Back up lights not working

[GMCjunkie]

Both back up lights are not working, not sure how long they have been out. Other than a fuse, where do I look to find the problem??

Thanks,
junk

[1BadSS]

Take a look at your wiring from the cab to the tail lights. Something could've been tweaked or a fusible link could've been blown. I had the same problem with my 68 impala, and woundup having to rewire the lights.

[72gord]

Check the easy stuff first, fuse and bulbs, then wiring and reverse light switch. The switch should be located on the steering column under the dash if you have an auto transmission. Its on the top of the trans if it is a 4 speed, not sure of location on a 3 speed, but some one will help us out on that one. Good Luck, Gord

P.S. Did you get that tranny leak fixed?

[smokekiki]

Also,have somebody watch the lights as You move the shifter.May need the switch adjusted,Mine would lite in N when I first got it.Anyhow I would check the fuse and the wires to the switch,they pop off every now and then.

[GMCjunkie]

Checked the bulbs, both are fine. Checked for burnt fuses, all seem to be fine. Checked to see if B/U lights will come on in other gears and they dont. Do my back up lights work off an actual fuse off the fuse box, or the neutral saftey switch?? My N/S switch has 2 plug ins one on the left one on the right, the one on the left has wires plugged to it, the one on the right has no wires plugged to it, and there arent any hanging/out of place wires. Had a problem with the N/S switch some time ago, and "this person" bypassed it because what ever the problem was, it wasnt letting my truck start in any gear.
On my fuse panel, there are a couple missing wires or fuses, dont look like theres been anything plugged in to them in a while. Does anyone have a pic of an ACTUAL 71 fuse panel?? The only reference I have is the Haynes 67-87 manual, which in mho is crap.

As far as "following" my wires from ? to the tail lights,,, Im really not sure where to start there. My "truck" is a Burb,,, all the wires run under the carpet all the way to the rear of my burb, NOT wanting to tear out my carpet if not necessary.

ANY help is appreciated, and thanks for the help already posted.

"72gord"... Still working on that, contemplating following suggestion by a board member to buy a new tranny pan, just incase the old one is warped in some way.
SO much to do... runnin outta time !! thanks

[JimKshortstep4x4]

Here is a pic of the fuse panel. There should be two sets of wires plugged into your neutral safety switch. Two purple wires, (starter solenoid), two green wires, (back up lights).

I believe that your Burb will have the wires to the rear routed through the ceiling unless someone has changed it.

We have a Burb apart now if you need specific pics of the rear wiring, just let me know.

Jim

[CPNE]

Originally Posted by GMCjunkie

Do my back up lights work off an actual fuse off the fuse box, or the neutral saftey switch?? My N/S switch has 2 plug ins one on the left one on the right, the one on the left has wires plugged to it, the one on the right has no wires plugged to it, and there arent any hanging/out of place wires. Had a problem with the N/S switch some time ago, and "this person" bypassed it because what ever the problem was, it wasnt letting my truck start in any gear.

Ans: Yes fuse, but test neutral safety switch if fuse good. If it were me I'd pull the 2 wires still on the switch and run a jumper between them. If your BU lights work, with ignition on when jumpered it's the switch or the column actuator.

Originally Posted by GMCjunkie

As far as "following" my wires from ? to the tail lights,,, Im really not sure where to start there. My "truck" is a Burb,,, all the wires run under the carpet all the way to the rear of my burb, NOT wanting to tear out my carpet if not necessary.

Ans: They run up the DS windshield pillar and along the roof skin up under your headliner. You don't want to go there. If it were me and the jumper test fails, I'd get a voltage tester and see if I have juice to the switch, and then if yes, test if there is juice to the BU light pigtails. You should have easier access to the taillight harness where it comes down DS rear and into taillights areas...don't pull headliner only as last resort!!!

[71GMCStepside]

Jodie,

You poor thing! Seems like here lately, the only posts I see from you are problems you keep having with your burb.

I hope you get it all worked out.

Just stopped in to say hi

Bobby

[DevinM]

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=backup+lights

[GMCjunkie]

Thank you all so very much, the green wires are there and plugged in , the fuse is good, ran outta time yesterday, gonna check the plug in with a voltage tester soon as it get daylight out there.

71GMCstepside, LOL.. thanks, Trying to get things done, as my daughter has major surgery in Sept. This surgery will require 4 seperate trips to Texas in about a 8 week time period. Want to have the Burb as ready as possible. Just seems like theres SO much to do and either so little time/money or I dont understand how to do what needs done. But thanks to y'all Im making progress!!

DevinM.. thanks for that post!!!

[GMCjunkie]

Alrighty.... Tested the 2 green wires going TO the N/S switch... Dark green one shows power, the LIGHT green one however, appears to be dead. Now what??

[CPNE]

Originally Posted by GMCjunkie

Alrighty.... Tested the 2 green wires going TO the N/S switch... Dark green one shows power, the LIGHT green one however, appears to be dead. Now what??

That is normal, the switch is what gives them continuity. Like I said before, jump a wire, paper clip, whatever between them and put ignition in run position. If BU lights work, it's the switch on your column.

[GMCjunkie]

Ok, I did that, Lights come on with jumper wire! Is the switch "bad", no other option?? Or is there an "adjustment" that I have to try first??

CPNE: THANK YOU ,THANK YOU!!

[CPNE]

Originally Posted by GMCjunkie

Ok, I did that, Lights come on with jumper wire! Is the switch "bad", no other option?? Or is there an "adjustment" that I have to try first??

CPNE: THANK YOU ,THANK YOU!!

Beats the he!! out of tracing wiring back on a burb! Not a fun thing to do. couple of possibilities come to mind:

1. Bad switch
2. Misaligned switch on column
3. tab on clumn rod not actuating switch. Result of misalignment or busted column.

To do next?

I'd remove the existing switch, you need to be a bit of a contortionist as 2 screws hold it on and are not easy to see or get at. Once removed, plug green wire pigtail back into switch and move the "slider" on the switch by hand and see if it works. If so, you may have problems #2 or 3. Otherwise it's #1. New switches are available.

To test column use your finger over exposed hole when switch is off. Move shift lever, you shlould feel a tab moving that is supposed to catch the slider on the switch. Careful not to pinch finger.

[Grim Reaper]

Originally Posted by GMCjunkie

Thank you all so very much, the green wires are there and plugged in , the fuse is good, ran outta time yesterday, gonna check the plug in with a voltage tester soon as it get daylight out there.

71GMCstepside, LOL.. thanks, Trying to get things done, as my daughter has major surgery in Sept. This surgery will require 4 seperate trips to Texas in about a 8 week time period. Want to have the Burb as ready as possible. Just seems like theres SO much to do and either so little time/money or I dont understand how to do what needs done. But thanks to y'all Im making progress!!

DevinM.. thanks for that post!!!

Sorry to hear this.

Rent a car. with the MPG you Burb gets it would be cheaper to rent a car. what you will save in MPG will pay for it unless your staying for more then a week. Malibu and Impalla will surprisingly get 30mpg at 70mph with A/C on. Kick butt A/C as well. I had to make a 1400 mile round trip to MI for a funeral and they made a good deal onthe rental at Enterprise since it was a Hardship thing. Might check into that as well. A major surgery is a hardship. Dallas is about the same distance as Detroit so about a 1400-1500 mile round trip.

Doing the math if your getting 30mpg in the rental it's going to be about 50 gallons of fuel at $1.9 is $95 bucks for the trip out and back. It will be $285 for you to run the burb the same distance if you can get 10mpg. So that gives you almost $200 to pay for the rental and then if you have a problem they just bring you a different car.

Good luck and best wishes for your girl.

[GMCjunkie]

Ok,,, mission complete!! I had changed this switch about 3 years ago,, and remember what a PITA it was, not too bad this time...Didnt even get to check anything on it,, the spring inside is shot for one, and the little uh, "thingie" inside of it was actually positioned on its side,, no wonder it wasnt working... On my way to pick up new N/S switch!! Anything I need to know, or check or do when installing the new one?? do they come pre set?? Or do I need to adjust it ?? Thanks again to all of you!!!
Special thanks to CPNE for hanging in with me!!!
Be back in a bit!!!

[smokekiki]

I am a little bigger than You(a lot bigger! ),I had to drop the colum down to get to my switch.Autozone sells them cheap.

[GMCjunkie]

Grim Reaper.. Thanks for that info,,, my sister had been trying to convince me to rent a car. Either way, I think I may check into it..
thanks again!!

[GMCjunkie]

smokekiki : Thanks,,, I have long skinny fingers ... Getting one from Auto Zone (NAPA didnt carry them ) for about 7.00!

[Grim Reaper]

Originally Posted by GMCjunkie

Grim Reaper.. Thanks for that info,,, my sister had been trying to convince me to rent a car. Either way, I think I may check into it..
thanks again!!

Yeah I was real stuborn till that last go around and we blew a tranny on Mom POS. I ended up renting the car I think they did it $40 a day unlimited miles for a midsize Malibu. Thats almost 5 days rental in the fuel savings. Check with your insurance. You insurance may cover the rental and then no need to pay extra for the rental insurance.

[COBALT]

Did you get it adjusted properly? That's one of the more abnoxious things about this switch. Once people replace it they find out later that the backup lights sometimes don't come on even though the switch is working. It's usually because it's not adjusted, and is JUST out of range for the switch to provide power to the circuit.

The last step you should have done is adjust it.

1. shut the rig off, but leave the key in the ignition on ACC with the lights on.

2. Put it in reverse, and loosen up those two screws that hold the switch in place, but leave the switch engaged on the tab in the column.

3. Move the switch until the backup lights come on. Mark that spot on the column somehow.

4. Keep moving the switch until the backup lights go off. Mark that spot on the column.

5. Split the difference between both marks, and tighten the screws.

Your backup lights will ALWAYS come on when you expect them to - at least until the switch gets busted again.

[CPNE]

Originally Posted by GMCjunkie

...Special thanks to CPNE for hanging in with me!!!
...

And to think some people have PM'd me in the past calling me a pr__k

Glad to help, been there done that

[GMCjunkie]

I HAVE BACK UP LIGHTS!!! WHOOOO DONE IT??? I DONE IT!!! WHOOOOS THE WOMAN?? IM THE WOOOOMAN!! Such a small pissy little problem...... but WHAT a feeling!!! Thank You ALL SO much!!! **blows kisses** Got the N/S switch adjusted and get lights every time in reverse!! ME SO HAPPY!!!

Mr. Fedex brought my POR15 today too!! Not such a bad day after all eh??

Thanks again everyone!!! G'night!!! ~~~ GROUP HUG~~~