Reverse Lights

[Jayzzle]

Hello, it's me again! (Unsurprisingly)

So the shed has developed yet another annoying problem, my MoT is like 3 days away (this tuesday) and the reverse lights don't work! I have checked every fuse (all are fine) I have changed every bulb, I have cleaned the connecting terminals, and swapped out bulbs I know work in various places (I.E the brake light bulb (which I know works) for the reverse light bulb which wasn't working but works in the brake light slot) and taken most of the middle console apart to find the wiring which looks intact. I don't have a multimeter so I can't test for current. Should I dig further into the gear stick shaft to see if the problem lies deeper there? (Didn't yet for fear of wrecking something) I hear it's common for a switch somewhere to fail but I have no idea where it would be or what the switch is. Is there a way to jury rig it just to get it through it's MoT? Rapidly running out of funds to get it through and so many new problems occur >.<

Many thanks in advance.

[Jayzzle]

So I pulled the gear stick gromet thing out of the hole in the car, and traced the wires back to a bolt in the side of the gearbox. I also taped 2 wires to a used light bulb and put the other ends on the wires going to it in 2 places:- on the connecting cables which go to the loom = light comes on, and on the connecting cables that go to the gearbox = light stays off. I don't know if that means anything to anyone but I guess that it makes sense kinda if there is no power going to that cable which goes to the box the light won't come on, right? So I guess what I actually need to do, is to make a complete circuit, one cable going from the battery to the blue cable which goes to the gearbox, and on the green cable that also goes to the gearbox I will need another cable which goes to the lightbulb, and a final cable going from the lightbulb to an earthing point. Does that sound right to anyone? To be an effective way of testing if there is a current going through without buying a volt thing? I have no idea if what I said even makes sense, I'm a bit frustrated atm and I find it difficult to explain things properly sometimes :S Sorry and thanks.

Sorry I forgot to say, it's an E30 318i Canal Barge

Edited April 20, 2013 by Jayzzle

[Jayzzle]

Ok so I tried what I said, about making a complete circuit, a wire attatched to battery, then to blue cable that goes to gearbox, then the green cable that goes to gearbox had a lightbulb attached to it, and another caple from the bulb to the negative terminal to complete the circuit. No light. So I dunno what that means, or if it makes sense, or even it would even work if the cables were working :S So I'm still none the wiser. Happy days >.< I'm guessing that there is a problem inside the gearbox, I was gonna try to make, like a circuit, similar to how i did the test thing, running a charge through the gearstick and to the lights, then to a earth point, and having a contact screwed to the console there the gear lever is. Any thoughts? Am I just talking &#33;Removed&#33; or could that actually work? Any other ideas/suggestions welcome and appreciated. Thanks.

[Guest Mister Dabsy]

Did you "jump" the wires at the gearbox switch then?

[Jayzzle]

I'm sorry but I'm tired and confused and frustrated and not entirely sure what you mean by that.

[Jayzzle]

I did the lightbulb thing at the connector that sits on the gearstick gromet thing, gearbox side of that.

[Jayzzle]

Am I right in thinking that, of the green and blue wires which go to the loom, one of them will go to the fusebox and in turn the battery, and the other will comlete the circuit, going to the reverse light bulbs and eventually the car body for an earth? And if that is the case, if those 2 cables were bridged, wouldn't the reverse lights come on? And if they do, wouldn't that then tell me the problem lies with that bolt thing that goes into the gearbox?

[Jayzzle]

Well that doesn't work. I tried taking the cables off of the switch that's on there, cleaning up the terminals on the switch with a small wire brush, and putting 2 new wires onto it running back to the cables that go to the loom, that didn't work either. So I guess it will be a new switch unless anyone has any idea of how to rig it without changing the switch? Maybe a driver controlled switch on the gear lever? Idk :(

[Jayzzle]

Though, the green cable which goes to the loom has power running though it, I put a cable on it attatched to a lightbulb, and then another cable from the lightbulb to the car body and it lit up, but the reverse lights didn't light up wheni joined the 2 wires that go to the loom together. Nor when I did what I said in the previous post.. Idk what that means, maybe there is a break in the cable that goes to the lights? But then surely none of the other lights would work? Bah idk lol.

[G4VHD]

Prob best, and will save you a lot of work, is just rewrite them completely mate

[Jayzzle]

Yeah, but I can still use the one from the loom that has power to it, saving me having to mess about with the fusebox. So, do you think it's best to change the switch too or? And also, do you know which cable it is in the connector thing at the tail lights? Thanks dude :)

[Jayzzle]

New switch ordered, should be here in a couple of hours. I'll try just plugging it in first to see if it works, would be nice to save me the hassle of ripping out half of the interior. If not, I guess I'll have no choice.

[Jayzzle]

It's fixed. It was the Switch after all. It was obvious really but I just over thought it so much that I confused myself. Thanks for your help guys. Just a small Exhaust leak to rectify now and we are golden for the MoT (I hope). Just a shame I rebooked it to thursday lol, didn't think it would be done in time. Ahh well. Cheers!

For anyone else who has the same problem, I would recommend, that you change the switch and the connecting cable at the same time, the switch is located under the car, on the drivers side (if RHD) of the gearbox. A 19mm spanner will crack it off then just whip it out with your fingers, thread the new one in, a little tighten with the 19mm spanner to secure it and conect up your new cables. Run them back alongside the gearbox and through the rubber gromet thing on the gearstick and plug em' back up to your loom. Job done.

[Guest DazH]

Been keeping an eye on this thread but without me being there, felt a bit useless haha

Nice one Jay, I'm sure this will help others

Daz

[Jayzzle]

It's ok mate, I understand how hard it is to diagnose and offer suggestions to things over the internet. I'm just glad it's over now and I can relax untill thursday. I do hope that it helps others, would be nice to be able to contribute something seeing as how everyone is always so helpful.

[Guest Mister Dabsy]

I never blow my own trumpet lol, but by jumping/bridging the wires at the switch tells you if it works !

[Jayzzle]

Well, in my mind it wouldn't work cus there would be no powere there running though the switch, but as I said I seriously overthought it and I'm crap at electrics anyway so I'm probs completely wrong lol.

[Guest Mister Dabsy]

With the IGN on and stick in reverse (engine off of course), would've given you power but I digress... Really glad you sorted it matey ;)

[Jayzzle]

Oh I get it now, you meant with all the cables connected. Haha sorry :S Yeah thanks bud I'm gladd too, one less thing to panic about now :)