Back-Up Light wiring?
Asked by MikeyI Apr 25, 2013 at 01:43 PM about the 1972 Volkswagen Beetle
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
I found out today WHY my back-up lights do not work. I located the switch on the front "nose" of the transmission. I ran with the two wires until I suddenly found them cut & tied off to a park brake cable. I have no idea where they were cut from. Any suggestions? Thanks Guys!
5 Answers
That's a simple single pole switch on the transmission. One terminal is power from an ignition circuit and the other terminal goes to the reverse light. There may be a fuse marked in the box for the circuit.
I found this fuse diagram --- (http://thegoldenbug.com/images/wiring/bug_7172_fuses.jpg) --- it does not show the reverse lights. I would try fuse #5 if it's not hot all the time. The wires were probably cut because the switch was bad and it was blowing fuses. Take your meter and check both switch terminals for continuity to ground. It should not be grounded and it should close a pair of contacts when in reverse.
tenspeed: I'm on it, many thanks!
I found a full car diagram. It shows the power coming from the hot side of the coil. It goes through a inline fuse to the transmission reverse switch. --- http://thegoldenbug.com/images/wiring/bug_72.jpg
Superbetle answered 8 years ago
That's correct the hot wire from the coil goes to one side of the back up switch and the other side from the switch goes to the two brake light wires that run in behind the engine pannel. Before you hook those wire up check them they aren't shoted , that could be the reason they cut the wires, I just went through this on my volkwagen the wires shorted out and one was burned into and it also burnt the back light up.
