29 replies to this topic

[jezjsa]

Hi.

as the title suggests... the left rear reverse light comes on when headlights are turned on. Anyone any 'bright' ideas? This is 'hopefully' the last thing to fix before i can get it MOT'd :)

[KTS]

..just when the headlights are on ?  or when sidelights and/or headlights ?

 

i'd suspect a bad/poor earth to the rear light cluster...

[andyapanel]

The bullet connectors at the front often become manky. I would clean those first, then check other earths.

Good luck

[jezjsa]

..just when the headlights are on ?  or when sidelights and/or headlights ?

 

i'd suspect a bad/poor earth to the rear light cluster...

 

Ah good point, ive not looked when just side lights, i'll check later tonight.

[jezjsa]

ok so bit more of an update on this...

 

so the left reverse light is coming on when you turn on the ignition. 

i've added a temporary black wire from the light housing itself back to the negative battery just to see if it was a bad earth, but that has done nothing.

Also, tried using the connector from the right side light housing and pulling it across to use on the left hand side and still the reverse light lights up!

 

When i turn on the sidelights or main beam, the reverse light goes off now.

 

Anyone any more suggestions - greatly appreciated...

[sonscar]

Wiring melted to exhaust near gear shifter?Steve..

[jezjsa]

Wiring melted to exhaust near gear shifter?Steve..

 

Wouldn’t that make both reverse lights come on? Rather than just the left hand side?

[stuart bowes]

surely it's got to be a short between the side light or other switched live (green wire?) to the reversing light on that side

[mini-mad-mark]

Is the right reverse light working as it should because in theory they are connected so whatever happens to one should happen to both. 

[mini-mad-mark]

Sorry should have added - maybe the problem is with both lights but if the bulb is gone on the right hand side you might have a problem that is simpler i.e. the reverse light switch is badly adjusted

 

However doesn't explain why it goes off when the lights are switched on....

 

 

For what its worth I would say that electrical issues are the hardest to analyse/describe/solve remotely like this

[jezjsa]

surely it's got to be a short between the side light or other switched live (green wire?) to the reversing light on that side

not sure if this helps but I have a spare light cluster for the left side, and it does exactly the same thing, eg the reverse light on the left stays on. But goes off when side or main lights switched on.

[jezjsa]

Sorry should have added - maybe the problem is with both lights but if the bulb is gone on the right hand side you might have a problem that is simpler i.e. the reverse light switch is badly adjusted

 

However doesn't explain why it goes off when the lights are switched on....

 

 

For what its worth I would say that electrical issues are the hardest to analyse/describe/solve remotely like this

 

 

Is the right reverse light working as it should because in theory they are connected so whatever happens to one should happen to both. 

 
I’ll check your theory tomorrow, I have the fuel tank sat in the middle of the boot as I had to gain access to the back of the light, and it has no fuel in it…. So I’ll refit, refill … then start up, stick in reverse and check. I also rigged up a big mirror behind the car so I could see what the hell the goths were doing! :)

I’ll try stopping the reverse bulbs around too and see what, if any, effect that has.

 

cheers for all the advice, I know electrical issues are a pain over a forum rather than in person, but thanks all the same guys.

[Spherix]

 

Wiring melted to exhaust near gear shifter?Steve..

 

Wouldn’t that make both reverse lights come on? Rather than just the left hand side?

 

 

You have more than one?

[stuart bowes]

I was going to ask that, I couldn't remember from when I dismantled mine but cars of that sort of age didn't tend to have 2 did they

[sonscar]

Its the internet,you often only get half the story,confusion exists,the fault sometimes is a feature.You explain something and because you know how to do it sometimes does not translate well to someone else etc,etcSteve..