reverse lights won't work

[CardinaA]

Hi,

I noticed my reverse lights were not working on my '96 legacy outback (5 speed) so I checked the fuse (fine) and then checked the reverse light switch at the transmission (not fine- wires were almost severed at switch). I got a used switch and installed it and reconnected the wires with no luck getting the reverse light to work (tried the two possible connection combinations with no luck). I immediately thought that the switch might be faulty, but i tested it and it's not. futhermore, i spliced the two wires headed to the switch to "complete" the circuit with no luck either. The tailgate wiring looks okay. Fuse is still fine. I have no idea what the problem is! Any ideas?

Thanks,

Cardy

[99obw]

Hi,

I noticed my reverse lights were not working on my '96 legacy outback (5 speed) so I checked the fuse (fine) and then checked the reverse light switch at the transmission (not fine- wires were almost severed at switch). I got a used switch and installed it and reconnected the wires with no luck getting the reverse light to work (tried the two possible connection combinations with no luck). I immediately thought that the switch might be faulty, but i tested it and it's not. futhermore, i spliced the two wires headed to the switch to "complete" the circuit with no luck either. The tailgate wiring looks okay. Fuse is still fine. I have no idea what the problem is! Any ideas?

Thanks,

Cardy

Divide and conquer. You will need a meter.

 

1. Power to the bulb socket? Yes, goto step 2, no goto step 3.

2. Ground to the bulb socket? Yes, replace bulb, no, fix ground to bulb socket.

3. Power to the switch? Yes, check switch and wire from switch to bulb, no, fix problem causing no power to switch.

[THAWA]

out of curiousity, with switch is the reverse switch? The one closer to the rear of teh car or the one closer to the front of the car?

[hawksoob]

I've mentioned this before. I had the same thing. Switch was fine, bulbs were new, etc .... When one day I noticed one of my brake lights was out (following the girlfriend whos wa driving my car) and I replaced that bulb. After that, I noticed that the reverse lights were working a gain. Figured maybe the brake light bulb completed a circuit or something.

 

Worth a try.