Urgent Knowledge needed

Dubh Geannain

The GF has a VW Polo 2002 and driving test this Thursday.

Noticed today that when the ignition is on regardless of whether the car is in reverse or not, the reverse lights are on. Now I know it's illegal to be driving around with white lights on the back of your vehicle, so I've taken the bulbs out.

We don't really have a chance to get it to a garage tomorrow and the tester mightn't even check the reverse lights, but better safe than sorry. Apart from the reverse lights, the rest of the electrics work fine.

I'm guessing there's a switch somewhere that is stuck in the on position that is keeping the reverse lights on. But, I don't know where it is. I've already lifted the gearstick cover and there doesn't appear to be anything there. So, does anyone know where I can locate it? (assuming that's the problem)

Cheers

Bazzy

Have you tried a new bulb ? or all the rear bulbs?

Tefral

Dubh Geannain wrote: »

The GF has a VW Polo 2002 and driving test this Thursday.

Noticed today that when the ignition is on regardless of whether the car is in reverse or not, the reverse lights are on. Now I know it's illegal to be driving around with white lights on the back of your vehicle, so I've taken the bulbs out.

We don't really have a chance to get it to a garage tomorrow and the tester mightn't even check the reverse lights, but better safe than sorry. Apart from the reverse lights, the rest of the electrics work fine.

I'm guessing there's a switch somewhere that is stuck in the on position that is keeping the reverse lights on. But, I don't know where it is. I've already lifted the gearstick cover and there doesn't appear to be anything there. So, does anyone know where I can locate it? (assuming that's the problem)

Cheers

First of all testers DO always check your hazzards, indicators, breaklights and reverse lights work. You will not be allowed sit the test if they dont.

Does this happen if the lights are on in the car or does it happen when they are off?

Dubh Geannain

cronin_j wrote: »

First of all testers DO always check your hazzards, indicators, breaklights and reverse lights work. You will not be allowed sit the test if they dont.

Does this happen if the lights are on in the car or does it happen when they are off?

As soon as the ignition is switched on the reverse lights come on.

peasant

The switch for the reverse lights on most cars is actually at the gearbox ..kinda awkward to get to for a quick fix

mickdw

A mechanic will sort this pretty quick.

If you are kinda handy at this stuff, you could have a look at the bulb cluster, see is the reserve light circuit being completed through its own wiring i.e. the wiring to the switch or is it down to a fault in the cluster itself

Dubh Geannain

Cheers for the reply lads.

So a decent mechanic should be able to sort it out in a short enough space of time. We'll just have to sort something out in the morning and try and jump the queue with the local mechanic.

quarryman

The red circle indicates the plug into the switch. Check the voltages here.

slimjimmc

cronin_j wrote: »

First of all testers DO always check your hazzards, indicators, breaklights and reverse lights work. You will not be allowed sit the test if they dont.

Does this happen if the lights are on in the car or does it happen when they are off?

Reversing lights are not a legal requirement therefore the examiner has no grounds to reject a test on the basis of the lack of working reversing lights. So long as the bulbs are pulled the car is road legal again.

galwaytt

Bazzy wrote: »

Have you tried a new bulb ? or all the rear bulbs?

Eh ? The bulbs are ON all the time...........you offering to fit a ..........blown one ..??

Bonito

cronin_j wrote: »

First of all testers DO always check your hazzards, indicators, breaklights and reverse lights work. You will not be allowed sit the test if they dont.

Does this happen if the lights are on in the car or does it happen when they are off?

i took my test last week,the only lights that are checked are you indicators,hazards,brakes and if its dull he'll check your heads and dips and if its foggy they'll check your fog light,so if he leaves the reverse bulbs out she'll be fine doing the test for when the tester checks the rear to make sure hazards,brakes and indicators work,i've never heard of anybody ever being asked to put the car into reverse for a tester so he can check if reverse lights are working

crosstownk

quarryman wrote: »

The red circle indicates the plug into the switch. Check the voltages here.

Remove the plug on the connection illustrated above and check for continuity rather than voltage. When forward gears/neutral are selected there should be no continuity across the switch.

Reverse light switches are common failure components in VWs.

bryaner

Try a few light technical taps around the switch on the gearbox

might work bar the spring in the switch is shagged or the end ball

Dubh Geannain

bryaner wrote: »

Try a few light technical taps around the switch on the gearbox

might work bar the spring in the switch is shagged or the end ball

Heh, there were a few technical taps attempted

My old car had no reverse lights for about 4 years and it passed the NCT twice, but I just wasn't sure of the situation with the driving test.

Anyway, she got it sorted there at lunch time for the nice sum of €60 :eek:

The skeptic in me says the long hair led led to a couple of bob added to the price. I wish I had had the time to have a go at it myself.

quarryman

Dubh Geannain wrote: »

Anyway, she got it sorted there at lunch time for the nice sum of €60 :eek:

The skeptic in me says the long hair led led to a couple of bob added to the price. I wish I had had the time to have a go at it myself.

An hour's labour so.

Better than automatically failing the test!

Dubh Geannain

quarryman wrote: »

An hour's labour so.

Better than automatically failing the test!

When you put it like that, fair enough. It's just I didn't think it'd be even 20 minutes for a guy who knew what he was doing.