HELP ! Failed Inspection - backup lights

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Bob Weidenfeller

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I have a couple of days left to get this Texas car inspected and registered in Maryland ... and it failed due to backup lights not working!

I've checked both bulbs (ok ... swapped with turn signal bulbs)

Put a tester where the bulbs go and:
If both bulbs removed, one side shows 12 volts when you put the car in reverse.
If one bulb is in, the other side show a small (about 1 volt) jump on the meter.
The switch to active reverse lights must be working as I notice a change when you shift to reverse, but it's like not enough power is getting to the reverse lights.

My service manual is in one of 6,123,131,918 boxes left to unpack ... they probably put it with the pet stuff.

As another point of refernce, I've had this car inspected 3 times in Texas, but I couldn't guarantee the reverse lights ever worked ... I assume they did??

Ideas??

Thanks in advance ...

Bob
 

Ulysses

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When you put it in reverse, do the lights light up at all?

Backup switch is simply an on/off switch. The bulbs are connected in parallel (power wire comes out of the switch and then Y's out to the bulbs.)

From Chuck Tator:

Remove connector plug from backup light switch at tranny.

Short the connector (from pin to pin, not the switch) with a paper clip or short piece of wire. Have someone observe the backup lights.

If they come on, it's the switch that's bad. If not, you have a little more digging to do.
 

Ulysses

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P.S. Backup switchs are on national back-order
frown.gif
 
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Bob Weidenfeller

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Nope ... lights don't come on at all ...

Since I don't have my manual readily available, where is the switch on the tranny?

Thanks ....
 

Dixter

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From the looks of the manual the bulbs should be able to burn
seperatly... so you should be able to burn either bulb with
the other bulb not in the socket...

From the manual... Fuse Block, Fuse #8.... then to the backup lamp
switch ( single wire, hot 12 volts ) then to the lamps...

This from the manual,

In the RUN position, the ignition switch connects circuit A2 to Circuit A22. The A22 circuit connects from the ignition switch to the fuse block and powers a BUS bar for fuse 8, a 10amp.
Curcuit A2 is protected by a 30 amp fuse located in cavity 12 of the Power distribution Center. Circuit F20, from fuse 8, connects to the backup lamp switch. When the operator places the vehicle in REVERSE, circuits F20 and Li are connected. The L1 circuit connects from the switch and supplies voltage to the backup lamps.

Ground for the lamps is supplied on circuit Z1.

Under helpful hints: check lamp elements, check the 30 amp fuse
in cavity 8 of the fuse block, check the grounding points for the
rear lamps.


looks like this...

12Volts
|
|
\ reverse switch
|
---
 

Steve-Indy

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Just went through this with a friend...including "national backorder"...

CALL JonB at PartsRack...he'll fix you up...backup switch arrived the next am.
 

JonB

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<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Steve-Indy:
Just went through this with a friend...including "national backorder"... CALL JonB at PartsRack...he'll fix you up...backup switch arrived the next am. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Thanks Steve........ In stock at PartsRack....
 
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Bob Weidenfeller

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UPDATE ....

Got back from a "day-trip" to Denver and checked things as recommended. It was the switch ... confirmed by shorting the connector.

Sent a note to JonB for a new switch, all should be ok ...

Thanks Ulysses and Dixter ...

Bob

P.S. It figures, I had 3 cars to inspect / register and I left the Viper for last as I suspected it would sail through ... turns out it was the only one with a (albeit minor) issue.
 

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