Backup lights out!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 282
From: Back in Nebraska
Backup lights out!
I finally got the interior back together. Installed the rebuilt steering column and then fired her up. Started right away and everything works, except the backup lights. Bulbs are good and all of the wires under the center council are intact.
Does anyone have a place for me to start. They worked fine prior to the steering coloumn rebuild and removing the center council.
Does anyone have a place for me to start. They worked fine prior to the steering coloumn rebuild and removing the center council.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
The backup lights work off of the neutral start switch. That's in the console attached to the shifter with an automatic tranny and on the side of the transmission [I believe] with a manual tranny. Since you were only into the lower console, the wiring probably got 'buggered-up' while you were in there. Was there a connector you forgot to re-connect?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 282
From: Back in Nebraska
The backup lights work off of the neutral start switch. That's in the console attached to the shifter with an automatic tranny and on the side of the transmission [I believe] with a manual tranny. Since you were only into the lower console, the wiring probably got 'buggered-up' while you were in there. Was there a connector you forgot to re-connect?
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 282
From: Back in Nebraska
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Then get a test light or voltmeter go back in to the neutral saftey switch on the shifter.Find the pink and light green wires.With the ign key on shifter in park check for voltage at the pink wire if you have voltage move the shifter to reverse and check for voltage on the lt green.Let us know what you find.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 282
From: Back in Nebraska
Then get a test light or voltmeter go back in to the neutral saftey switch on the shifter.Find the pink and light green wires.With the ign key on shifter in park check for voltage at the pink wire if you have voltage move the shifter to reverse and check for voltage on the lt green.Let us know what you find.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,092
Likes: 5
From: Fayetteville Arkansas
Hey nice to see another chrome bumper car in Arkansas...
I am dealing with the same problem with my 72... but mine is a 4 spd. With the auto the reverse light go through the neutral safety switch that is under the consol just to the right ( passenger ) side of the shifter.... i think the reverse wiring there are large guage pink and light green wires... I would bet something is loose at that neutral safety switch.... I'll tell ya... the best thing I ever did was order the large wiring diagrams from doc rebuild.... they are invaluable!!! If you need I can take a pic of mine tonight and email it to you...
here's their website: http://www.docrebuild.com/
I drive through Mt. Home a few times a year, the wife's family is from Calico Rock... very beautiful country...
Let me know if you need anymore info or pics..
Sully
I am dealing with the same problem with my 72... but mine is a 4 spd. With the auto the reverse light go through the neutral safety switch that is under the consol just to the right ( passenger ) side of the shifter.... i think the reverse wiring there are large guage pink and light green wires... I would bet something is loose at that neutral safety switch.... I'll tell ya... the best thing I ever did was order the large wiring diagrams from doc rebuild.... they are invaluable!!! If you need I can take a pic of mine tonight and email it to you...
here's their website: http://www.docrebuild.com/
I drive through Mt. Home a few times a year, the wife's family is from Calico Rock... very beautiful country...
Let me know if you need anymore info or pics..
Sully
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,092
Likes: 5
From: Fayetteville Arkansas
Then get a test light or voltmeter go back in to the neutral saftey switch on the shifter.Find the pink and light green wires.With the ign key on shifter in park check for voltage at the pink wire if you have voltage move the shifter to reverse and check for voltage on the lt green.Let us know what you find.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 282
From: Back in Nebraska
Then get a test light or voltmeter go back in to the neutral saftey switch on the shifter.Find the pink and light green wires.With the ign key on shifter in park check for voltage at the pink wire if you have voltage move the shifter to reverse and check for voltage on the lt green.Let us know what you find.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,150
Likes: 4,165
From: Kannapolis NC
You can eliminate everything except the switch by shorting the two wires together. If the lights come on, you've got a bad switch or it's not moving into the correct position with the shifter. Move the switch manually and see if you get voltage in any position.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 282
From: Back in Nebraska
I'll give it a try. By the way, what are the two 12 gauge purple wires for? According to my electrical schematic they go the wire block on the steering column but I can't figure out what they are for!
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 282
From: Back in Nebraska
Bingo, I connected the green and pink wires at the connector and walla, the lights came on. I think that before I spend $70.00 or more on a new switch I'll take this on out and see if I can repair it or "jiggle" it around and get it to work. Thanks!!!!!!
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
As far as you having 12v on the lt green I wondering a plug is reversed.The light green goes directly to the backup lights and if the green has voltage all the time the lights should be lit up.The pink is the feed for the green and should be hot whenever the key is on.Follow the wire down aways and you might find where they have been reversed.
Last edited by ...Roger...; Sep 5, 2008 at 01:41 PM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,092
Likes: 5
From: Fayetteville Arkansas
sully
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16,528
Likes: 53
From: Dayton, Ohio
lol... yeah he probably should've used a better term other than "short"! but it is really just removing the switch. For example, I did this method on my 4 spd... removed the switch and put in a jumper wire between the green and the pink to check if the back-up lights would work... but then again maybe it is a bit bubba... oh well it worked for me and now I have the switch correctly installed.
sully
sully
We have this guy in his car with the "ignition" key ON and the shift lever in reverse because were working on the backup lights.The switch is a double use switch.. neutral safety switch and backup light switch.Not knowing the condition of this switch and exactly how its wired..he is then told to short across 2 terminals and it sounds to me like those 2 wires might be reversed.If the switch is shorted inside and he shorts across and internaly the short goes to the purple solenoid wire the car could fire up instantly and being in reverse it goes flying out of the garage dragging this guy and running over what ever is in its path.Now if someone would have cautioned him to be aware and remove the coil wire just in case I wouldnt have said a word.Accidents happen and IMO this could have been one.Then we would have had a thread discussing the accident and how it could have been avoided.Oh well I'm glad Apocolips found his problem and we didnt have an accident.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,729
Likes: 267
From: Austin Texas
Corvette of the Year Winner 2017
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
shorting across the switch is doing nothing more than replicating what the switch should do.
AS long as your sure what your shorting/jumpering it is ok to do so.
just incase, I use solder as a shorting jumper.
It will dissapear real quick !!
if you do short something incorrectly. 69VETT
AS long as your sure what your shorting/jumpering it is ok to do so.
just incase, I use solder as a shorting jumper.
It will dissapear real quick !!
if you do short something incorrectly. 69VETT
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,150
Likes: 4,165
From: Kannapolis NC
Now for Apocolips, measure with an ohmeter on the contacts for the b/u switch wires and manually move the switch. If there is a point of movement where the contacts read shorted to each other (0 ohms, or close to 0), see if the linkage can be adjusted to be in that position in reverse. If not replace the switch. Glad you found the problem.
Last edited by 65GGvert; Sep 5, 2008 at 11:46 PM.
