Reverse Lights!

[zook123]

Guys,

2002 Jimny, found the reverse lights not working, located the switch and it wasn't plugged in. Plugged in and the lights switch off when going into reverse, but turn on all time otherwise.

Plug only goes one way.

Any ideas?

[donkeychomp]

If this is for the MOT stop worrying, reversing lights are not required.

[Ju]

I would say that someone has done something to the wiring, this was a consequence and then un plugged it as they could not figure it out.
How many wires on the switch?

[Anton]

Sounds to me like they've replaced the push to make switch with a push to break switch?

Or vice-versa?

From memory, SJ's have a push to make switch. Mine works if I push the switch with my finger, but when I have it in my gearbox, it does nothing. My guess is it's worn down so that the little lever in the gearbox that normally engages it isn't pushing it far enough any more.

Anyhow, if you undo it and push the switch in manually, do the lights come on, or are they on all the time and go off?

Take a bit of metal or wire and manually short the contacts and see what happens. Perhaps you've got the wrong switch there.

Ju - do you know how many wires are on a standard Jimny switch? My SJ one has two. Is the standard Jimny switch a push-to-make or a push-to-break?

Could be that Jimny's use a push-to-break and someone fitted an SJ push-to-make instead?

I don't see the point in Suzuki switching to a push-to-break on Jimny's, but it's a possibility I suppose.

[Ju]

I have no idea, that is why I asked, if more than 2 is probably a wiring fault, if 2 then is probably a N/C switch rather than a N/O switch now you have mentioned it.

The problem with electrical faults without seeing what it is or knowing how it is wired it is hard to diagnose.

[dan_2k_uk]

Must be the wrong switch. Either that or someone tried to add some relays for a bigger reverse light and got it the wrong way round and gave up. I'm guessing as its pretty standard that hasnt happened so the switch might have 3 pins and its just on the wrong contacts or its had a switch or gearbox swap. Maybe someone fitted a 4wd switch where the reverse should be but I thought they were push to close too.

[Anton]

I'm going to have to say that this switch has to come out so we can find out if it's push to make or push to break.

Pull it out, push it, if the lights go out then it's either a push to break (n/c) when it should't be, or there are relays in there that shouldn't be, as Dan says.

Dan - are gearbox 4wd switches the same size then? Because this sounds like a plausible explanation. Also, I was thinking that maybe M13 gearbox jimny's might have a little lever that pushes the switch when not in reverse, and stop pushing when in reverse - opposite of our SJ gearboxes, while G13 jimny's have the same setup we have.

Meaning that if you put the wrong switch in, you'd have reverse lights on when not in reverse, and they'd go out when you put it in reverse.

I'm of the opinion that the switch is wrong, and he's got a 4wd switch in there. A 2002 soft top Jimny should be a G13, so I'd imagine it's switch would be the same as ours (dunno for sure though).

They're £11. I should get one and get my reverse lights working...

*edit* - just bought one. Really, no point in faffing about, I need working reverse lights so people can tell what I'm doing when trying to park in London. That might not fit a Jimny though.