Lighting issues - started going off and on...

[Fisch]

Need some help.

I was driving today and noticed that my dash lights were switching from full illumination to dim illumination, and back and forth periodically, as if I was turning the headlights on and off.

When I turned the headlight knob, my headlights went on, but I noticed in the reflection from the car in front of my that they would go off and on along with my interior dimming. Didn't have time to think about it at the moment...

But then I was driving home later in the dark, and sure enough - my lights went out three times in about 20 minutes. All dash lights would go off too. Then after a couple seconds all lights would come back.

I pulled over to mess around with it and noticed that my headlight knob was out of whack. For example, I could turn the knob to parking lights, but it would not let me turn the fog lights on. Turned it to headlights, and it allowed the fog lights. Then all the lights would go out, but the parking lights would stay on. Then the headlights would come on, I would turn the knob to turn them off, and they would stay on!!!

WTF???

It's clearly not an HID/ballast problem, because it is effecting the entire system. I have done an audio upgrade recently, but have had no issues at all until today. My amp has been dimming my lights when the sub channel is up, but this problem is different and it was happening today with the amp off.

So any ideas? Could I have bumped something under the dash during the install? Could the actual headlight switch have gone bad? Is there a relay or something that is shorting out?

Any help is greatly appreciated. This makes it kind of tough to drive at night and everybody thinks I'm flashing my lights at them, so I'd like to get to the bottom of this asap.

[Montreal300]

Do you have automatic lighting as in "A" on the switch? If not I'd say the switch is toast.
If you do have auto lighting, what are your settings in the EVIC and when you're playing with the switch, is the car running or off?

[diegog]

Happened to me a while back, I was at the dealership for transmission flush and asked the tech, he said it was feedback from aftermarket hids, Bought the headlight switch and guess what? Problem solved!!!

[MADDOG]

I'm betting it's the switch.

[Fisch]

Originally Posted by Montreal300

Do you have automatic lighting as in "A" on the switch? If not I'd say the switch is toast.
If you do have auto lighting, what are your settings in the EVIC and when you're playing with the switch, is the car running or off?

Thanks. Yes I do have auto headlights. So why do you think the switch is toast if a don't have A? And I've only been messing it while the car is on and running. I'm not sure which EVIC settings your asking about, but I haven't changed anything in the EVIC for three years.

Originally Posted by diegog

Happened to me a while back, I was at the dealership for transmission flush and asked the tech, he said it was feedback from aftermarket hids, Bought the headlight switch and guess what? Problem solved!!!

Interesting. Yeah, I figured the assumption would be that it must be related to the HID's = but I doubt it. Sounds like I'm going to order a new switch. Thanks.

Originally Posted by MADDOG

I'm betting it's the switch.

And another vote for a switch! Thanks man


So it all happened again tonight on the way home. This time I'm driving and all of the lights go out (while I'm merging on the highway - great timing). A couple seconds later they come back on. I tried the fog light button and nothing happened - the fogs stayed on. Lights go off again - I begin to click the knob back to parking lights - nothing, click it back to off - and what do you know... after a short delay, all lights come back on = while the knob is turned to OFF.

At this point, I just want to make it home because its dark, but a few minutes later they went off again - this time I switched to "A" (which I never use) and the lights stayed on the remainder of the drive, probably 25 minutes.

So yeah, I gotta think this switch is the problem now. Thanks for the feedback fellas. Time to buy a switch and see what happens.

[Fisch]

Anybody have a part number for this? I need the Headlamp Switch w/ Auto and w/ Fog for an '06 300C.

I seem to find a few that say they are for '05-'07, but the image is not the same as mine. Mine has a small independent fog light button. The one pictured does not have that button, but there is a label on the actual headlight knob which instructs to push it for the fogs. I definitely would prefer the type I currently have.

And damn! $50+??? Sheeeeshh

Thanks for any help.

[Montreal300]

I don't think you can get the older version anymore.

[Fisch]

You guys are all on top of it!

Turns out they don't make the old switch anymore. So the only one available is the newer style that you push the knob in to turn on the fogs - instead of the small independent fog button. The new style has one extra pin. And here's the funny thing - the Mopar parts guy told me that he didn't know and guarantee if it will work. I said I'll go outside and try. He says if I do then I own the part and no returns. WTF??

So about $60 later I rolled the dice and bought one. And it works. All good now. I was a bit worried that my BT headlight knob cover may not let the knob push in, but it's beveled just perfectly to push in nicely.

So I'm all good now. Big thanks for the help!

[diegog]

Originally Posted by Fisch

You guys are all on top of it!

Turns out they don't make the old switch anymore. So the only one available is the newer style that you push the knob in to turn on the fogs - instead of the small independent fog button. The new style has one extra pin. And here's the funny thing - the Mopar parts guy told me that he didn't know and guarantee if it will work. I said I'll go outside and try. He says if I do then I own the part and no returns. WTF??

So about $60 later I rolled the dice and bought one. And it works. All good now. I was a bit worried that my BT headlight knob cover may not let the knob push in, but it's beveled just perfectly to push in nicely.

So I'm all good now. Big thanks for the help!

Good to know you are set!! I bought mine from ebay for like $25 So if it goes bad now I know I can buy the 5 pin one!

[Fisch]

Originally Posted by diegog

Good to know you are set!! I bought mine from ebay for like $25 So if it goes bad now I know I can buy the 5 pin one!

Damn - $25 is good. I think the best I found online was $38, but unfortunately I was leaving town and needed my headlights asap... so I had to bend over for the stealership.