1997 Vitara reverse light's working sometime's

[Chairmen]

I'v just noticed that my reverse light's are temperamental, they work sometime's an other time's they don't work, i have checked the bulb's an connection's at the reverse bulb's end an it's all fine, I'm hopping it's just a lose terminal to the reverse switch ? Not that i would know where the hell too find that switch lol on the trans somewhere i'm guessing ?

It's a auto trans 3 gear's plus overdrive.

Dose anyone have any suggestion or recommendation too this ?

Or has someone had the same problem an queried it ?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
Clay

[kernels]

Intermittent reverse light tells me that it's probably either the switch on the gearbox (not sure where it is on a auto) or a bad connection somewhere, if the gearbox switch is good, start working your way along the wiring from the reverse lights until you find the problem. Not sure whether reverse lights use a relay or are driven straight from the gearbox switch.

[Chairmen]

Intermittent reverse light tells me that it's probably either the switch on the gearbox (not sure where it is on a auto) or a bad connection somewhere, if the gearbox switch is good, start working your way along the wiring from the reverse lights until you find the problem. Not sure whether reverse lights use a relay or are driven straight from the gearbox switch.

Cheers for the good input kernels,
Ill have a good look across the wire's from switch to bulb's next time i'm working on me wagon.

[fleX90]

I had the same issue, at first intermittent reverse lights then it would occasionally not start (as if it was in gear). After it refusing to start a week ago i looked into it further and it turns out the cable running from the selector to the gearbox stretched causing the sensor inside the gear box to not read properly.

[Chairmen]

I had the same issue, at first intermittent reverse lights then it would occasionally not start (as if it was in gear). After it refusing to start a week ago i looked into it further and it turns out the cable running from the selector to the gearbox stretched causing the sensor inside the gear box to not read properly.

Oh true fleX90,

This could be whats wrong with mine as the wire's seem fine, Did you notice some time's when offroading the trans would drop gears randomly when the selector is in the Drive ???

So did you replace the cable ? If so can you access everything to do the job from inside the car once cleared thing out of the way ?

[churchill]

Hey man, the gearbox switch unit sits under the selector cable lever on the outside of the gearbox (If I remember correctly). Pretty sure it on the RHS of the gearbox. It's a black box with a bunch of covered wires coming out of it. I think they can get filled with water and mud which might cause your problem.
I've had problems with the connector the connects that switch to the wiring loom, I didn't plug it in properly when I fixed the rear crank seal and I couldn't start the engine as the switch wasn't saying the trans is in park.
The connector lives between the engine and firewall in the middle of the car, it's a prick to get to...

Might be worth checking those two things as well.

[fleX90]

it never dropped gears but the key would occasionally be hard to turn and required jiggling to get it to turn due to not being in park properly and it would occasionally make a crunch type noise when put in gear from park . I didn't replace the cable, like whats been said on the drivers side of the vehicle beside the gear box you will see a cable with a rubber boot and nuts on the end (best description i can think of), you can tension up the cable with those nuts. make sure to count the turns so you can always go back to where it was originally, i went to the trouble of taking the center consul out and its not needed. I don't guarantee this is whats wrong with yours but im just giving you my experience on a similar thing hope this helps.