Topic: Reverse lights

[Justin]

Justin,
The back up lights are grounded back at the tail panel. All that is needed to make them come on is 12v. The pink wire IS the 12v power wire for the switch/lights. What might be confusing you is the green wire. The pink and green wires are actually the same line that provides 12v to the lights. It just changes colors along the way to the back up lights. They just cut/broke that line to put a switch in the line to open and close the circuit in order to turn the lights on and off. If you find and touch the pink and green  wires together(with the key on), the back up lights should light up. So once you find the pink and green wires, all you need to do is add a length of wire to each one long enough to reach the new switch mounted on the shifter. Assuming, that is, if you're getting the one from summitt above. Just connect one of those wires to one side of the new switch and the other wire to the other side of the switch and you're done. It doesn't matter which wire goes to which side of the new switch either.

Do you have a meter or test light and know how to check for 12 volts dc? I thought you did.

Yep, according to the chassis service manual wiring diagram, the pink wire originates at the "back up" fuse in the fuse box. It then goes to the turn signal flasher and continues on and goes into one side of the back up lamp switch and ends there. A light green wire comes out of the other side of the back up lamp switch and goes to the main body connector and then to one of the back up lamps. Again, this is the same 12v supply wire that started out as the pink wire.

  I do plan on getting the same switch from summit. I will follow your instructions and hope for the best. Thanks again guys.

[78ta]

So V8nut,

Just curious, where is the reverse light switch mounted from the factory?

[LilSki]

It goes on the steering column like an automatic car. But when you run headers in some cases the 4 speed cars can't run the rod that controls the switch when it is on the column.

[78ta]

The column shifter on my 02 Durango has all kinds of crazy bends in it. I bet, with a little work, someone could make a rod to work around/through headers.

[Amtrak]

dude just rotate the the steering coller when you want the reverse lights to come on and keep all your factory wiring intact

[Justin]

dude just rotate the the steering coller when you want the reverse lights to come on and keep all your factory wiring intact

?

[LilSki]

dude just rotate the the steering coller when you want the reverse lights to come on and keep all your factory wiring intact

Well that can be tough when it sounds like his factory harness has already been butchered.

Also it is nice to have it work like it is supposed to with the backup lights coming on when you are actually in reverse.

[Justin]

I replaced the harness that run along side then door sill on the drivers side that was all butchered up. But yes I would agree it would be nice and easy to have it turn on when I but it in reverse.

So that little cover on the colum should just twist?

[LilSki]

In short yes...

In by the dash that collar should just twist. When the system works say in a auto car it makes it so the backup lights come on and so that you can get the key out unless you have it in park. It also won't allow the car to crank unless it is in park.

In the 4 speed car it makes it so the reverse lights come on and that you can't get the key out unless it is in reverse gear. And it won't crank unless the car is in neutral with your foot on the clutch.

The original neutral safety/reverse light switch mounts on top of the column down near the pedals and is controlled by that column piece rotating.

[v8nut72]

If I can get a good picture tonight I'll post it. In the process of tearing down the engine bay to remove the engine and tranny so should be able to get a reasonable one. Just a note though, mine is held 'closed' if you like by a spring which is tagged onto the firewall.

I've ordered mine already and I've got the shifter out so should be able to show you it installed in the next 3-4 days.

[Justin]

OK so I got the switch that mounts onto the shifter. But first I want to check my wires and make sure before I set the switch up it all works just by making contact between the two wires. Can you tell me where I should cut the wires and exactly what I should do from there?

[LilSki]

If the lights work by connecting the two wires then all you have to do is hook up those two wires to the two terminals on the switch. Doesn't matter what way they go. I just used two wires to extend the factory wires and ran them down to the switch. I prefer solder and heatshrink but crimp connectors would work.

[78ta]

Justin,
If you found the green and pink wires, put the key in and turn it to "on". Then, just to be safe, quickly touch the wires together to see if you get any big sparks. I say this because who knows how the previous owner rigged the wiring in this car. If you don't get any bigs sparks or just get a tiny little spark, then hold them together and see if they get hot after a few seconds. If not, twist the wires together and go back and look at the reverse lights to see if they are on. Keep in mind that both bulbs could be burned out for all we know. So if the lights still aren't on, replace one of the bulbs with a known good one and see if it comes on. If so, you know you have the correct wires and all you need to do is add a piece of wire to the end of each one of these wires so that they will now reach to the shfter and therefore reach the new switch. Then as lilski said, just connect a wire to each terminal on the switch. It doesn't matter which wire goes to which terminal on the switch.
If you get big sparks when you quickly touch the wires together, post back and tell us or post a pic showing which wires you tried.
If you don't get sparks but the lights don't work either, post that and we'll go from there.
We got through the last problem. We'll get through this one...

[Justin]

Well today is raining but I'm going to do it anyways. Am I getting the green and pink wires from under the sill plate or in the trunk? Theres the little plug where the sill harness plugs into the tail light harness in then trunk on drivers side. Thanks again for your help.

[ta78w72]

Don't cut any wires.  Buy some blade connectors that will fit into the reverse light switch connector.  That switch, I assume you have an automatic, also controls contains the neutral start switch.  If you have a four speed, it doesn't.

There's a pink wire with a black stripe that comes from the flasher.  The flasher floats behind the dash on the drivers side.  The light green wire goes from the reverse light connector to the harness that runs from the drivers side front to the trunk.

Has your dash IP harness been cut at that column switch?  I don't understand why you couldn't simply tap into the connector and not worry about how the wires travel throughout the car.

I just read the entire thread.  You do have a four speed.  If you can find that connector you'll be way ahead.

Do you have the clutch safety switch installed?  You shouldn't be able to crank the engine unless the clutch is depressed.  Also, how does your reverse key out function work without that rod connected?  Your car was designed to only allow the key out with the transmission in reverse.