OEM Bed Lighting Help

[TGabe]

So I have a 2018 2500, and it had the holes in the bed for the factory bed lighting. The factory wiring harness was also already in place. I purchased the Mopar bed lighting kit and everything plugged right in. I then activated the feature with the Alpha, and the extra lights work as they should with the cargo light.

However, it also has a switch that I installed underneath the driver side light and plugged into the factory harness, but it doesn't do anything. I don't see any other bed lighting features to active with the Alpha. Does anyone know how to get the switch to work?

I assumed this was supposed to be a local manual on/off switch that you could use without needing to turn the cargo switch on in the cab, or unlocking with the key fob to activate them.

 

[1500ram12]

So I have a 2018 2500, and it had the holes in the bed for the factory bed lighting. The factory wiring harness was also already in place. I purchased the Mopar bed lighting kit and everything plugged right in. I then activated the feature with the Alpha, and the extra lights work as they should with the cargo light.

However, it also has a switch that I installed underneath the driver side light and plugged into the factory harness, but it doesn't do anything. I don't see any other bed lighting features to active with the Alpha. Does anyone know how to get the switch to work?

I assumed this was supposed to be a local manual on/off switch that you could use without needing to turn the cargo switch on in the cab, or unlocking with the key fob to activate them.

At this time we don't think alphaobd can activate the switch or haven't found what needs be activated. I know Alexey is working on adding 2018 to the app so hopefully there's a feature to get it to work.

I'm curious if the wiring that was already in place on your truck was for ram box lights and had the same connectors. You didn't use any of the wiring that came with the kit?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[TGabe]

No it's definitely for the switch. It's in the correct spot and all the mounting tabs line up. Didn't need any of the wiring that came with the kit since it was already on the truck. It was cheaper to buy the full kit than to just buy the lights and switch all separately.


I know when activating other things on Alpha, you have to change multiple settings to just get one thing to work, and since there is only one item for bed lighting that is listed as 2014, I'm guessing the button activation is missing. Since that was a much later feature.

 

[MarineBSP]

I need to set this up too. I'd appreciate help from those who have bed lights and switch from the factory ! Please describe whether the switch in the bed works with vehicle turned off or only when vehicle is running. Does it shut off after a set time, etc. ?? Is it designed to only work in conjunction with the rear outside cargo lights ?

I have the full OE bed light install kit too, but my 2018 RAM 1500 does not have the harness installed - so I get to use the whole kit. I'll be doing that in the next few weeks. Did I understand correctly that the switch you installed is the one included in the kit?

I'd like the switch to work when the truck is OFF, to turn the lights on/off independently of whether the outside cargo light is on. But I don't want to run the battery down if I forget. It occurs to me that I want to know more about how RAM intended the switch to work. If the switch requires coding, then i'm inferring there is CAN bus logic on when and for how long there is a power to the switch.

With your input I could pull an entire extra wire into the outer plastic 'armor' and run a direct line to either power or ground (depending on how RAM switch logic works). Then I would need to set up a way to not forget that it's on when the bed cover is closed =).

 

[Gibbs]

Subscribing...I'm wanting to add the bed lights to my 2018 2500, but only if I can get the switch to function.

 

[bdc2]

Yes it works without the truck running and it times out.. I figured activating the switch grounded it?

 

[CincyCuda68]

The switch cannot be added with Alfa at this time as it is only an option on ‘18 trucks and as you know alfa only goes to ‘17. The only option to make the switch work is to have the dealer add the sales code.

Use the search feature, we had thread a few weeks ago and Alexey (writer of Alfa) was contacted for this exact thing.

One note, I had to reprogram most of my changes in my bcm after the dealer added the sales code, so if you decide to have the dealer add the code make sure you have all your Alfa changes written down.

https://www.ramforum.com/threads/bed-lighting.138370/

 

[MarineBSP]

Thanks for the link - thought I would have found that one in my search.

AND thanks for the AlfaOBD tips. I purchased a bypass cable for the 2018 security module, but I have not yet ordered AlfaOBD and the OBD interface. I am deciding whether to go Windows or Android, and if I go Android I will need to buy a tablet to run it.

 

[IRSmart]

I need to set this up too. I'd appreciate help from those who have bed lights and switch from the factory ! Please describe whether the switch in the bed works with vehicle turned off or only when vehicle is running. Does it shut off after a set time, etc. ?? Is it designed to only work in conjunction with the rear outside cargo lights ?

I have the full OE bed light install kit too, but my 2018 RAM 1500 does not have the harness installed - so I get to use the whole kit. I'll be doing that in the next few weeks. Did I understand correctly that the switch you installed is the one included in the kit?

I'd like the switch to work when the truck is OFF, to turn the lights on/off independently of whether the outside cargo light is on. But I don't want to run the battery down if I forget. It occurs to me that I want to know more about how RAM intended the switch to work. If the switch requires coding, then i'm inferring there is CAN bus logic on when and for how long there is a power to the switch.

With your input I could pull an entire extra wire into the outer plastic 'armor' and run a direct line to either power or ground (depending on how RAM switch logic works). Then I would need to set up a way to not forget that it's on when the bed cover is closed =).

Here’s the shortest way to answer your question: the bed switch is an identical twin to the switch that you have in the cab to activate the lights from inside the truck. The bed switch works the exact same way in every way to that switch. Timers, battery hot, everything. They just duplicated the inside switch outside as well.

 

[MarineBSP]

Thanks ! Clears that up, else I'd be guessing until I got out a multimeter.

And I might just go back to my dealer and let them code the lights - they're very good.

 

[bdc2]

Search 2018 bed light switch,, a Cummings sight has a pretty good explanation.

 

[Redheadhunter21]

Yep at this time if you want the switch to work you would have to get the dealer to add the sales code. From what I have seen all the 2017, 2018 2500's come with the wires populated to the back and the 1500's are hit or miss on the lower trim levels.

Its not often I use the bed lights but with a tonneau cover its definitely something worth adding

 

[MarineBSP]

I received a 2018 cargo bed light switch only (Mopar P/N 68367545AA) in today's mail. I confirmed member BDC2's coment on operation: it is a 'bubble', momentary contact closure switch.

I will wire up, get coding done, and post back once it works.

 

[MarineBSP]

OE 2016-17 Mopar LED bed light harness for 2018 Laramie - no-flash option

Background: Mopar OE bed lights, harnesses, and wiring changed from 2016-17, to 2018 (2019 DS too?), and now 2019 DT RAMs. I read all three sets of PDF instructions to connect the OE bed light harnesses for these three groups, and the changes in where wires connect suggest that BCM wiring and/or programming are different as well.

With that background I had two issues: 1) I bought a Mopar 2016-17 bed light and harness kit without researching to know that it would not have the switch I wanted for the bed of my 2018 Laramie, and 2) I discovered that the instructions miss out and gloss over some really awkward parts of the installation: Four items instead of one that I needed to remove from the steering kick panel, and no indication of an amp and several wire looms blocking access to my truck’s BCM. I ordered the bed light switch as a separate part (P/N 68367545AA,– momentary contact switch), but of course it was not wired into the harness as the case for the 2018 harness. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because knowing I needed to add extra wire(s) to the harness made me think harder.

What I did: My BCM is VERY hard to access without removing an amp and some other stuff – your truck build may differ, but I decided not to waste time and risk messing up. The cabin cargo button on the headlight multi-switch works by momentarily connecting pin 6 (cargo light signal) to pin 3 (headlight switch MUX return). To wire the bed switch I used 20 feet of 18 gauge twisted pair wire – 20 feet of wire is the bare minimum length for this on my 2018 Laramie CC short bed, while 18 gauge is oversize. I crimped, soldered & shrink-wrapped my twisted pair wire to the switch, and I ran it together with the Mopar 2016-17 bed light harness from back to front per instructions. At the front I ran the power lead and the twisted pair into the cabin through the firewall grommet, and I connected the ground lead to the M6 (10mm nut) chassis ground stud near the battery. In the dash I spliced the twisted pair wires from the bed switch (crimp, solder, & heat shrink) onto the leads for pin 6 and pin 3 at the headlight switch connector. I ran the bed light power lead down to the main wire harness running along the driver door sill, and I spliced the bed light lead to the cargo light power lead there (crimp, solder, & heat shrink).

Result: My new bed and existing cabin switches are in parallel, and either one triggers the MUX return. This way the Bed Switch mimics the factory behavior, and I can leave the BCM undisturbed for now. The OE LED bed lights do not overload the circuit, but I’ll be converting the cargo lights to LED any way.

THANKS for comments that helped guide my choice !

 

[Jp6456]

OE 2016-17 Mopar LED bed light harness for 2018 Laramie - no-flash option

Background: Mopar OE bed lights, harnesses, and wiring changed from 2016-17, to 2018 (2019 DS too?), and now 2019 DT RAMs. I read all three sets of PDF instructions to connect the OE bed light harnesses for these three groups, and the changes in where wires connect suggest that BCM wiring and/or programming are different as well.

With that background I had two issues: 1) I bought a Mopar 2016-17 bed light and harness kit without researching to know that it would not have the switch I wanted for the bed of my 2018 Laramie, and 2) I discovered that the instructions miss out and gloss over some really awkward parts of the installation: Four items instead of one that I needed to remove from the steering kick panel, and no indication of an amp and several wire looms blocking access to my truck’s BCM. I ordered the bed light switch as a separate part (P/N 68367545AA,– momentary contact switch), but of course it was not wired into the harness as the case for the 2018 harness. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because knowing I needed to add extra wire(s) to the harness made me think harder.

What I did: My BCM is VERY hard to access without removing an amp and some other stuff – your truck build may differ, but I decided not to waste time and risk messing up. The cabin cargo button on the headlight multi-switch works by momentarily connecting pin 6 (cargo light signal) to pin 3 (headlight switch MUX return). To wire the bed switch I used 20 feet of 18 gauge twisted pair wire – 20 feet of wire is the bare minimum length for this on my 2018 Laramie CC short bed, while 18 gauge is oversize. I crimped, soldered & shrink-wrapped my twisted pair wire to the switch, and I ran it together with the Mopar 2016-17 bed light harness from back to front per instructions. At the front I ran the power lead and the twisted pair into the cabin through the firewall grommet, and I connected the ground lead to the M6 (10mm nut) chassis ground stud near the battery. In the dash I spliced the twisted pair wires from the bed switch (crimp, solder, & heat shrink) onto the leads for pin 6 and pin 3 at the headlight switch connector. I ran the bed light power lead down to the main wire harness running along the driver door sill, and I spliced the bed light lead to the cargo light power lead there (crimp, solder, & heat shrink).

Result: My new bed and existing cabin switches are in parallel, and either one triggers the MUX return. This way the Bed Switch mimics the factory behavior, and I can leave the BCM undisturbed for now. The OE LED bed lights do not overload the circuit, but I’ll be converting the cargo lights to LED any way.

THANKS for comments that helped guide my choice !

 

[Jp6456]

I was wondering if you could identify those pins for me? I just purchased a 2017 Laramie 1500 and if did not come with bed lights so I ordered the kit and the switch separately, it only has a ground and hot. I was thinking about running the switch to the circuit for the hood lamp and putting a diode in to prevent back-feeding. Any help is appreciated.

 

[whteglve]

I'm wondering if I can ADD more lights along the underside of the bed rail and have them controlled by the stock bedlights? Maybe using a relay?