Back-up light does not work

[billtercel]

I have an 84 Tercel 4WD (stationwagon). The back-up light has stopped working. I checked fuse and the bulb and they were fine. I'd like to know what could be the problem and how to fix it. Thank you very much.

[aoeu]

I just had to change out the reverse switch on my transmission. You can test the connection at the tranny to see if it is the switch and move back through the circuit. There is a quick connect on the wire next to the transmission. Unplug that and see if the circuit is good when the car is in reverse. If it's okay, the switch is bad. If not, there is a problem somewhere else in the circuit. Follow the wire and test everywhere that it makes a connection (there's one under the dash on the passenger side too). It could be that you have a corroded connection somewhere. Just keep following the wire and testing with a multimeter until you see where the circuit breaks.

[Petros]

Welcome to the list Billtercel,

If the light is good, clean out the socket if there is corrosion, and the switch on the trans is working, the next place I would look is where the wire bundle goes from the body to the rear hatch. The bundle flexes every time you open and close the door, and they will fatigue and break right there at the bend. Strange things happens are cars when they get this old.

Easiest way to test is to use two sharp needles stabbed into wires and use a volt-olm meter across them. Once you find the problem the fix is easy. Good luck.

Where are you located?

[billtercel]

Thank you both, Petros, I am in central California. I didn't mention that the car had sat in the drive way for 12 years and I just got it back on the road a year and a half ago, the parking break was set for those 12 years, and I guess that's why the brake light is always on, on the dash. lol, Thanks again.

[andrewrenow]

Post some pictures of your ride

[dlb]

Thank you both, Petros, I am in central California. I didn't mention that the car had sat in the drive way for 12 years and I just got it back on the road a year and a half ago, the parking break was set for those 12 years, and I guess that's why the brake light is always on, on the dash. lol, Thanks again.

bill, do not assume that the brake light on the dash is illuminated because of the park brake. check the brake fluid reservoir under the hood, it's mounted on the firewall just in front of the steering wheel. there are markers on the side which indicate low and full brake fluid so make sure it is full. if the car has sat outside for twelve years, it is also possible that brake lines have have rusted badly and leak brake fluid. take a close look at all the lines and verify there are no visible leaks. you should be able to tell by a spongy brake pedal or weak braking but it may not be obvious. when it comes to brakes, assume the worst and go from there. they're the single most important feature your car has--no point in going if you can't stop.

if the car sat for twelve years, i would bet that the reverse light socket is just corroded. clean it out with sand paper or emery cloth.

[Petros]

hah! you give up to easy. There are times when you are wits end, and you become stumped. You have had it and just want it fixed, so the temptation is to give up and just have a professional mechanic fix it. I have been working on cars almost 40 years, started when I was 14 years old (worked on engines since I was about 12, fixing lawn mowers, minibikes, etc), and I even have worked in several repair shops, you will find that the term "professional" mechanic is laughable, there are a number of good ones (and well worth keeping a friendly relationship with if you have found one), but most are barely competent to do routing work, and even more rare to find one familiar with cars as old as ours. Finding an honest one is just as rare and difficult as finding a competent mechanic, especially in a large city like Detroit. in most large cities a shop can rip-off every customer that walks in the door and never run out of customers, small towns are a different story where everyone knows each other.

What it really comes down to is you are taking a big risk to pay someone else to fix your car, you could be paying for things you did not get, and paying for the mechanic's mistakes even if they were not dishonest. You can make your own mistakes for free! learn a lot, and gain yourself experience that will save you thousands of dollars a year. the average cost of owing a car in the USA is over $9000 a year, much of that is costly, unnecessary, and rip-off repairs done by incompetent or unscrupulous mechanics.

[rer233]

"professional" only means they're getting paid for it- not that they know what they're doing!

[Petros]

the word actually implies they had to have a special course of education to learn their vocation, as a doctor or lawyer [ to "pro-fess" as in to know before you actually start, as opposed to most trades or crafts where you learn mostly "on the job"]. Usually this would not refer to "trades" or crafts, such as being a mechanic. though like the use of words in general, they get misused, so now being paid to haul trash makes you a "professional". or in the case of some shoddy mechanics, being paid to make trash (out of our car).