The front two marker lights (on the fenders) on my Duster have not worked for sometime. Now, the marker lights on the grill have quit working also. They still flash for turn signals, they just don't come on when you switch on the headlights. My taillights and the rear marker are still working perfect though. I've checked for blown fuses and bulbs but everything is alright. I've ignored the lights on the fenders for some time but I can't no longer since my lights in the grill have quit also. I've noticed that they are all connected to the same harness so I guess that there is a short somewhere on down the line. But would'nt it be blowing fuses if there was a short? All of the lights on this car worked when I got it but within a years time all of this crap has happened. Any suggestions on how I can find the bad wire or ground or whatever it may be.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

Sidemarker lights. Good idea to have these working so other drivers can see you from side-on after dark. Replace the dead bulbs with new number 168s or 2825s.
The dead function you describe here is your "parking lights".
There are two filaments in each of the front park/turn bulbs: a dim park filament, and a bright turn filament. SOunds like your park filaments are dead. Replace the bulbs and you'll be back in business. Use 1157A or 1157NA bulbs, or, if you want your front turn signals to be a little brighter, use 2357A or 2357NA. Do not use 2057A or 2057NA.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Hey Dan the bulbs are fine in the parking lights, they just don't come on. Now how do I fix this thing?

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

Czech all the grounds.

D/W

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If it ain't broke, fix it!

Checking the grounds is a good idea, but I'm beginning to suspect you may have a fault either in your headlamp switch (which does have separate terminals to feed the taillamps vs. the front parkers) or at the firewall/bulkhead electrical connector assembly, where all the "inside" wires turn into "outside" wires.

Just one quick question, not because I think you're dumb, but because I have seen so many people, myself included, consider bulbs "good" when they were actually bad, and wind up chasing their tail trying to fix the problem: How did you determine that both filaments in the front park/turn lamps are good?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I checked the bulbs by using my handy dandy Fluke multimeter.

Here is another clue. For a long time the front sidemarkers would ocassionaly come on if you ran the headlights for a long time. Then only one of them would rarely come on, and now neither on works.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

That info (sidemarkers starting to work after awhile) makes me suspect a bad headlamp switch all the more. NAPA will sell you a new one. D'you know the trick for removing the knob and shaft from the switch? If not, see this thread.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I've the whole button thing down pat, but putting the retaining ring/screw that holds the switch in place is what gives me a fit. Is there a special tool that can be used on this odd little thing. I have a hard time trying to keep it from crossthreading.

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82 D150-225/727
02 Dakota-3.9/5 speed
87 GMC C7000-8.2 Detroit Diesel/5+2

That is a toughie. I've used 90° circlip pliers ("snap ring pliers") to work on two slots at a time, or, if I haven't got those, two miniature screwdrivers in opposite slots.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.