# My plow lights don't work! HELP!!!



## jaded13640 (Dec 30, 2013)

Ok, I've got a Western Ultra Mount on an 03 Dodge ram 2500. The plow's headlight, running and turn signal lights all stopped working at the same time. I've been looking at schematics until my eyes are crossed and I'm not understanding a couple of things.

First, a question, when you have the plow hooked up don't the truck's headlights turn off and only the plow lights work? It seems to me that is how they used to work but now I'm not 100% sure. That would actually make sense as there would be less power consumption and therefore be easier on the trucks charging system and battery. But, again, I can't say for sure.

If so, how, ie what wire triggers the truck's lighting relays to shut off and the plow's relays to turn on?

This has the 12 pin bulk head connector. It does not have the 3 or 4 plug isolator setup. the harness just runs through fuses and relays to run everything.

If the truck and plow's headlight, signal and running lights both stay on at the same time, this becomes a little easier to understand, if not...I'm lost. I'm looking at the western site and have looked at all the Ultra Mount diagrams and I'm not seeing how it would trigger the truck's lighting relays to de-energize and the plow's lighting relays to energize when the bulkhead connector is connected. This may very well be as simple as the trigger wire is not getting connection at the bulkhead connector but since I have no idea which one does the job, if it's a ground or positive connection, or if they turn the truck lights off and the plow lights on when connected or not.

I'm in the process of working on this right now. The plow relays are stashed behind the drivers front wheel well so I have to remove it to gain access. Also, of course you can't do much without the plow on the truck and the connections hooked up so it's on the hoist with the plow on it, which I'm not crazy about. In other words, I really need some assistance as soon as possible. I'll have my phone out there with me so I'll be able to check emails but it may be easier, and faster to explain back and forth via actual voice conversation. I'm actually very mechanically inclined so if I knew how things were supposed to work, this would be a snap to repair.

If you can help PLEASE either reply or preferably call me at 810-875-2939 as soon as possible. I HAVE to get this working and pretty much have to do it RIGHT NOW. I can't tie up the hoist as that is how I earn my meager living. So, right now is my narrow window of opportunity.

My name is Wayne
Again, my number is 810-875-2939
My email address is [email protected]

Thank you so much in advance.


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## seville009 (Sep 9, 2002)

All i can help you with is confirming that the truck headlights should turn off when the plow lights are hooked up (the truck parking lights stay on though).


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

I feel like this is déjà vu...
Is this the same truck?

https://www.plowsite.com/threads/wiring-diagram-western-ultramount.160742/


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## dieselss (Jan 3, 2008)

Mr.Markus said:


> I feel like this is déjà vu...
> Is this the same truck?
> 
> https://www.plowsite.com/threads/wiring-diagram-western-ultramount.160742/


Wow you have a better memory then me.
2 years and still has the same issue, and didn't come back till now.
Posted diagrams....


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## jaded13640 (Dec 30, 2013)

Yes, same truck. I got the fender well out and can access the relays now. I narrowed down, I think, which relay runs what but there's a little rectangular block with the relays that I don't know what it is or what it does. I suspect is controls the plow lights. All connections to everything involved look like hell. Green. The relays are toast it would appear, either water got in and froze, causing them to swell or they've overheated and swelled or they got water in, were actuated and overheated and swelled...bottom line, they're all swolen and are trash. Relays I can buy, that other component, until I find out what it is, I don't even know what to ask for. I took a couple of pictures of the relays and said block, I'll attempt to upload them. If anyone can tell me what it is, I'd greatly appreciate it.









By the way, the four relays and that component were all taped together.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

That looks done, what's it look like if you take it apart. It must be one of dds proprietory cia trackers cause they don't reference it other than its there...


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## jaded13640 (Dec 30, 2013)

I saw that too and figured it must be the part but, like you said, it doesn't identify it. If anyone knows what that thing is, please chime in.

Thanks,

Wayne


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

Any numbers on it?

In my best jeering accent...
Take it apart...Take it apart... Take it appart...


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## jaded13640 (Dec 30, 2013)

Sure as hell, when I realized that piece was smoked and I decided to call the plow place, it was ten minutes after they closed for the weekend.


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## Mr.Markus (Jan 7, 2010)

2 years and 10 minutes...so close.


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## jaded13640 (Dec 30, 2013)

No, no numbers on it. There may have been at some point but end, where the numbers may have been was exposed to road grit and slop all those years.


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## jaded13640 (Dec 30, 2013)

As for taking it apart, it's a sealed part. That face I showed in the pic with the two little holes in it was a resin or rubber seal. I could cut it apart to see what's inside but my guess is it's just a solid state controller or something.


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## jaded13640 (Dec 30, 2013)

So maybe we can help me out with understanding this. If nobody knows what this thing is, does anyone know what it's function is? Why is it necessary? Can we come up with a way of eliminating it? Since I don't have any idea what this thing is or what it's called, and the store is closed till money, there's literally nothing I can do to try and fix this problem. I can't look up the part as I don't know what it's called. Any other thoughts on this would be greatly appreciated.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

That module looks to be powering the plow turn signals. Mabey the Dodge light module can not handle the extra T/S draw. Now your relays look like crap, and there looks like a ground wire there going no where?


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## jaded13640 (Dec 30, 2013)

Correct on the wire, there are a couple like that, they're jumper wires and, I'm not sure why they used them when they didn't need a jumper or why they didn't cut them off if not used, but they just left em there. I had a feeling it was what you're talking about. Like on old cars I've used to trailer race cars and such I'd have to use a heavy duty flasher or they would blink very fast to the point of not being obvious that you were turning. I had a sneaking suspicion that was the deal on that right from the start. I'm going to have to pick up some more blade connectors, I have a few but not that many and some relays and get that part of it cleaned up but I do need flashers too. 

Thanks for your observation and for replying back.

Wayne


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## Western1 (Dec 4, 2008)

Yes that is a park/turn module.


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

Ya need those ground wires on the relays for them to work. The parking light tapped current Powers up the relays, the ground wire complete the circuit, per say.


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## jaded13640 (Dec 30, 2013)

Right, no doubt about that. Those particular wires were, it appears anyway, pre-made jumpers. In this case they didn't need the extra wires as they didn't have anywhere else to connect to, they just left em. There are at least two like that as I remember, maybe more.


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## jaded13640 (Dec 30, 2013)

I finally have plow lights! All the relays were toast, as we knew already, the little part was in fact a flasher controller. You can actually hear it click with the flashers are flashing. NONE of the diagrams in the Western diagram package matched identically. It appears they took one harness and modified it to make it work or combined two and made it work. The only issue was that the wire colors often didn't match but, since I know how relays work I just had to figure out what went where. Since I don't do much work with plows it was kinda tricky. I went above and beyond on the new connections to the relays. I'll include a photo to show what I mean.


















They originally just used crimp connectors and chose connectors with plastic covers instead of using shrink wrap the way I did. That and making sure there was plenty of dielectric grease on all connectors, I think it'll last a long time.

One of the issues was that there was a blown fuse to the left side parking lights. Early in the thread I was asking if anyone knew how they went about "telling" the plow system to turn the truck's headlights to turn off and the plow lights to come on. It turns out that the left running lights are what it recognizes, at the plow harness, to trigger the switching of headlights. Of course the relays were destroyed anyway so the fuse alone was not going to solve the problem but at least now I know.

The only issue I have left is that I've got a plug hanging that I don't recall disconnecting and now I've got an ABS code saying a two digit number and the description "ABS High/Low voltage. I searched for at least an hour for where the connector would have gone to but I'm seeing nothing. I took a pic of the wire. If anyone can recognize what that is and where it might go, please advise.









My building isn't very well insulated and it got downright cold out there by about 10pm! LOL...I'd had enough by then.

Thank you guys very much for your suggestions and the forwarded PDF file of the diagrams from Western. It was tricky to figure out with them...It probably would have taking forever without!

Now I just need to figure out where that plug goes, get the wheel well back on and roll it out.

Thanks,

Wayne


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## Randall Ave (Oct 29, 2014)

It looks like the end for a wheel speed sensor.


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## jaded13640 (Dec 30, 2013)

Agreed, that's what I thought too but it's connected. I think I just got too cold and ran low on patience and, since I'm a cripple, I was in excruciating pain from standing in one place for hours.


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