1996 Viper Electrical Help - Please

[jimmyp11]

Has anyone encountered this issue?

Tail lights don't work.
Headlights, turn signal, brake lights, reverse light, are all fine. Just the tail lights will not come on when the headlight switch is pulled.

The other noticeable thing is Fuse 14 keeps blowing. This is the tail light fuse.

Any suggestions on what is popping the taillight fuse everytime the headlights are turned on?

Thanks
jim

 

[dave6666]

Any suggestions on what is popping the taillight fuse everytime the headlights are turned on?

A short?



















Sorry. GTS or RT/10?

 

[Viper Wizard]

The most common GENI [96 RT/10] lighting problem has been the headlight switch. They melt because of the electrical load on them. I've got repair packages if that's your issue or your welcome to give me a call, maybe I can give you some pointers?

http://forums.viperclub.org/vendor-review-tators-dodge/


Dave....Too much info!

 

[Nocturnal]

Hey,

Just wondering how long you have had your viper and how long this has been a problem. Is there an aftermarket alarm or anything installed that might have caused a problem. Otherwise there could be corrosion or the wiring rubbing somewhere. Just a few thoughts

Later Dave

 

[jimmyp11]

I've had it for a few months. Its always been a problem, but since I rarely drive at night its been no big deal. But now I've decided to try to find the problem. I just took out the headlight switch. Wiring harness is fine, so I heading out to autozone to pick up a new switch - Only $16.99 in stock.

So lets see if the switch does the trick.

And yes, a short it must be. Odd though that it operates the headlights fine, its the connection to the circuit for the tail lights only.

Jim

 

[SNKEBIT]

The tail lights and the dash lights are on the same circuit. Had that problem and had to change out the complete wire harness under the dash. The switch was bad too.

 

[jimmyp11]

Correct, the dash lights are out too. New headlight switch - no help.

The complete wiring harness? Yikes. That is probably a fortune. So I assume somewhere in that harness I've got the hot wire coming in contact with ground. That could be anywhere under dash . . . .

Guess I wont drive at night.

 

[jimmyp11]

The most common GENI [96 RT/10] lighting problem has been the headlight switch. They melt because of the electrical load on them. I've got repair packages if that's your issue or your welcome to give me a call, maybe I can give you some pointers?

http://forums.viperclub.org/vendor-review-tators-dodge/


Dave....Too much info!

The harness hasn't melted. I replaced the switch - no help

 

[SHELBYVIPER]

Try unplugging your headlamps and see what happens.

 

[jimmyp11]

Per the service manual they are two different circuits. I did unplug the taillights - fuse still blew. I intercepted the path to the taillights at connector 209 and unplugged it - Fuse still blew. Replaced the headlight switch - Fuse still blew. I can only assume now its in between the switch and connector 209.

So its in the dash. I'm not sure how much is involved in taking the dash apart, looks "kinda" straight forward.

 

[SNKEBIT]

Per the service manual they are two different circuits. I did unplug the taillights - fuse still blew. I intercepted the path to the taillights at connector 209 and unplugged it - Fuse still blew. Replaced the headlight switch - Fuse still blew. I can only assume now its in between the switch and connector 209.

So its in the dash. I'm not sure how much is involved in taking the dash apart, looks "kinda" straight forward.

It is a job. Took me a couple days and I'm pretty good at wiring, etc. Bad news is I never found the short even with the new harness. I think somehow the dash and tail lights are grounded, share power with one or more of the little black boxes under the dash. Even after I replaced the melted harness, I still blew fuses.
I finally took a jumper wire from the headlight switch connector, (I think they are brown wires IIRC), and bypassed the harness to the main plug that goes through the firewall in the passengers footwell.
The lights have been working fine ever since.

Oh, it's also the same circuit as the dome light system. They work also.

Spent alot of time trying to figure out what was shorted. Used service manual w/ schematics and more. Finally got fed up and took the offending wire/wires out of the equation......

 

[SNKEBIT]

Try unplugging your headlamps and see what happens.

Unplugged everything, fuse still blew out. Traced it back to the harness behind the dash.