2001 5.9 Durango blinking dash/head lights, CTM BCM replace?

Just bought 2001 2wd 5.9 Durango for a great price. It has 2 issues that the PO didn't want to deal with, this is the 1st. The headlights, interior, and dash lights all intermittently blink on and off together. It starts a little while after driving. I've read a lot about this, and most posts point towards the Central Timing Module (or body Control module).

I assume I need to pull the original, look at the part number, and order a new one with the same #.

Are these module's only available as a Mopar part? Or are there aftermarket options? I'd rather get a new one instead of used.. Also, when people say that you have to get the replacement module re-programmed at the dealership, what does that mean exactly?

Does truck have a aftermarket alarm?

ctm comes programmed... no scan tool required for that era. I'd have to dig into schematics, but I don't remember the ctm having anything to do with headlights.

I just text the previous owner and these were his two responses:

#1:Never an aftermarket alarm since I owned it also ignition switch new from 4 months ago

#2: Maybe a month battery died while it sat there I charged it started it and ten min in running it lights started flashing

Make sure the battery is 100 %.If they are marginal they will do real strange things.Rocky

This is a pretty common problem on 300M's as well - we are on our second one. I've read stuff that points to the headlight switch as the culprit for this. Our second 2001 300M is starting to do this lately - wife thinks the car is possessed. Let me know what you discover.

I must had replaced the headlight switch on my 1998 durango at least twice in the time I had it. I use to run with the fog lights on all the time. Harness connector melted. I suspect the switch really wasn't rated for that much current. It literally is the same switch on my Dart. Found a tsb at one time about adding external relays on d350 truck where i also Found the connector at rockauto.

Literally every post on the web ive found, and there are alot, say its the ctm and a couple have mentioned the light switch. I think ill replace the switch just because, and see if that helps. I will check thw harness as well.

From what ive seen,the only ctm's available on ebay are used. Is the only way to get a new one from the dealership or the online mopar dealer?

So i noticed a couple more things that point toward ctm. I got out of the car and watched carefullyas the blinking was happening. The dome light, dash lights, stereo face lights, headlights, brake lights and fog lights all blink on and off simultaneously at a intermitant random pace. It's not affected by bumps in road or turning of the wheel or stepping on a pedal or the on or off state of any of the other electrical components like the heater, stereo or even the headlights (even with the headlight switch off, the dome light and stereo face with still randomly but simultanseously blink.) All these run through the ctm.

Another thing that happened today was when i unlocked my door after work, the alarm started goin off.

So my plan is to replace the battery 1st (needs one anyways) then my headlight switch, then the ctm. I'd really like to put a brand new one in but it seems that there are no aftermarket ctm's being made right now and the dealership ctm is about $400! So I'll have to, for now, find one off ebay or junkyard or a durango being parted out on craigslist. I keep reading that since the key is chipped, the dealer has to reprogram. Im hoping this isnt the case, but we'll see.

Crazy things happen when the CTM starts to go...I had one that started blowing the horn in the middle of the night !! the first night I thought someone was in it...Next time I thought mabe someone was messing with the fob...Nope it was the CTM going out...The pick and pull boneyards have a bunch of them now so I get most parts dirt cheap. I paid $350 for this one,painted it and use it for a winter beater..

There are several used CTMs on E-bagger, some as low as $50..

Just my $0.02...

I will be probably chance it with an ebay module for now. I would like a new one, but there's a good chance the warranty is void unless they install it, for another $400 of course.

On to the next problem

Yep, the electronic gremlins that plague these durango's make people sell them for dirt cheap! I really like them, and they can be had from $400 to $1000 in decent condition

Would a Jeep Commander have this same CTM? My daufgter-in-law has one and she said it's recently been doing strange electrical things... lights flashing on and off, speedo jumping around to different speeds etc.