Let me start off by saying I'm hoping I know what this problem is, however.....

In a previous post I had an e-brake light issue that was resolved with help from friends here, .

Before taking off the armrest cover and taking care of the e-brake switch, I had thought the problem was a wire that runs right behind the drivers seat up and over the rear hump, (back to that in a sec.), Don't ask why but I thought this was the e-brake wire, its a long story, . I think it is a yellow and brown wire? Anyway I diked the wire and of course my e-brake light was still illuminated.

I then thought the wire was perhaps my speaker wire for the drivers side, but both aft speakers are on.

I'm now wondering and hoping the wire was my reverse lights? Today is the first day in a long while we've taken the car out, at least since I've taken it off of jackstands.

The wife was taking it to the gym and I was headed to work. I noticed when she backed out of the garage the backup lights didn't illuminate.

I know they were on before. The only thing I've done that I'm thinking could've caused it is my cutting of the wire behind the drivers seat that runs up the back little hump?

As I said I was heading to work and the wife to the gym. So for sure I will reconnect the wires and see if its infact the problem. If not then either two bulbs burned out real quick or something else? I don't kow why they would run the wire for the reverse lights like that, its probably the wire for the dirvers buzzer?

Any ideas?

 

Per the 71' diagram I have, the wires to BU lights are light green. Brown is to the rear marker and licence lights. Yellow is to left stop light. Note that the power antenna wires go there too but not sure of the color.

 

Thanks again Duke, I will be home around 1030, so I will double check the wire colors and I will reconnect the cut wires to see what happens. I do know the brake lights illuminated when the wife backed up.

Update to follow.

 

Duke, I knew I should've waited till I got home and rechecked the reverse light before I asked here. I just wanted to get some possibilites going before I got home.

Before I did anything I put the car in reverse and the lights were on. In the reverse detent there is a bit of back and forth play, if you push the shifter slightly forward the light is out, if you pull it back slightly it comes back on.

I geuss there is a switch in the shifter colum and it needs to be adjusted. Geuss I can pop off the top part of the center counsel to gain access? Not to sure about the location however...any ideas Duke?

No hurry, 'bout ready to hit the hay.

 

I had the exact same problem before in my '71. when I put the shifter into reverse, the back up light will turn on and off while I move it slightly back and forth. I changed the safety/back switch in the shifter assembly to a new one and now its working perfectly.

Hamad

 

Thanks Hamad, to access it was it just right down in the center console? If so, did you have to remove the whole assy or could you access it by taking just the top off?

 

I am not sure if it can be removed by just taking the top panel off. In my case, I took off the whole console because I was replacing my fiber optic monitors and I replaced the switch while I was there. I think it would be hard to reach the 2 bolts the hold the switch to the metal frame with out removing the whole console. It was very easy job though. good luck

Hamad

 

Thanks brother.

 

On my '71 w/auto I can get to it by removing the top plate. But you have to be very careful to not break tabs, fibre optic pieces, etc. Also, the neutral start/backup switch plastic is brittle with heat/age. Adjust it and tighten it back down carefully. If yours is 4-spd, it might not be similar.

 

Thanks, mine is an auto. I don't have fiber optics, at least I don't think so.

 

How do you "adjust" the neutral safety switch? I have the same problem. Back up lights not working and everything appears to be connected properly from the shifter on back.

Thanks

 

Here's the procedure from 71' AIM.

 

Duke,

Thank you! I have the AIM for my car ('68), but I don't recollect seeing the procedure for adjusting the neutral safety switch. I will look again. Just in case, I'll print the AIM page you provided.