Reverse light mysteries!
08-24-14, 12:20 AM
#1
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Modesto, ca
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Reverse light mysteries!
Hey guys. Been slaving away on Ye Olde Financial Disaster, getting everything ready for the state inspections here, and it's been going fairly well. Until now.
The reverse lights will not come on. A friend and myself have tested the Reverse light switch, and it is getting power to it. The bulbs are not burnt out, they tested good.... Power goes to switch, switch is known to be in working condition, and tested the continuity, everything checks out on the switch. When the switch is activated, power does not make it to the lights. there is a constant ground at the rear bulbs, but power isn't making it there.
Power comes through one of the pins on the harness to the switch on the transmission, but as soon as you engage the switch, the 12v power vanishes. There is no power on either side of the harness... I'm not sure if that is how it is supposed to work.... but I am very very confused. I have no blown fuses anywhere on the car, myself and another person checked three times. All relays are in working order.
On the harness that goes to the switch, we have unplugged the harness from the reverse switch and used a wire to jump a 12v from the first pin to the second pin to try and force the lights to come on, but still nothing. and when we jump it like this, the 12v signal also dissapears.
what the actual eff. please help!!!
The reverse lights will not come on. A friend and myself have tested the Reverse light switch, and it is getting power to it. The bulbs are not burnt out, they tested good.... Power goes to switch, switch is known to be in working condition, and tested the continuity, everything checks out on the switch. When the switch is activated, power does not make it to the lights. there is a constant ground at the rear bulbs, but power isn't making it there.
Power comes through one of the pins on the harness to the switch on the transmission, but as soon as you engage the switch, the 12v power vanishes. There is no power on either side of the harness... I'm not sure if that is how it is supposed to work.... but I am very very confused. I have no blown fuses anywhere on the car, myself and another person checked three times. All relays are in working order.
On the harness that goes to the switch, we have unplugged the harness from the reverse switch and used a wire to jump a 12v from the first pin to the second pin to try and force the lights to come on, but still nothing. and when we jump it like this, the 12v signal also dissapears.
what the actual eff. please help!!!
08-26-14, 03:53 PM
#2
RX-7 Bad Ass
iTrader: (55)
My first guess at seeing your title post was the switch itself. I've seen the wires on the switch get chewed up from trans and engine installs where it's open circuit, shorting to ground, or flaky.
The switch is pretty basic, it should be open circuit when in any gear, and closed circuit when you switch to reverse. I imagine the circuit is something like -
12v - switch input - switch output - reverse light in - reverse light out - ground.
Push comes to shove, run a new wire from the switch to the reverse lights just to pass your test, then get busy with the wiring diagram and trace things down. The section of the harness that goes to the transmission sensors is right above the downpipe and is usually pretty crispy and sad, it could be broken somewhere in there.
Dale
The switch is pretty basic, it should be open circuit when in any gear, and closed circuit when you switch to reverse. I imagine the circuit is something like -
12v - switch input - switch output - reverse light in - reverse light out - ground.
Push comes to shove, run a new wire from the switch to the reverse lights just to pass your test, then get busy with the wiring diagram and trace things down. The section of the harness that goes to the transmission sensors is right above the downpipe and is usually pretty crispy and sad, it could be broken somewhere in there.
Dale
08-26-14, 04:03 PM
#3
This might seem an odd question, but...
Does the horn work?
I know on 2nd gen convertibles there is a tendency for the wiring to the lights in the trunk lid to short out.
The horn is on the same circuit - when the wires to the trunk lid brake light shorts out, the horn doesn't work.
Check the wiring diagram for anything else in that circuit that may also be failing of the lights are out.
Does the horn work?
I know on 2nd gen convertibles there is a tendency for the wiring to the lights in the trunk lid to short out.
The horn is on the same circuit - when the wires to the trunk lid brake light shorts out, the horn doesn't work.
Check the wiring diagram for anything else in that circuit that may also be failing of the lights are out.
08-26-14, 04:34 PM
#4
Banned. I got OWNED!!!
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Modesto, ca
Posts: 213
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This might seem an odd question, but...
Does the horn work?
I know on 2nd gen convertibles there is a tendency for the wiring to the lights in the trunk lid to short out.
The horn is on the same circuit - when the wires to the trunk lid brake light shorts out, the horn doesn't work.
Check the wiring diagram for anything else in that circuit that may also be failing of the lights are out.
Does the horn work?
I know on 2nd gen convertibles there is a tendency for the wiring to the lights in the trunk lid to short out.
The horn is on the same circuit - when the wires to the trunk lid brake light shorts out, the horn doesn't work.
Check the wiring diagram for anything else in that circuit that may also be failing of the lights are out.
Good continuity
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
edmcguirk
NE RX-7 Forum
3
05-30-18 06:50 PM
The1Sun
1st Generation Specific (1979-1985)
7
09-18-15 07:13 PM
The1Sun
1st Generation Specific (1979-1985)
0
09-07-15 10:21 PM