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No Marker Lights on entire coach


Preston W

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We've developed an electrical glitch on our 1998 Monaco Dynasty And would appreciate your advice I noticed the other day when turning the headlights on, no marker lights come on anywhere. I've seen  different names for these lights....Driving lights, running lights, parking, docking and marker lights. But I'm referring to the small amber and red.Lights that are all over the coach to mark its size. Both high and low headlights work fine, turn signals work fine and in fact the bottom market lights come on and off when turn signals are activated. We  just had it repaired from an accident. where 2 of the marker lites were torn off and had to be added again. So I assume the fuse might have blown but I've checked the fuses for driving and fog lights (fog lights dont work either) checked fuse for docking lights and the 20 amp fuse for running lights and they all check out okay. I noticed there's one relay in the front electrical panel.by the front tire that says "driving lights" and i'm not sure what that's for. Also the ICC relay.  Perhaps I could swap it with another relay that looks the same. So this is today's project. Any thoughts always appreciated. I do have the complete Monaco wiring diagram but you need an electron microscope to even read it, And there's no page just on  exterior lights. I plan on checking by the engine, the rear electrical, the one  covered with plastic. But I didn't notice any fuses in there or Monaco 1 or 2 boxes.

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Edited by Preston W
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  • Preston W changed the title to No Marker Lights on entire coach

NEVER, EVER trust a relay....  same deal for certain birth control methods..  LOL...PLEASE FORGIVE ME...

Order a few GENUINE BOSCH 87/87A relays.  If you have any of the 30 AMPS....then get two of them...if all are 20A...then order them also.  MOST are 20 AMP.  ONLY BOSCH...not any other brand.  Amazon sells them.

Start swapping the relays.  FIRST...verify that ALL the fuses in the circuit are GOOD....maybe even put in NEW fuses....YES, they are flaky...as are the RELAYS.

The DRIVING LIGHTS can be called the Daytime Running LIGHTS or DRL as is required in Canada. Monaco often put the Relays in as they built for both countries...  

Then start testing.  Your prints SHOULD show the wiring....you need to know if the Clearance (marker lights) have a separate circuit....as well as MAYBE a relay.

The ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission - Which USED to regulate Motor Freight and Busses and such) are the MARKER on the top...maybe the SIDE clearance.

BUT, you MAY have an ICC switch.  That is for FLASHING them...

Look at your prints.  We have the 96 Dynasty and the 99 Sig (but same wiring as the Dynasty).  Yours LOOKS like the 99 set.

Start following the wiring...  

Headlights Dynasty to SIG 1999.pdf

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Did I understand you to say some of the marker lights come on with the turn signal? If so there is a possibility a ground was left off when the work was done on your coach. Check that the lights have a good ground. 

Edited by Rodger
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Yes, I found that perplexing when I turn on the turn signal, the Amber lights on the lower left corner blinks with the big turn signal by the headlight and all the way at the back, the red marker light at the bottom corner is blinking properly and it works on both sides.Yet when the headlights are on,  no marker lights come on anywhere.  I'll investigate that ground issue. Thanks

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There's a quick video I shot. When using the turn ssignal, you can see the turn single and the marker.Light below blink perfectly , but when you turn on the headlights , there are no marker lights at all on the entire coach.

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I had one tech repairman. think that maybe it's in the headlight switch, That's why I'm not seeing any marker lights.I have checked other posts.And some people have gone to the  trouble of replacing the headlight switch but it didn't cure the problem, but that's an option.Should the top priority be checking  relays and grounds first? All fuses ok.

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Today,  I replaced 2 relays in the lighting circuit,  The drive lights and the ICC and still no marker lights. But an odd thing happened this morning. I was flipping the ICC button to flash the clearance, lights and all of a sudden. All of the marker Lights were on.  I was ecstatic, went out and started taking pictures but when  I opened the RV door to come back in, all the marker lites went off and they've never come on again.  So we're still trouble shooting.Some techs  think it's the headlight switch, since we now have replaced the suspected relays.And all the fuses are good.I'll let you know what we find. Photo attached from the brief moment when the marker lights were working fine.

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In our process of elimination to find out why I have no marker lights, we are getting closer to the headlight switch as a possible culprit.  Any precise supplier, make or model of a Monaco Dynasty headlight switch for 1998 model?  I checked the parts list but found nothing specific.  Many thanks.  Any info would be helpful. If that rickety plastic panel has to come off, I'd also be looking for a new replacement voltage instrument and can provide photos. 

 

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6 hours ago, Preston W said:

In our process of elimination to find out why I have no marker lights, we are getting closer to the headlight switch as a possible culprit.  Any precise supplier, make or model of a Monaco Dynasty headlight switch for 1998 model?  I checked the parts list but found nothing specific.  Many thanks.  Any info would be helpful. If that rickety plastic panel has to come off, I'd also be looking for a new replacement voltage instrument and can provide photos. 

 

The headlight switch is an older one....can't remember if GM or Ford. I would use the PN for the the old switch.  Take yours out...it has to come out ANYWAY.  Then to to NAPA and purchase the one you need.  You can compare in the store.  If NOT they have a selection and you can then compare and get the correct one.  ODDS are...the switch in the PL will work.  The switch was an 80's or so....like the ignition switch, which dates back to the 70's for a Chevy Pickup.  PLENTY on the road and parts are easy to find.

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Preston:

Could well be the Headlight Switch, as suggested, pull it and take it to the auto store.

May well be one of these; Advance Auto Parts, #5971195 (Borg Warner CS81) or #5970857 (AC Delco D1588).

Good luck.

 

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Today,  I replaced 2 relays in the lighting circuit,  The drive lights and the ICC and still no marker lights. But an odd thing happened this morning. I was flipping the ICC button to flash the clearance, lights and all of a sudden. All of the marker Lights were on.  I was ecstatic, went out and started taking pictures but when  I opened the RV door to come back in, all the marker lites went off and they've never come on again.  So we're still trouble shooting.Some techs  think it's the headlight switch, since we now have replaced the suspected relays.And all the fuses are good.I'll let you know what we find. Photo attached from the brief moment when the marker lights were working fine.

Thats  good advice.I'm glad I have a option on that and I appreciate you folks getting back to me. So today's task is to get out the headlight.switch without cracking the plastic instrument panel to pieces! I do see there are good options for getting that replaced though.

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Posted (edited)

Apologies, if this is double posted.Just got the headlight switch off.For our 1998 monico dynasty. I am  amazed at how burned the wires were as they entered the assembly. I'm wondering how much rewiring.I'll have to do? It doesn't look like the wires are burned further down from the switch. Sorry for the stupid question.This is my first headlight removal and replacement. Do the wires come on the unit have to be splaced in20240813_113335.thumb.jpg.b8ad3e59fccec31ae068847e0388fb2d.jpg20240813_114001.thumb.jpg.4e87269ce1268204a2796b83686f424a.jpg

 

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Edited by Preston W
Put up too many pictures
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Anybody for fried headlight switch? I got the switch off our Monaco and it fell apart in my hands.And I noticed previous owner had used a wire tie to hold the connections on the terminals yikes. Thing burned my hand it was so hot. Can't read the numbers , so taking it down to napa to try and match it up.

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Posted (edited)
On 8/13/2024 at 7:15 AM, CRY1942 said:

Preston:

Could well be the Headlight Switch, as suggested, pull it and take it to the auto store.

May well be one of these; Advance Auto Parts, #5971195 (Borg Warner CS81) or #5970857 (AC Delco D1588).

Good luck.

 

All fixed  lights work perfectly now. It was the headlight switch that was burned and melted. Harold from on-site auto-repair id the replacement and from Napa, the correct  headlight switch made by echlin.HL 6613. Just a note, Harold couldnt locate a replacement  quick connect which was melted from the wires.So he wired everything direct to the spades on the headlight switch. Works great. Thanks for all the forum support as well.

Edited by Preston W
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I have a 2008 Monaco Camelot and I have been chasing exterior lighting problems for 2 years. I currently have no daytime running light or tail lights. Just to be clear the headlight switch that you replaced was the dashboard switch, correct?

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Hi, yes correct.  They tell me I am lucky it didn't catch fire. I noticed last year, when running with all the lights on, that the metal shaft of the headlight switch was very hot to the touch.  I had 2 or 3 wires completely melt the plastic.  No marker lights were working, but now everything is up and running.  I noticed when I opened the panel and starter messing with the switch, all the lights came on, including marker lights.  I had taken the shaft out so couldn't turn it off. I tried the 12 volt disconnect by the steps but everything was still on. I had to open the rear engine  cover and turn off both battery disconnects to get the juice off.  Before we decided on the swtich, I had replaced two relays, one of the daytime lights and one for the icc switch, that enables you to flash your lights for a trucker. All the fuses were ok and a mobile tech told me right away, its your headlight switch.  I still have no fog lights, but that must be a separate issue and I wasn't concerned with that. good luck. I read somewhere that if you run the headlights with full instrument brightness, it uses less power, than reducing the panel lights as the rheostat uses more juice. don't know if thats true.

If you take the headlight switch apart, take lots of photos of all angles. that saved me when the mobile tech came out and had to reconstruct where some of the burned out wires went.

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