HELP!!!!!

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ceebo - 30 Aug 2005 04:46 GMT

My 98 RAM 1500 she is giving me fits. The light behind the speedometer and
gas gauge does not come on when the head lamps are turned on my dome light
doesnt come on when you open the door and my tail lights dont come on when
I turn on the head lamps. I cannot pass inspection withou the latter and I
need my truck. I know pooor baby.If anyone has any ideas please respnd
asap.

things already checked:
appropriate fuses in fuse box in cab and under hood
bulbs except for behind the cluster

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miles - 30 Aug 2005 05:10 GMT

> My 98 RAM 1500 she is giving me fits. The light behind the speedometer and
> gas gauge does not come on when the head lamps are turned on my dome light
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> appropriate fuses in fuse box in cab and under hood
> bulbs except for behind the cluster

Bad headlight switch perhaps? Is your dash brightness adjustment part
of that switch? It is on my 2001.

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Tom Lawrence - 30 Aug 2005 12:02 GMT

> My 98 RAM 1500 she is giving me fits. The light behind the speedometer and
> gas gauge does not come on when the head lamps are turned on

Just these two? You mean other instrument cluster lights operate? If so,
you have some burned-out bulbs. Pull the cluster and replace 'em.

> things already checked:
> appropriate fuses in fuse box in cab and under hood

How exactly did you check them? Too many times, people have "checked"
fuses, only to find them bad when "really" checked (ie - pull 'em out and
use an ohm meter, or use a test light on BOTH legs of the fuse - not just
the hot leg).

> bulbs except for behind the cluster

Again - by just eyeballing them, or by pulling them out and running voltage
through 'em and watching them light up?

I'd start with your headlamp switch, and a wiring diagram from a service
manual. Remove the switch, and manually apply +12V to the proper terminals
(one at a time) of the connector, and see if the lights work then. If so,
replace the switch. If not, check for a bad ground back at the tail lights
(after you verify the presence of +12V at the taillight connector(s) using a
known-good ground source (run a wire from the battery negative terminal).

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