no reverse lights on 6 speed

[Hammerhead]

I have run out of leads I have a 2003 dodge 3/4 ton that I have put a ranch hand after market bumper on with the reverse lights installed into it. the reverse lights have worked for about 2 years now and all of a sudden they have quit working. the fuse and bulbs are good, but I don't have power between the two. I know there is a reverse switch but I don't know were on the transmission it is to check to see if it has power to it. can anyone help me with this little problem.

 

[Gary - K7GLD]

Usually you would expect a new problem such as this to originate somewhere close to where the new installation and wiring changes were made - but in any event the reverse switch and wiring to the transmission is sorta high on the transmission, up towards the transmission front - on the driver side as nearly as I can remember. It's been a while since I had my transmission out for a clutch replacement, and my memory ain't what it usta be...



Good luck...

 

[RustyJC]

Just chase the wires - this will be the only wiring going to the NV5600. This is one of those "gotta do's" for me as well since the back-up lights have been iffy for a few months and recently quit altogether. These switches have a track record of going bad.



Rusty

 

[JHardwick]

I posted this question a long time ago, but never really got an answer nor did I dig into it.



My son noticed sometime back that my reverse lights were flickering. I had him to keep an eye on them and shoved the shifter as far forward as I could and they stayed steady. So for months I backed up with my hand on the shifter shoving deeper it into the switch ... ... ... ... ... . now, that doesn't work anymore either.



I've been meaning to get to this. I think I'll crawl under it tomorrow. I have a feeling that if I face the seating surface of the switch in the lathe to allow the switch to sit deeper, it'll fix the problem. A thinner washer would work as well if this is in fact the problem.

 

[Boonieman]

I had my truck at the deal awhile back before the warranty was out. One of the things I needed fixed was the backup lights flickering. I'm not sure what they did, but here's the info off the repair order if anybody can sort it out.



"Customer states the backup lights sometimes don't come on, and sometimes flicker off and on when they do come on"



Operation: 0891LAA3

Tech:111

Hours: 1. 2

Amount: $64. 26

Cause: R

Correction: Repair wiring to lamps in rear

Factory: Tech 111

Conc code: 0

Fail code: 1C

Type: W



Don't know if this helps.

Danny

 

[PKleine]

Another thing to check is the reverse signal in the trailer plug (assuming you have the trailering package). This can help verify the operation of the switch on the NV5600.



Hope this helps... PK

 

[JHardwick]

I'll have somebody operate the shifter while I check continuity to verify it's in the switch before I start machining on it.

 

[whamby]

Straight out of the manual. My is out as well I just haven't checked it. Switch is around $50 I think. I am sure step 2 can be omitted unless you have a lift.



DIAGNOSIS AND TESTING - BACKUP LAMP

SWITCH

(1) Disconnect and isolate the battery negative

cable.

(2) Raise and support the vehicle.

(3) Locate and disconnect the engine wire harness

connector for the backup lamp switch.

(4) Check for continuity between the two terminal

pins in the backup lamp switch connector.

(a) With the gear selector lever in the Reverse

position, there should be continuity.

(b) With the gear selector lever in any position

other than Reverse, there should be no continuity.

 

[RJOL]

I'll have somebody operate the shifter while I check continuity to verify it's in the switch before I start machining on it.

I'll second that suggestion...



Last fall I noticed that my Aux B/U lights that I installed a few years ago, were no longer working. Started working the wiring to find out if it was the reverse sensor, blown fuse, bad relay, bad ground, or break in the hot lead going to the lights.



Found no problems so I took the lights out and checked the bulbs. Both bulbs were bad. I just couldn't believe that both would go bad at the same time, so I went through the whole drill just to find bad bulbs. I got to thinking where I'd been in the past few weeks that might have broke the filaments. Then I remembered... I had been to Eastern Oregon just weeks before, and had traveled over some back roads that were gravel with lots of "washboard. " Must have killed them there... Next time I will check the bulbs first... :-laf

 

[JHardwick]

I'll second that suggestion...



Last fall I noticed that my Aux B/U lights that I installed a few years ago, were no longer working. Started working the wiring to find out if it was the reverse sensor, blown fuse, bad relay, bad ground, or break in the hot lead going to the lights.



Found no problems so I took the lights out and checked the bulbs. Both bulbs were bad. I just couldn't believe that both would go bad at the same time, so I went through the whole drill just to find bad bulbs. I got to thinking where I'd been in the past few weeks that might have broke the filaments. Then I remembered... I had been to Eastern Oregon just weeks before, and had traveled over some back roads that were gravel with lots of "washboard. " Must have killed them there... Next time I will check the bulbs first... :-laf

I just replaced a rear turn and the B/Us are good.



The only reason I believe it to be associated with the depth at which the switch sits in the transmission housing, is because of the fact that I could hold the shifter to keep the lights from flickering.



I'm not going to machine the boss deeper on the housing, but I can face the switch down to allow it to sit deeper.



It's a simple, normally open, plunger type switch ... ... ... . it's either bad or sitting on the verge of not being deep enough into the transmission.

 

[FDavid]

Mine have been out for almost a year :{

 

[Fuzzy Bear]

03 Backup Light Switch

Mine were not working after I changed my transmission oil. The backup switch is on the passenger side, toward the back. Maybe I loosened something when I was checking out how to install upgraded backup lights. The bulbs and fuze were all ok. Checked the continuity and when in reverse it was solid. With the switch out, checked the plunger and everything was still ok. When I plugged everything back in and wiggled the plug, everything started working. Not sure if its the mud and junk getting into the plug, but they went out again the other night. Glad I installed the rear driving lights :-laf Guess I'll get back under there again and clean out the plug and put in some dielectric grease.



Doug

 

[Kirwin]

Back up light switch

The NV 5600 switch is on the passengers side and the NV 4500 is on the dirvers side if memory serves. They are not the same switch. The NV 4500 is about $20. The NV 5600 switch was $55 from the dealer. I have had the same issue. The new switch fixed it but I'm of the opinion that the switch is the weak link. The circuit is not meant to drive any more that the factory backup lights. I put in a aux relay to drive my additional rear lighting. Ken Irwin

 

[Fuzzy Bear]

The circuit is not meant to drive any more that the factory backup lights. I put in a aux relay to drive my additional rear lighting. Ken Irwin

When I added the rear driving lights I created a whole new circuit. Switch on the dash activates a relay under the hood that sends a fuzed 30amps to the rear. Even put all the wiring in split loom. Would have liked to done it with backup light activation, but didn't have the time to get the required switch and fuss with the factory wiring. Still, its there when I need it, which is quite a bit in the winter.



Doug

 

[RJOL]

... The new switch fixed it but I'm of the opinion that the switch is the weak link. The circuit is not meant to drive any more that the factory backup lights. I put in a aux relay to drive my additional rear lighting...

Ken. . You use the reverse switch sensor circuit just to trip the aux relay... Very little current is used to do this... I don't think anyone is wiring their aux b/u lights directly through the backup sensor circuit... If they are, I agree with you that they will probably fry something...