x4]

Never fear, Project M880 is here!
Eric reminded me to double check the fuses...The fuse handling the brake lights and interior lights was discolored...New fuse solved it, but, we've got a new turn signal switch and stoplight switch installed so we should be good to go for a while...Now, why did the fuse blow?