Reverse Lights not working

[lusktommy]

Anyway getting back to my question, is there anything else that would cause my backup lights not to work besides the neutral/backup light safety switch under dash

 

[jgasca]

anyway if it an SM465 here the switch should be, found these on google i personally dont own any standards but i have worked on these before

I think I do have the SM465 and I'm thinking I need to swap this out;

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa..._/N-ijqkzZ9cio2?itemIdentifier=18763_0_0_3498

Is this the switch seen on your pics?

Again sorry for hijacking your thread

 

[lusktommy]

I think I do have the SM465 and I'm thinking I need to swap this out;

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/pa..._/N-ijqkzZ9cio2?itemIdentifier=18763_0_0_3498

Is this the switch seen on your pics?

Again sorry for hijacking your thread

yes thats is but if its just unplugged then i would see about plugging it back up first then if it dont work then replace it and if is still dont work then you need to start tracing wires and see if you are getting power to the backup lights

 

[jgasca]

yes thats is but if its just unplugged then i would see about plugging it back up first then if it dont work then replace it and if is still dont work then you need to start tracing wires and see if you are getting power to the backup lights

So do I need to undo the carpet to get to the switch?

Also I'm a bit confused...
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/re...epairGuideContent.jsp?pageId=0900c1528004c704

 

[lusktommy]

So do I need to undo the carpet to get to the switch?

Also I'm a bit confused...
http://www.autozone.com/autozone/re...epairGuideContent.jsp?pageId=0900c1528004c704

no you should be able to reach it from under the truck, i maybe wrong though those transmission are rather small, you see where its at so id try to see about plugging it back up from under the truck, and if you cant get to it, then you will have to lay your carpet back and remove the center part of the floor.

 

[HotRodPC]

Have you checked both bulbs? My 84 didn't have back up lights either. One day I decided since everything else on the truck worked, I wanted them to work too. Just starting wit the basics, checked the bulbs and that was it. Both has burned out. Most people don't pay much attention to back up lights. So one burns out, big deal. Then a few months later another burns out and now you have none. But, when you're out in the country where it's pitch ass black, they come in real handy when backing up a dark long driveway, especially since you know it's ditches on both sides being the country home don't have curb and gutter.

 

[oneluckypops]

yes thats is but if its just unplugged then i would see about plugging it back up first then if it dont work then replace it and if is still dont work then you need to start tracing wires and see if you are getting power to the backup lights

You almost had it. lol putting the cart before the horse again haha.

He was right you need to make sure its plugged in first. If plugging it in still doesnt make the reverse lights come on when in R then you do NOT need to buy the switch. You need to DIAGNOSE the switch.
FIRST: Check the plugin for the switch with a tester. with the KEY ON transmission in a forward gear get under the truck and test the connector for power, there should be 1 of the 2 wires have power. If the tester lights you know your getting power to the switch.
Second: take a small jumper wire and jumper the 2 terminals inside the connector, with the key on that should make the Reverse lights come on.
Third: you need to TEST the Switch, to do this you will need an ohm meter. Place the Transmission In Reverse, and with the tester set on ohms probe each of the terminals on the switch, (red lead on 1 terminal black lead on the other terminal) you should see a reading on the tester if the switch is good, if you dont then you would probably be safe to go ahead and buy a switch.

 

[jgasca]

no you should be able to reach it from under the truck, i maybe wrong though those transmission are rather small, you see where its at so id try to see about plugging it back up from under the truck, and if you cant get to it, then you will have to lay your carpet back and remove the center part of the floor.

I got under there a while ago, reached over the tranny on the driver side and found the switch....plugged the wires in and wala...I have reverse lights!!

Thanks guys and again I apologize for taking over this thread

 

[HotRodPC]

I got under there a while ago, reached over the tranny on the driver side and found the switch....plugged the wires in and wala...I have reverse lights!!

Thanks guys and again I apologize for taking over this thread

Thanks for the update. Glad it was a simple one this time. About as simple as mine, just replacing the bulbs.

No problem stepping in and borrowing a thread as long as it's related, and this case it was related. We're smart enough around here, well most of us, I have trouble at times keeping them straight at times, but usually following to many threads at once, that we can work on 2 or 3 trucks at the same time. However, it does make it a bit harder for someone with the same problem to follow. In that case, a mod can always split a thread up, into, Reverse Light Automatic, Reverse Lights Manual, and duplicate the related posts in both threads, and move out the unrelated to the new thread. In this case, I don't see the need being it turned out just to be a matter of plugging it in for a fix. Just saying, as long as it's on topic, go for it., Leave it to the mods to clean up, organize and split threads if they feel it's necessary.

So, now where we at getting this guy with the auto trans fixed up with some reverse lights???

 

[bucket]

I don't stick my head under the dash too often, but isn't there a fuse labeled "B/U Lamps"?

My '84 also has an issue with the backup lamps, but I think it's more due to a sloppy shifter linkage. If you hold up on the shifter just a bit, the lights come on, but if you let go, the weight of the shifter causes the lights to go out.

 

[HotRodPC]

I don't stick my head under the dash too often, but isn't there a fuse labeled "B/U Lamps"?

My '84 also has an issue with the backup lamps, but I think it's more due to a sloppy shifter linkage. If you hold up on the shifter just a bit, the lights come on, but if you let go, the weight of the shifter causes the lights to go out.

I wouldn't know. The only time I ever had my head up under the dash was when my date was wearing a skirt and I "accidently" dropped something on the floor board, But I wasn't looking toward the firewall, so I dunno !!!

But it seem I've seem a fuse box diagram that had a BU fuse.

 

[lusktommy]

I wouldn't know. The only time I ever had my head up under the dash was when my date was wearing a skirt and I "accidently" dropped something on the floor board, But I wasn't looking toward the firewall, so I dunno !!!

But it seem I've seem a fuse box diagram that had a BU fuse.

there is in fact fuse for B/U lights and ive looked at it and its good, ive tested and made sure there was fire on both side of the fuse when it was in place the and there is fire running to the reverse safety switch but none coming out when its in reverse and let me tell you its a bitch to get to it so im wondering if my sloppy steering column like bucket was mentioning would cause that if so i will get the tool i need to tighten it back up, there are 3 bolts that are bad about backing of over a period of time, ive heard this a number of times and it isnt easy getting down to them either, and its very annoying to me when the steering wheel will pick up and down a good inch and a half and its cause my shifter to hang up once took me 30 minutes to unstick it luckly it didnt break anything, put it this way it has so much slack i couldnt manually shift into first gear without slamming down, so that could very well be my problem

 

[89Suburban]

there is in fact fuse for B/U lights and ive looked at it and its good, ive tested and made sure there was fire on both side of the fuse when it was in place the and there is fire running to the reverse safety switch but none coming out when its in reverse and let me tell you its a bitch to get to it so im wondering if my sloppy steering column like bucket was mentioning would cause that if so i will get the tool i need to tighten it back up, there are 3 bolts that are bad about backing of over a period of time, ive heard this a number of times and it isnt easy getting down to them either, and its very annoying to me when the steering wheel will pick up and down a good inch and a half and its cause my shifter to hang up once took me 30 minutes to unstick it luckly it didnt break anything, put it this way it has so much slack i couldnt manually shift into first gear without slamming down, so that could very well be my problem

I don't know it it will help fix your reverse lights but I did do a half assed write up on tightening those bolts if you wanna take a gander. It will give you an idea what is involved and the tools required.

http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3085

 

[lusktommy]

I don't know it it will help fix your reverse lights but I did do a half assed write up on tightening those bolts if you wanna take a gander. It will give you an idea what is involved and the tools required.

http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3085

between laughing at your sense of humor and the terminology used i had to go back and read it twice to make sure i understood it all correctly, thats some good **** though and it will come in handy when i start tearing it apart, might even do it this evening. and yea i will be getting the right tools ive already looked into what all i need and ive tried getting down to it once before about 2 years ago but decided im in over my head and put it back together, hahahaha

 

[lusktommy]

this post is for oneluckypops ok i got my light tester out and went out to my truck and did diagnostic checked if there was fire coming in to the Reverse Safty Switch and there was, step 2 checked to see if i had fire coming out and i did not, ok i have complete wiring diagrams for this truck and i seen where it had a wire coming from the lock cylinder that is hot when the key is on so i checked so i check it and that wire never got hot, found where is was cut into fixed that and i was now getting fire out of the reverse safety switch and still no reverse lights, so i pulled the driver side tail light assembly out and check seen what color the wire was diagram said light green and sure enough it was so i go under the truck and found where the wire was dry rotted and grounding out on the frame so i replace the wire running from the out of the cab all the way to the tail light assembly to get rid of the dry rotting problem, sure enough i have the driver side reverse light but passenger side is still out, double checked the bulb and it was good, so i got back under the truck and found where when my uncle wired in a 7-way trailer plug he cut that wire lol, fixed that and now i have both reverse lights working. and it didnt cost me a penny due to diagnostics and tracing wires, hows that method sound oneluckypops? hahaha