Topic: back up lights part 2

[NY78TA]

Hey guys i noticed  that when i take the igintion key  out and lock the steering wheel, I am able to press the button on the shifter and the shifter will move down to reverse and stop. Shouldnt it not move at all?
Other than that the car runs so well !

[Tin Indians Rule]

Thats correct. The shifter should not move once you take the key out of the switch. Your probably missing the backdrive linkage. There should be a rod under the hood that mounts to an arm on the steering column. The rod is moved via the transmission gear selector where your shift cable mounts.

[NY78TA]

I checked under the hood and next to the steering column (under the wiper motor)is a rod that is moving in sych with the shifter from PRNDL1 The car will be in the tranny shop this wednesday. One of the mechanics  suspects
that the shifter cable is  no good (stretched )and the neutral safety  switch will be checked as well.

[ta78w72]

I wouldn't pay a mechanic to check the neutral safety switch.  If you have an ohm meter you can check it yourself.  There should be zero resistance in neutral and park.  The other gears should show a break in the circuit.  It's a 15 minute job.  Plus I wouldn't want mechanics anywhere near my a/c ducts.  They don't know where the fasteners are and will break them.

[NY78TA]

Is the neutral safety switch located under the steering wheel?
My ac panels are loose under there .-Alan

[ta78w72]

The neutral safety switch is located on the steering column just above the toe pan.  If you have an automatic, the switch also controls the backup lights.  The switch is activated by moving the shift selector, which in addition to changing gears, also moves a rod (reverse lock out rod) which physically rotates the column tube and changes the switch position.  It's a white piece that should have two connectors attached to it (if you have an automatic).

Why are you testing the neutral safety switch?  Will the car crank in drive?

Now, if you have a manual transmission it's different.  There is a clutch safety switch which won't allow the car to crank unless the clutch pedal is depressed.  That's located on the pedal brace and it also a white part.  That switch is very, very difficult to find if you need to buy a replacement.  It yours doesn't work, soak it in simple green to clean it...cause they get dirty and lose connectivity.

[NY78TA]

The car starts in  all gears (auto). The shifter locks  but with a little play  
 downword towards reverse.The  mechanic @ the transmisson shop  will check the shifter cable and the neutral safety switch tomorrow.
No reverse lights,
I checked under the hood and i have the lock out rod and it moves along  in synch with  the shifter.

[Tin Indians Rule]

If you have play in the shifter once the ignition is locked your backdrive linkage probably needs to be adjusted. It should move a little... but not enough to get the car into reverse.

I'd have someone stand at the back of the car and with the ignition on but the engine not running, slowly move the shifter from park to reverse to neutral to drive and see if the backup lights come on.  If the linkage is out of adjustment your back up lights could be working... but only while the shifter is in another gear location.

As far as the car starting in any gear sounds really weird if the backdrive linkage is working. Someone would have had to bypass the neutral safety switch for that happen.  Regardless, I'd say some of the root of your troubles are with the linkage.

[ta78w72]

Sounds like someone bypassed the neutral safety switch and unplugged your back up lights.  You may need a new switch.  Hopefully they didn't cut the connector off the neutral safety switch to put the two wires together.  

This needs to be fixed because you wouldn't want to have the car start in drive....it probably wouldn't start but it would jerk forward.

First check to see if you have the switch.  Then verify that the switch works with an ohm meter.  Then look for the connectors.  The neutral safety switch connector has two wires, purple and gray.  And, they are thick wires.

Good luck

[NY78TA]

Thanks for everyones support!
Ya know this car fires up and moves down the road like it was 1978.
I am making sure the car is rewired back correctly.
After the tranny shop its onto to a  pro radio shop to remove the radio and that wiper delay box. How many TA's like mine have the classic equalizer in the glove box?
When i read about the  bad starting ,smoking  and overheating issues some  TA owners have, I feel lucky to have my car!

[NY78TA]

Well, the transmission shop called me and the shifter linkage is now adjusted and oh the neutral safety switch was  no good.
Not a good time to hear that GM doesnt make it anymore. But Car Quest
has an aftermarket  switch.

[ta78w72]

A bad switch is better than someone hacking the wiring.  Those switches are easy to find...as you found out.  Your backup lights probably didn't work either.  Take one item off your fix it list.  I had a whole page full of things like that.  I've taken care of all of them.