Turn signal light always on. Why?

[tab380]

After Sears replaced my battery, I noticed my drivers side rear turn signal light was on after the truck was turned off. When I came back to the truck later, it was off. This would happen intimately, sometimes its dim and sometimes its bright, but I would forget about it and did not do anything about it.
The last few days its on all the time and bright. I had to remove the tail light when parked at home so it would not run the battery down. I took it to Dodge on Sat. and the tech thinks its a module under the dash that cost $500.00 just for the part plus labor but wanted to get the reg. Sprinter tech to look at it when he is working before they ordered a part that they could not return.
I AM NOT GOING TO PAY 5 OR 600.00 TO FIX A LIGHT. Has any one else had this problem and had it fixed? can it be something else? cheap?

[lespaint2]

Funny thing is, same thing happened to me. First, I noticed that you have an aftermarket towing hitch and harness. Is that correct? If so, try to disconnect your towing wiring harness from your main battery.
Dodge towing wiring harnesses consist of six relays. They are located below the tail light on the driver's side. When I opened mine, three of the relays were corroded and wet, but I only had to replace one. Check yours for any corrosion and if neccessary, change the relay. I got mine from the Dodge parts department at the dealership. To prevent it from happening again, make sure you move the relays up and isolate them so they don't get wet.
Hope this helped!

[tab380]

Originally Posted by lespaint2

Funny thing is, same thing happened to me. First, I noticed that you have an aftermarket towing hitch and harness. Is that correct? If so, try to disconnect your towing wiring harness from your main battery.
Dodge towing wiring harnesses consist of six relays. They are located below the tail light on the driver's side. When I opened mine, three of the relays were corroded and wet, but I only had to replace one. Check yours for any corrosion and if neccessary, change the relay. I got mine from the Dodge parts department at the dealership. To prevent it from happening again, make sure you move the relays up and isolate them so they don't get wet.
Hope this helped!

Can you post photo of location and relays? I looked under the truck and see the wire harness going into the bottom of the truck and pulled the plastic covers off from inside behind the tail light but do not see anything that looks like a relay.

[lespaint2]

K6860391tow hitch.PDF

I also have a 2007 2500 long and tall and had the left stop light stay on. The relays and harness were in the left rear fender well and soaking wet. There is a drain hole at the forward end of the compartment on the inside of the bottom flange. You have to look carefully for it and it was full of undercoating, grrrrrrr ! There is an access hole on the inside of the of the compartment and the two harness entered the compartment at that point. With any luck I might attach a picture.

Brian T

[jdcaples]

Thanks, Brian.

What specifically did you do to fix the "always on" problem? Replace the module?

-Jon

[tab380]

Well thanks for your PDF of the hitch wire install, I found the wire that attached to the battery and disconnected it and the light went off. It had a in-line fuse so I removed the fuse and put the wire back on the battery.
So it is a Hitch wire problem, but I still cant find the relays but at lest I don't have to pull the tail light off at night any more. And I don't have to take it back to Dodge and pay them to find it and its not that $500.00 module they thought it was.
Now if some one has a pic of the relays and how to get to them.

Hi Jon

We were half way through a 23,000km trip across Canada and with no plans to tow anything soon we just cut out the relay harness. Bundled up the two cables in separate water proof bags, sealed them and stuffed them back in the hole. And of course we drained the water. Checked the other side of the van and sure enough the drain hole was plugged with considerable water. There was considerable heat, as in lots, in the harness as it was frying. If left it could have been a serious problem. Have had conversations with the folks who I believe put the undercoating on and seems things will be resolved.

Also had a substantial loss of braking, I'll submit a post in a few minutes.

Brian T

[tab380]

Originally Posted by Brian T

I also have a 2007 2500 long and tall and had the left stop light stay on. The relays and harness were in the left rear fender well and soaking wet. There is a drain hole at the forward end of the compartment on the inside of the bottom flange. You have to look carefully for it and it was full of undercoating, grrrrrrr ! There is an access hole on the inside of the of the compartment and the two harness entered the compartment at that point. With any luck I might attach a picture.

Brian T

I found it I pulled that plug in your photo and it all came out, a string of 6 relays and the last 2 were wet and green with corrosion. The 2nd to the last had a prong rusted off and a unconnected wire. going to get parts now.

[jdcaples]

tab380,

I suspect you're pressed for time and trying to keep on making a living, but if you can spare the time for some pictures, that would be really helpful to the forum.

Brian, thanks for the info, dude. You rock!

-Jon