Reverse lights barely come on, any fix?

[HAZZARDJOHN]

Ok, I have owned way too many GM's so I know when you put it in reverse it doesn't mean your lights are on so you do the reverse dance of tapping the shifter in an upward manner everytime. Well the problem is with the suburban the lights are so touchy. I only notice this at night, but I would like to be confident that they are on in the daytime when I am trying to warn the public that a maniac in a 22 year old doomsday machine is backing up and probably can't see you. Is there any way to make these a little more reliable. My Cadillac is older by 16 years yet even though it is a GM I still am pretty confident in the reverse lights coming on.

Signed Backing up in the dark in Minnesota!

 

[MrMarty51]

Dear Signed Backing up in the dark in Minnesota!
An alternative to having functional back up light is, to take an "OLD COWBELL", not a new made in china one, and fab You up a pedal and a rod, out to near the receiver hitch.
When it is time to back up, thirty seconds before slipping that beast into reverse, start romping on the fabbed up pedal, making that "OLD COWBELL" clatter like the cows are stampeding, coming home fuhr some fresh hay.
If that do`nt make them touristy types scatter and shart in their shorts or jeans then nothing will, those are the ones thats like zombies and may as well be runded over anyhows.

 

[chengny]

I am guessing that since you can get the lights to come on, by lifting up on the gear shift lever, that you have a neutral safety/back-up light switch. It should be column mounted and right up against the firewall. Correct?


At one point a few years ago I was having the same trouble as you. It was not really an issue - until you have to keep upward pressure on the shift lever while trying to back down a steep dark driveway in the middle of the woods.

So I decided to at least look at the switch. Often that's as far as I get.


This time however, I fixed it. Took about 2 minutes and zero dollars.

While I was poking at one side with my finger, the whole switch made a ratcheting sound and rotated around the steering column. Seems that the plastic housing (switch open/close point) is infinitely adjustable.

It might take awhile to figure out but basically put your gear shift in R and then (with the key on) have someone watch the back-up lights. Push the switch one way or the other - I forget - until the back-ups come on.

Here are a couple of real bad images I just took - I am reassembling my steering wheel/horn button so I was in the area. My finger tip is pushing on the RH (passenger) side in one of the photos:

 

[MrMarty51]

Probably needs just a very minimull movement to get it corrected. Go too far and You`ll be lifting on the shift lever to get it to start.
That was the problem I was having with My 79. it took a bit but I finally got it right.

 

[89Suburban]

Dear Signed Backing up in the dark in Minnesota!
An alternative to having functional back up light is, to take an "OLD COWBELL", not a new made in china one, and fab You up a pedal and a rod, out to near the receiver hitch.
When it is time to back up, thirty seconds before slipping that beast into reverse, start romping on the fabbed up pedal, making that "OLD COWBELL" clatter like the cows are stampeding, coming home fuhr some fresh hay.
If that do`nt make them touristy types scatter and shart in their shorts or jeans then nothing will, those are the ones thats like zombies and may as well be runded over anyhows.

Marty!!!!!!! :wedgie:


Mine is set so I can choose to have them on or not with shifter position so I don't blind my neighbors houses backing the boat up to the fence late at night. Plus I got those extra backup lights on the receiver hitch which drain quite a bit of juice so sometimes I leave them off on purpose in a situation where I don't have a safety concern or need.


Posted From Hell

 

[anubisani]

man this should be a sticky , I am glad you posted this ??? and I am extremely grateful for the pictures and the solution. I have had this same problem for the last 6 months since I bought my square , after this I just now went outside in the dark and fixed it in exactly 2 minutes and it starts to . thanks .

 

[rscustomrods]

Damn Chengny! There you go again making my day! I have been fighting that thing all weekend and ordered a new neutral safety switch. Now I don't need it but it was only ten bucks. Thanks again! Love this site. I second the sticky