Reverse light fault. Not the switch or wiring.year 2000

[sirhenryford]

[list=]Date of first registration 8- 3- 2000. Might be Mk 5?
Type MT75 transmission. 73,503 miles Diesel.

The reverse lights would not come on properly and worked intermittently.

I have checked the following

1. The reverse light connections at the lights. These are OK
2. The fuse in the fuse box. That is OK.
3. The wiring to the reverse light switch. That is OK
4. The switch to the reverse light has been removed from the transmission case. The switch works perfectly.
5. The plug that goes into the switch has been removed and connected to a wire that goes into the cab that is connected to a switch in the cab so that when I engage the reverse gear the reverse light can be switched on manually until the problem can be resolved as to keep crawling under the vehicle is causing me health problems
6. I tested the switch after removing it. I connected a long wire to the connector to the switch. The other end of the wire was connected to the switch I had taken out of the transmission housing. I stood behind the vehicle. I tested the on off function of the switch by pressing the ball all of the way down into the housing of the switch. I did this 30 times. It worked every time.

It appears that the mechanism to the light switch might be sticking inside the transmission housing ??????

The transmission oil has not been topped up for about 30,000 miles.
Could it be that because the transmission has not been topped up 30,000 miles that is the reason the mechanism to the switch maybe sticking because the oil left in the transmission box is too thick and sticky?
Or does the link from the gear stick to the switch inside the transmission box not go through the oil in the transmission box?
Is it the gear stick mechanism causing the problem?
I am baffled I am 70 and it is causing me heart problems to keep crawling underneath the vehicle and need advise urgently.
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[MinorMatt]

You have proved the wiring all works so its either an issue in the switch or the gearbox.

It could be that the switch is worn, or even not screwed in far enough... you are probably pressing it further manually than the mechanism does.

I would fit another switch in the first instance

[sirhenryford]

Thank you for your reply. I had not realised that you had left a message or any of the others messages as I was not notified of same by email.
The switch was screwed in fully. It did occur to me that I might be pushing in the mechanism on the switch more than the mechanism from the gear box.
The Ford dealer wants 90 EUROS for a new switch!!!!!!!! I live in Spain. Hence that is why I have not tried a new switch and at 90 euros I cannot afford to buy a new switch when the one I have taken out seems to be working OK.
Do you know whether the mechanism from the gear box goes through the oil in the gear box or is it in a separate part of the gear box where the gear oil does not go? I think it probably does not go through the oil but I have never had the get box apart.Not have I had the gear stick apart either. Is there a place I can order from that you know about that will sell the switches cheaper?

[MinorMatt]

I'm not sure tbh

All you need is a bit of wire to bridge the terminals on the connector to determine whether the wiring is faulty or its the gearbox/switch?

Part no for the switch is 6178267... stick it in to ebay/similar and see all the cheap options I've normally got one on the shelf - but I don't think I do at the moment

[sirhenryford]

Yes I have bridged the wire. The wiring is OK AND the switch is also OK. YES BOTH ARE OK. Minor Matt has suggested that it might be that the switch ball is not being pushed far enough for it connect properly when it is in the gear box, so I am going to shave a bit off off the switch housing so that it will go into the gear box slightly further. I can always put a washer on to compensate for what I have shaved off if it does not work.

Other than that it must be the link from the gear stick mechanism to the switch because both the wiring AND the switch work. For the time being I have put a switch in the cab that is in effect a switch between the bridge. It works perfectly so it MUST be a mechanical fault. Problem is that I have to remember to switch the reverse light on manually from within the cab when I put the gear stick in reverse and then switch it off again manually afterwards!

Due to a lack of facilities I have to bury the ramps in gravel to prevent the ramps slipping and make sure the motor home is also supported on Jack stand and jack after that. Then all the stuff in the motor home has to be put away, the fridge turned off as it is a gas fridge and only works when level, the fridge emptied and contents put in another fridge...In all it takes 2 and a half HOURS just to get up the ramp and made safe before I can even get underneath the motor home to do any work on the switch fitting, and then another hour after that digging the ramps out again etc etc. So a simple job 10 times more difficult, so not tried it yet!
Thanks for the part number.