Reversing Light Switch location for Automatic??? - Page 3

klarzy · 28th October 2016, 15:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frogmella

I am certain the reversing lights have never worked during my ownership,

Sorry but how can you own a car for that amount of time, knowing there is a safety defect like the reverse lights not working and do nothing about it for so long?

I would never dream of taking a car out onto the road like that knowing about it... not only does it increase your risk, but in the event of an accident could void your insurance. Any accident where reversing was involved or questioned, the operation of the lights would be checked, if the fuse was missing then it is an obvious failure to keep the car in roadworthy condition...

trikey · 28th October 2016, 15:37

If you have no reversing lights, and no gear selector indicator light (red dot next to the gear lever) then you have a fuse gone, remove and reseat all the fuses as sometimes a bad connection at the fusebox can cause this even though the fuse hasnt blown.

Frogmella · 28th October 2016, 17:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by klarzy

Sorry but how can you own a car for that amount of time, knowing there is a safety defect like the reverse lights not working and do nothing about it for so long?

I would never dream of taking a car out onto the road like that knowing about it... not only does it increase your risk, but in the event of an accident could void your insurance. Any accident where reversing was involved or questioned, the operation of the lights would be checked, if the fuse was missing then it is an obvious failure to keep the car in roadworthy condition...

As I have said elsewhere, ill-health has delayed my restoration of the car but all faults are now being addressed in turn. I have, in recent weeks, spent more than I paid for the car on new parts.The fuse has only been missing for about three weeks but as the reversing lights not working predated that, it clearly made no difference. The only new symptom of the missing fuse was the gear selected lights not working which is hardly a safety issue, I wasn't even sure that there had ever been any such lights, especially in view of the IPK display.

As a motor insurance professional of some 25 years standing I think your fears are grossly overstated, the car isn't unroadworthy or unsafe because it passed two MOT's at two different test centres without the reversing lights operating, the last being only a couple of weeks ago, no advisories about the reversing lights were added either. Having no reversing lights is therefore not a safety issue, it is merely an inconvenience. My understanding is that reversing lights are principally there to provide rearward illumination for the vehicle driver.

My experience of personally handling over ten thousand motor insurance claims up to the most senior level, ranging from minor bumps to decapitations means that I drive very carefully at all times and being aware of having no reversing lights has meant that I have been particularly careful when reversing. I have, for example, always reversed into parking bays so I don't have to reverse out. Only on one occasion did I need to reverse with another car immediately behind me and then I got out of the car and spoke to the other driver.

I was distracted from the real cause of my problem by the regular assertion on the forum of a common Rover 75 fault in the reversing switch but did not know that did not apply to my car until yesterday. Assuming my car had this fault (it has suffered from just about every other well known fault) meant that I failed to consider other possibilities. I think that was an understandable mistake in view of my oft-stated mechanical inexperience.

Fortunately it is no longer an issue, this afternoon I examined the rear light clusters closely and it appears that the problem was caused by the serious water ingress that afflicted the car before I repaired the light seals. For some reason it only affected the reversing bulbs as all other rear light function has been normal. A small amount of scale had formed on the bulb contacts on both sides of the car, presumably impeding electrical contact. On cleaning, full function has been restored. I will replace the bulbs as a precaution tomorrow.

I would have expected to see a bulb-out warning on the dashboard.

klarzy · 28th October 2016, 18:30

well from an MOT standpoint it looks like I owe you an apology, unbelievably the rear reverse lights are NOT covered in the test... it seems to be the exception to the "if its on the car it has to work" ethos... but still I could not personally go out knowing something was not 100% right... maybe that's just me...?

Frogmella · 28th October 2016, 19:38

No worries Pete, lets call it a day.

I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot and hope that we can agree to put it behind us.

By the way, I didn't need to take off the gear knob just as you predicted.

daznkel · 28th October 2016, 21:15

Well at least you have managed to sort one problem.

This leaves the one remaining problem of no reverse lamps. The only other thing that can cause the fault, other than wiring, would be the reverse relay.

As always have a check, but I am pretty sure you need item 6 as seen below. Part no. YWB000440. Failing that, it's a wiring fault.

Rimmers Diag.jpg

Frogmella · 29th October 2016, 16:23

Lol. The reversing lights are now working but,... now the offside rear tail light and indicator are not. They were working this morning when I went out to get some new bulbs and initially worked again when I jiggled the multiplug so...

I cleaned all the connectors in the bulb holder, disconnected the multiplug and carefully cleaned the crud off the connector pins in the bulb holder with a nail file and some contact cleaner (the contacts were quite furred up with some minor surface corrosion, it was a job just to get the plug off) and also cleaned the inside of the plug connectors with a pin and more contact cleaner, checked the bulbs, but still no go.

Now, it WOULD fail an MOT.

Ho hum, the joys of motoring.

klarzy · 29th October 2016, 17:32

sounds like a bad earth...
or a light circuit short... have you checked the headlight wiring over the front members...>?

COLVERT · 29th October 2016, 18:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frogmella

Lol. The reversing lights are now working but,... now the offside rear tail light and indicator are not. They were working this morning when I went out to get some new bulbs and initially worked again when I jiggled the multiplug so...

I cleaned all the connectors in the bulb holder, disconnected the multiplug and carefully cleaned the crud off the connector pins in the bulb holder with a nail file and some contact cleaner (the contacts were quite furred up with some minor surface corrosion, it was a job just to get the plug off) and also cleaned the inside of the plug connectors with a pin and more contact cleaner, checked the bulbs, but still no go.

Now, it WOULD fail an MOT.

Ho hum, the joys of motoring.

Now you've had a clean up spray the bits with WD 40 to stop any further corrosion.

Very glad that you and Klarzy have gone from this--

---to this---

Klarzy's nice, really.-----------

Frogmella · 29th October 2016, 19:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by klarzy

sounds like a bad earth...
or a light circuit short... have you checked the headlight wiring over the front members...>?

Actually I gave you a bum steer, only the rear n/s indicator is not working, I have a lamp warning on the dashboard and when using that indicator the relay clicks at twice the normal speed. I swapped the lamps across and confirmed they are fine.

This was working well until I disburbed the rear light assembly to renew lamps (Not the indicator lamp although I did take it out and clean the contact beneath)

On the morrow, I will trace the headlight wiring back and examine for defects/chafing etc.

28th October 2016, 15:37	#22
trikey Premium Trader Rover 75 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 33,768 Thanks: 8,837 Thanked 14,831 Times in 8,030 Posts	If you have no reversing lights, and no gear selector indicator light (red dot next to the gear lever) then you have a fuse gone, remove and reseat all the fuses as sometimes a bad connection at the fusebox can cause this even though the fuse hasnt blown. __________________ Lest we forget..

28th October 2016, 18:30	#24
klarzy This is my second home none but not gone Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: March, Cambs Posts: 16,437 Thanks: 894 Thanked 4,247 Times in 3,025 Posts	well from an MOT standpoint it looks like I owe you an apology, unbelievably the rear reverse lights are NOT covered in the test... it seems to be the exception to the "if its on the car it has to work" ethos... but still I could not personally go out knowing something was not 100% right... maybe that's just me...? __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]….All praise Bananaswan….

28th October 2016, 21:15	#26
daznkel Posted a thing or two 04 MG ZT+ 190 XPG & 99 (T) Dealer Launch 75 V6 Connie Auto Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Plymouth Posts: 1,080 Thanks: 615 Thanked 456 Times in 309 Posts	Well at least you have managed to sort one problem. This leaves the one remaining problem of no reverse lamps. The only other thing that can cause the fault, other than wiring, would be the reverse relay. As always have a check, but I am pretty sure you need item 6 as seen below. Part no. YWB000440. Failing that, it's a wiring fault. Rimmers Diag.jpg __________________ Click HERE To Be Added To The South West Members Location Map Upgrades/Mods so far: Custom Angel Eye DRL's, MG7 Rear lights, Custom Door Cards, MGR Plates, Red Alcantara Seats, Black Oak Dash, Powerflex bushes, Plenum Spy Mod, Rear Light Seals, 5000K HID Kit, Navall 3 DD, Blue LED Conversion, Custom badges, Union badges, Flip key. Working on more! [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

29th October 2016, 17:32	#28
klarzy This is my second home none but not gone Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: March, Cambs Posts: 16,437 Thanks: 894 Thanked 4,247 Times in 3,025 Posts	sounds like a bad earth... or a light circuit short... have you checked the headlight wiring over the front members...>? __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]….All praise Bananaswan….

28th October 2016, 19:38	#25
Frogmella Loves to post 2003 (03) Pre-Facelift 1.8 Club SE Auto Petrol Non Turbo Saloon Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Towcester, Northants Posts: 270 Thanks: 30 Thanked 31 Times in 26 Posts	No worries Pete, lets call it a day. I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot and hope that we can agree to put it behind us. By the way, I didn't need to take off the gear knob just as you predicted.

29th October 2016, 16:23	#27
Frogmella Loves to post 2003 (03) Pre-Facelift 1.8 Club SE Auto Petrol Non Turbo Saloon Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Towcester, Northants Posts: 270 Thanks: 30 Thanked 31 Times in 26 Posts	Lol. The reversing lights are now working but,... now the offside rear tail light and indicator are not. They were working this morning when I went out to get some new bulbs and initially worked again when I jiggled the multiplug so... I cleaned all the connectors in the bulb holder, disconnected the multiplug and carefully cleaned the crud off the connector pins in the bulb holder with a nail file and some contact cleaner (the contacts were quite furred up with some minor surface corrosion, it was a job just to get the plug off) and also cleaned the inside of the plug connectors with a pin and more contact cleaner, checked the bulbs, but still no go. Now, it WOULD fail an MOT. Ho hum, the joys of motoring.