29 replies to this topic

[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?

 

 

You have more than one?

 

 

 

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

 

 

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..

 

yeah 2 reverse lights... or are you saying the right hand side is just for show and ive just never noticed? even though it has a bulb...and a wire going into it?

Attached Files

•  IMG_5509A.jpg   40.15K   0 downloads

Edited by jezjsa, 21 June 2022 - 01:38 PM.

[sonscar]

No,what I am saying is that things do not always translate well across the web.The power from the gear switch goes to the lhs lamp where the rhs lamp is teed to at the plug.If the wiring is correct and the lamp is good the lhs lighting should also light,if it does not then everything after the tee or the wiring to the lhs lamp is suspect.
When you select reverse,engine not running but key in run position,does the rhs lamp light?anything else light?I do not think that there is any switched lives that go to the rear of the car(long time since I had to look)Use a wiring diagram and confirm your wiring colours first,then check where the live to the lamp is.The wiring melting is a reasonably common fault and is easy to check.Enjoy faulting and hope you have a satisfactory outcome,Steve..

[jezjsa]

No,what I am saying is that things do not always translate well across the web.The power from the gear switch goes to the lhs lamp where the rhs lamp is teed to at the plug.If the wiring is correct and the lamp is good the lhs lighting should also light,if it does not then everything after the tee or the wiring to the lhs lamp is suspect.
When you select reverse,engine not running but key in run position,does the rhs lamp light?anything else light?I do not think that there is any switched lives that go to the rear of the car(long time since I had to look)Use a wiring diagram and confirm your wiring colours first,then check where the live to the lamp is.The wiring melting is a reasonably common fault and is easy to check.Enjoy faulting and hope you have a satisfactory outcome,Steve..

 

ok so more of an update...
there was no reverse light bulb in the right hand side (school boy error - dont judge).
so added one in...

 

now, turn ignition on, BOTH reverse lights are on constantly.

stick it in reverse, BOTH reverse lights stay on.

 

turn side lights or main beam on, both rear RED lights come on, BUT both reverse lights remain on also.

 

SO currently the issue is that both reverse lights remain on all the time unless the ignition is switched off.

 

So its like the reverse switch under the gear stick is getting ignored? Any ideas.... thanks in advance :)

[sonscar]

Listen,check the wiring under the floor to see if it is melted on the exhaust,as said this is reasonably common.Lift the front carpet over the tunnel and there should be two connectors for the reverse wiring,disconnect them and see if lights go out.Steve..

[jezjsa]

Listen,check the wiring under the floor to see if it is melted on the exhaust,as said this is reasonably common.Lift the front carpet over the tunnel and there should be two connectors for the reverse wiring,disconnect them and see if lights go out.Steve..

 

Hi.

 

ok so unplugging the wire as you suggested turns the reverse lights off.

 

So, i've removed the wire (in the photo) and used 2 new pieces of wire. Which then has the same effect, ie the reverse lights remain on with ignition. So i dont think its the wire that's burnt.

 

Could it be the actual switch itself at the base of the gearstick?

Attached Files

•  wire.jpg   132.96K   1 downloads

[Spherix]

Yes, that does sound like the next logical contender. The switch could also be turnt in too far, but thats unlikely to change while its mounted, so its likely something in it is worn and/or causing a short.

Some cars came without reverse lights, some with one, some with two, hence the question.

[cal844]

Just leave them disconnected and tape up the bare connectors on the loom.

[jezjsa]

Yes, that does sound like the next logical contender. The switch could also be turnt in too far, but thats unlikely to change while its mounted, so its likely something in it is worn and/or causing a short.

Some cars came without reverse lights, some with one, some with two, hence the question.

 

just ordered a new one - weekend job hopefully if they arrive in time.

 

Just leave them disconnected and tape up the bare connectors on the loom.

 

ha - just read you dont need a reverse light for cars older than 2009! Never knew that. Well... i'll still fit the new switch and see what happens.

 

Thanks for all the help so far guys.

Will probably update this thread over the weekend!

[cal844]

Yes, that does sound like the next logical contender. The switch could also be turnt in too far, but thats unlikely to change while its mounted, so its likely something in it is worn and/or causing a short.

Some cars came without reverse lights, some with one, some with two, hence the question.

just ordered a new one - weekend job hopefully if they arrive in time.

Just leave them disconnected and tape up the bare connectors on the loom.

ha - just read you dont need a reverse light for cars older than 2009! Never knew that. Well... i'll still fit the new switch and see what happens.

Thanks for all the help so far guys.
Will probably update this thread over the weekend!

What size of exhaust do you have fitted? My 1993 car has a 2.25 inch link pipe, the reverse light switch was shorting out on the exhaust and blowing fuses.... Disconnected the wiring and its been perfect since

[mini-mad-mark]

 

No,what I am saying is that things do not always translate well across the web.The power from the gear switch goes to the lhs lamp where the rhs lamp is teed to at the plug.If the wiring is correct and the lamp is good the lhs lighting should also light,if it does not then everything after the tee or the wiring to the lhs lamp is suspect.
When you select reverse,engine not running but key in run position,does the rhs lamp light?anything else light?I do not think that there is any switched lives that go to the rear of the car(long time since I had to look)Use a wiring diagram and confirm your wiring colours first,then check where the live to the lamp is.The wiring melting is a reasonably common fault and is easy to check.Enjoy faulting and hope you have a satisfactory outcome,Steve..

 

ok so more of an update...
there was no reverse light bulb in the right hand side (school boy error - dont judge).
so added one in...

 

now, turn ignition on, BOTH reverse lights are on constantly.

stick it in reverse, BOTH reverse lights stay on.

 

turn side lights or main beam on, both rear RED lights come on, BUT both reverse lights remain on also.

 

SO currently the issue is that both reverse lights remain on all the time unless the ignition is switched off.

 

So its like the reverse switch under the gear stick is getting ignored? Any ideas.... thanks in advance :)

 

 

I still go with my original thought that the switch adjustment may be/have been incorrect (sorry I see you've already ordered a switch which may or may not have been needed)

 

The switch itself may possibly be U/S but there isn't much to go wrong with them unless its been smacked by something - as mentioned by others, the usual thing is the wires melt together which switches the lights on of course (or more often the wire/wires break but that gives the obvious issue of lights NOT working and looks like you have managed to solder on new wires already anyway in your quest to resolve the issue) 

 

Just to check you are aware (sorry if this sounds insulting or obvious but....) the switch should only be screwed in just far enough until the lights just illuminate (i.e the switch "makes") and then the lock nut tightened up to the gear lever housing.

 

Suggest you take the switch out of the gear lever housing and see what happens then (with it connected back up to the wiring of course  )

 

 

I guess its possible that if it has been screwed in much too far the action of the gear lever operating the switch excessively might have damaged it internally.... (never seen it personally)

 

Seen a few minis with the reverse lights on when in 4th gear though....!

[mini-mad-mark]

Also you might want to look at all the electrics in the boot to the rear lights just in case anything is mixed up 

[jezjsa]

 

 

No,what I am saying is that things do not always translate well across the web.The power from the gear switch goes to the lhs lamp where the rhs lamp is teed to at the plug.If the wiring is correct and the lamp is good the lhs lighting should also light,if it does not then everything after the tee or the wiring to the lhs lamp is suspect.
When you select reverse,engine not running but key in run position,does the rhs lamp light?anything else light?I do not think that there is any switched lives that go to the rear of the car(long time since I had to look)Use a wiring diagram and confirm your wiring colours first,then check where the live to the lamp is.The wiring melting is a reasonably common fault and is easy to check.Enjoy faulting and hope you have a satisfactory outcome,Steve..

 

ok so more of an update...
there was no reverse light bulb in the right hand side (school boy error - dont judge).
so added one in...

 

now, turn ignition on, BOTH reverse lights are on constantly.

stick it in reverse, BOTH reverse lights stay on.

 

turn side lights or main beam on, both rear RED lights come on, BUT both reverse lights remain on also.

 

SO currently the issue is that both reverse lights remain on all the time unless the ignition is switched off.

 

So its like the reverse switch under the gear stick is getting ignored? Any ideas.... thanks in advance :)

 

 

I still go with my original thought that the switch adjustment may be/have been incorrect (sorry I see you've already ordered a switch which may or may not have been needed)

 

The switch itself may possibly be U/S but there isn't much to go wrong with them unless its been smacked by something - as mentioned by others, the usual thing is the wires melt together which switches the lights on of course (or more often the wire/wires break but that gives the obvious issue of lights NOT working and looks like you have managed to solder on new wires already anyway in your quest to resolve the issue) 

 

Just to check you are aware (sorry if this sounds insulting or obvious but....) the switch should only be screwed in just far enough until the lights just illuminate (i.e the switch "makes") and then the lock nut tightened up to the gear lever housing.

 

Suggest you take the switch out of the gear lever housing and see what happens then (with it connected back up to the wiring of course  )

 

 

I guess its possible that if it has been screwed in much too far the action of the gear lever operating the switch excessively might have damaged it internally.... (never seen it personally)

 

Seen a few minis with the reverse lights on when in 4th gear though....!

 

 

 

Also you might want to look at all the electrics in the boot to the rear lights just in case anything is mixed up 

 

Hi thanks for that...

 

Ive never adjusted the switch, and from looking at the wiring i removed it looks ok.
The only thing i have done recently is fit a short shifter.... no idea if that has somehow knocked the switch harder than normal when putting it in reverse? 

All this has been done in my garage as ive not driven it all through COVID..... so looking forward to getting it back on the road!

 

I'll try your idea of removing the old switch and connecting it back up to the wires and see what happens. So should it light up (when not in the housing) or not? If its OK i mean.

Re the possibility of mixing up wires... i'll take a photo of both sides and upload it here, see if any of you notice anything stupid :) In my defence, i did remove it all ages ago, so trying to remember where it all went was a bit stressful when i came back to it :)

Edited by jezjsa, 23 June 2022 - 09:05 AM.

[stuart bowes]

It's a button isn't it, so you should be able to hook it up, lights off, press the button, lights come on

Unless it's somehow different to the one I pulled out of mine when I stripped it all down recently

[mini-mad-mark]

Ahhhh now it comes out    - fitting the short shifter may have affected the switch operation and it needs adjusting to suit? Was it OK before fitting the short shifter?

 

Re your last post - did you solder new wires onto the switch in situ under the car? I was kind of assuming you took it out to change the wires and that was when you might have affected the adjustment

It doesn't really matter which way round the wires are at the switch as it just makes the circuit which ever way they are connected - I was suggesting you might have something mixed up in the boot with the wires at the rear lights

 

Per Stuart Bowes - take the switch out and the lights should be off until you press the button on the switch

[jezjsa]

Listen,check the wiring under the floor to see if it is melted on the exhaust,as said this is reasonably common.Lift the front carpet over the tunnel and there should be two connectors for the reverse wiring,disconnect them and see if lights go out.Steve..

 

 

Yes, that does sound like the next logical contender. The switch could also be turnt in too far, but thats unlikely to change while its mounted, so its likely something in it is worn and/or causing a short.

Some cars came without reverse lights, some with one, some with two, hence the question.

 

 

 

 

Yes, that does sound like the next logical contender. The switch could also be turnt in too far, but thats unlikely to change while its mounted, so its likely something in it is worn and/or causing a short.

Some cars came without reverse lights, some with one, some with two, hence the question.

just ordered a new one - weekend job hopefully if they arrive in time.

Just leave them disconnected and tape up the bare connectors on the loom.

ha - just read you dont need a reverse light for cars older than 2009! Never knew that. Well... i'll still fit the new switch and see what happens.

Thanks for all the help so far guys.
Will probably update this thread over the weekend!

What size of exhaust do you have fitted? My 1993 car has a 2.25 inch link pipe, the reverse light switch was shorting out on the exhaust and blowing fuses.... Disconnected the wiring and its been perfect since

 

 

 

It's a button isn't it, so you should be able to hook it up, lights off, press the button, lights come on

Unless it's somehow different to the one I pulled out of mine when I stripped it all down recently

 

 

Ahhhh now it comes out    - fitting the short shifter may have affected the switch operation and it needs adjusting to suit? Was it OK before fitting the short shifter?

 

Re your last post - did you solder new wires onto the switch in situ under the car? I was kind of assuming you took it out to change the wires and that was when you might have affected the adjustment

It doesn't really matter which way round the wires are at the switch as it just makes the circuit which ever way they are connected - I was suggesting you might have something mixed up in the boot with the wires at the rear lights

 

Per Stuart Bowes - take the switch out and the lights should be off until you press the button on the switch

 

 

FINALLY FIXED THE ISSUE....

 

ok so finally removed the 'reverse light switch' and the plunger part of the switch was completely warn down and didn't move freely much at all. So i think whats happened is i've put it in reverse at some point recently, the switch has then got stuck and then stayed like that.

So with the new switch in place it works like new again.

 

That switch has probably been in there since the beginning in 1983! 

 

THANKS for all the help and advice with this issue guys.

Cheers Jez.