Chrysler Repair: 1994 Dodge caravan: headlamps stay on, dodge caravan, fuse block


Question
QUESTION: hi sir i have a 1994 dodge caravan my head light are staying on when the van is not running  this just started 1 day ago can you help me

ANSWER: Hi Elvis,
There is an electromechanical switch (called a relay) which when activated (by turning on the headlamp switch) turns on the low beam head lamps. Usually it would deactivate when you turn off the lights, but evidentally it is stuck "on". If you look under the dash on the left side panel(the panel in front of the driver's side door opening) you will see an array of about 6 or 7 small boxes (the relays) and 3 or 4 circuit breakers (mechanical fuses, also square but with a switch lever). That is called the "relay block", and it is close by to another electrical module called the fuse block. The relay on the top of the rear column of 4 such boxes is the relay for the headlamps. If you remove it (pull it out of the block) the headlamps will go off. I would recommend simply replacing it with a new one from an auto parts store or a dealership. You could test whether it is indeed bad by removing the relay just below it (which is for the parking lamps) and putting that in place of the headlamp relay (they are probably identical part numbers). Then see if the headlamps are back to normal operation. If so, then indeed just buy a new relay for the headlamps and put the parking relay back in its usual place. Until you get the new relay, just unplug the headlamp relay when you are parked and not running.
Roland
Let me know if this isn't the solution.

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QUESTION:  hi sir i also notices that my high beam light is on in the dash my e-mail is rentanelvis@mts.net  

Answer
Is the headlamp dimmer switch in the high beam position? If not, then I am beginning to suspect that this entire problem is related to the daylight running lamp module which is used in Canada. That is something that I will have to do some more research about. Does the high beam/low beam lever change the headlamps or not? Maybe the problem is that the daytime running lamps are not turning off. Do they seem to be normal low beams or are the dimmer.
I don't have a document scanner so can't send you anything over the internet. But because of the hi beam indicator light being on, I am not certain now that it is the switch but rather suspect the daylight running lamps.
Roland