I failed the state safety inspection yesterday because my reverse lights wouldn't come on. 97 OBW AT. I replaced both bulbs- did not help. I checked fuses and found the fog light fuse to be dead. The drivers side fog light has charring- looks like it shorted out. About a month ago I replaced the Neutral Safety Switch on the transmission.

 

I have 60 days to remedy the issue. Please help!

Might be the switch. Did you unplug the reverse light switch for any reason?

 

However. This throws up a little red flag. I'm not aware of any DOT law that requires you to have reverse lights. Might check the inspection laws for your state, they might not be allowed to fail it for the reverse lights.

Where specifically can I find the reverse switch? Is it near the neutral safety switch? Once I know where it is I'll climb under the take a look.

It's practically right next to it. The plug for the switch is in the same area as the one for the neutral switch on the passenger side of the bellhousing.

I don't know off hand which one is which but you can figure it out since you just replaced one of them.

I know which is the NSS, so I'll hopefully find the reverse switch easily.

However. This throws up a little red flag. I'm not aware of any DOT law that requires you to have reverse lights. Might check the inspection laws for your state, they might not be allowed to fail it for the reverse lights.

 

 

in VA if the light is not required by law you can remove it. but if the light is mounted on the car it has to work.

 

so if your truck came with 2 plate lights and one fails / rusts you can remove it instead of repairing it. as long as the other one works.

I had intermittent reverse lights on a 96 outback manual transmission. Jiggling the shifter while in reverse would sometimes get the lights to turn on. Not sure if the location of the switch is different between auto and manual so I won't offer help on that, sounds like you already know where it is, but would suggest installing the switch firtst then plugging it in at the connector end to avoid twisting the wires up and possibly damaging them. I found it helpful to tie a string around the connector end and leave it hanging out of the engine compartment so I could easily pull it out after putting the switch in. Either way, replacing my switch fixed the problem. I'm not surprised it would fail inspection for that. I want people to know I'm backing up and want to know when they are too.

in VA if the light is not required by law you can remove it. but if the light is mounted on the car it has to work.

 

so if your truck came with 2 plate lights and one fails / rusts you can remove it instead of repairing it. as long as the other one works.

 

I asked one of our techs about this this morning. This is right along the lines of what he said. In Va at least, there is no law requiring reverse lights, but if the car has them they have to work. Fog/driving lights are the same story, whether factory installed or after market. He told me the reverse lights don't have to work, but you would need to cover the lenses (tape, paint, etc) and remove the bulbs.

 

I want people to know I'm backing up and want to know when they are too.

I tend to think people should be able to tell if a car is moving forward or backwards without having to look at some little lights on the back of it.

I tend to think people should be able to tell if a car is moving forward or backwards without having to look at some little lights on the back of it.

 

Agree. it indicates intent. I find that helpful. same as turn signals. Whether the driver does what the lights indicate is another story. That's all I was suggesting regarding the failed inspection.

I just fixed the very same problem for a friend of mine. The switch is the problem. It is really east to replace and doesn't cost all that much. You can do the replacement in about 1/2 hour. Switched weat out and yours has some age on it. If you want a known good one, I can grab one off my spare tranny, but you should be able to get a new one for less than 50.00. Personally, I would put a new one in.

I just fixed the very same problem for a friend of mine. The switch is the problem. It is really east to replace and doesn't cost all that much. You can do the replacement in about 1/2 hour. Switched weat out and yours has some age on it. If you want a known good one, I can grab one off my spare tranny, but you should be able to get a new one for less than 50.00. Personally, I would put a new one in.

 

Can you describe where exactly the switch is? Also, can you please take a picture so I know what it looks like? I might just take you up on the offer since it might be hard to find the switch. Thanks!!!

 

However. This throws up a little red flag. I'm not aware of any DOT law that requires you to have reverse lights. Might check the inspection laws for your state, they might not be allowed to fail it for the reverse lights.

 

 

he lives in MA that's like one of the strictest states on the east coast as far as inspections go.

he lives in ma that's like one of the strictest states on the east coast as far as inspections go.

 

very true!!!!!!

Really? All lights on the vehicle have to work in VA? That's just friggin stupid! I'm an inspector in Texas, and all that has to work are the markers, low/high beams, and brake lights. You can have ANYTHING on your vehicle just so long as it meets the base criteria. The only real stipulation on the lights is that there can't be any coatings on them, so no night shades or red tape. I personally would ask the inspector to show me in the book (because every inspector in every state has to have a book of laws and regulations to verify anything) where it says that they have to work. If you can't get the switch to go, are there any restrictions on a manual electrical override (i.e. a switch by the shifter)? I know you can do that down here, but I'm not so sure over there....

Really? All lights on the vehicle have to work in VA? That's just friggin stupid! I'm an inspector in Texas, and all that has to work are the markers, low/high beams, and brake lights. You can have ANYTHING on your vehicle just so long as it meets the base criteria. The only real stipulation on the lights is that there can't be any coatings on them, so no night shades or red tape. I personally would ask the inspector to show me in the book (because every inspector in every state has to have a book of laws and regulations to verify anything) where it says that they have to work. If you can't get the switch to go, are there any restrictions on a manual electrical override (i.e. a switch by the shifter)? I know you can do that down here, but I'm not so sure over there....

 

He did show me in the book and gave me a copy.

In most states if the light is there, it has to work. In my state that means blinkers, reverse lights, front and back parking lights, and head lights. All MUST works.

 

I have a switch to turn on my reverse lights, and in Maine that's fine. As long as they work.

In VA if there is a light of any kind on the car it has to work, or it has the be covered/removed in order to pass state safety inspection.

I haven't read through most of them but this site has info about equipment laws from every state. http://www.liftlaws.com/