Back Up Light Question

[GoGreen70MC]

Hello All, 

 

My back up lights do not stay on while I am in reverse.  When I shift into reverse the lights flash and then immediately go away.  What could be causing this to happen?  Thanks.

 

Conrad 

[Leghome]

Bad neutral safety switch or an  out of adjustment neutral safety switch are the only two things that come to my feeble mind at the present moment.

[Sam (Bones)]

bench or bucket seats?

 

if you play with the shifter, do they come back on?

[GoGreen70MC]

I have console shifter with bench.  If I play with the shifter, the lights do not stay on... shift into reverse, they flash... then they go out again. 

 

Conrad 

[GoGreen70MC]

Oops... I meant column shifter.

[Sam (Bones)]

the switch for them is on the lower part on the steering column, 2 small screws attach it to the column, should have a pick and green wires

[GoGreen70MC]

Alright, I see the pink and green wires... they are plugged into something on the top of the steering column.  What is the next step???

[Sam (Bones)]

take it off the steering column, leave the wires on it and play with it and see if you can get them to work, if not...replace it

[GoGreen70MC]

Alright.  Thanks Sam.  I'll try that.

 

Conrad

[Rob Peters]

You are on the right track. It almost sounds like it is just slightly out of adjustment but it is also the contacts in the switch are bad and it may need to be replaced..

Rob

[cbolt]

Based on what he described I would guess the switch is indeed bad. Most of the columns have enough slop you can get the lights to stay on if you wiggle the gear selector a bit.

[GoGreen70MC]

Thanks for the input guys.  I'll play around with it over the weekend and let you know what happens.

 

Conrad

[GoGreen70MC]

Well I finally got around to fooling with those wires trying to get the back up lights to work... When I was putting the car back in the garage, however, it would not start.   The electrical worked, but the motor wasn't doing anything.  The only wires I fooled with today were the green and pink for the back up lights and a purple wire that was also connected to the steering column.  Is this a problem with the battery or did I accidentally mess with a wire under the dash that I shouldn't have.  Thanks.

 

Conrad

[Sam (Bones)]

the switch for the starter is down there too, should and the neutral safety switch (purple wires)  

[GoGreen70MC]

I was actually just reading about the neutral safety switch.... When I was playing with the bracket, I did not unplug any wires.  Does the bracket the neutral safety switch is attached to have to be on the steering column for it to work?  I didn't put it back on yet. Thanks.

 

Conrad

[GoGreen70MC]

This is what I unhooked from the steering column.  The pink and green and purple wires are still connected.  

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.ss396.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/GDR-411.jpg

[Rob Peters]

Yes, the Neutral Safety switch and bracket needs to be mounted. If it isn't mounted, it can not detect the selector is either in park or neutral which are the only two positions it will let the starter engage.

rob

[Sam (Bones)]

what Rob said!

 

but you can test it with it unbolted, it should start by sliding it all the way to the left, then as you go to the right the back up lights should come on, then it should start again and the back up lights go off

[GoGreen70MC]

Thanks for the help!!!  I will try that when it stops raining over here.  

 

Conrad

[Sam (Bones)]

ain't raining up here!

[stangeba]

No rain here either.

[GoGreen70MC]

Ok, good news... Got the car to start and the back up lights work now!!  Thanks again for the help!

 

Conrad