mike 202 Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Reversing light failure (Windsor) mileage 19k. .I noticed that my reversing light was not working on my recent trip to Spain (back 1 week). I have checked the bulb which was ok, but changed it anyway. Now the very odd thing is that it either does/does not come on if:- 1. The vehicle is on the level or pointing uphill, handbrake on or off or footbrake on/off, but in reverse gear, the light does not come on. Same if actually reversing on level ground. 2 The vehicle is pointing downhill then the light comes on, stationary held with handbrake, stationary held with footbrake, or actually reversing uphill. It has been suggested that the wiring done by A/S to extend the cabling to the A/S rear lights and the reversing light in particular can be a bit tight and that faults can occur with movement of the suspension etc. The circumstances described in 2 above would result in the rear of the motorhome body being raised with respect to the suspension. So just wondering if mabee the wiring is somehow being effected by touching the suspension or minute movement/flexing of the bodywork/chassis. Any thoughts or others experiencing this odd phenomena much appreciated. Not been able to crawl underneath at present to inspect wiring, but hope the on/off situation rules out a faulty gearbox switch. I am aware that the reversing light is not part of the UK MoT test, but would like to get it working. Thanks Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipsticks Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 Mike in the light of that you have said this may be of no use to you, however may help someone. Our reversing lights were very iffy on our 2007 2.4 transit, all I noticed was that sometimes they worked and sometimes they didn't. I removed the switch from the gearbox (very easy on RWD anyway) and found that the switch was such that whatever pushes in the plunger inside the gearbox was not pushing the plunger in far enough to operate the switch contacts. As I have access to a lathe I turned the flange back a millimetre and it has worked perfectly ever since. I have read of several people having the same problem and replacing the switch which has rectified the problem. From this I guess there may have been a batch of faulty switches manufactured out of tolerance. Our MOT station told me reversing lights were not required for the MOT. Good luck. Pete D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Collings Posted October 27, 2012 Share Posted October 27, 2012 My money is also on the gearbox switch. The engine and gearbox are rubber mounted and there is a small amount movement both foreand aft due to gradient and the power unit twists in one direction when the drive is taken up in the foreward direction and the opposite direction in reverse. These movements pull on the wiring to the switch and can affect its operation if the switch is not up to its specification. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 202 Posted October 27, 2012 Author Share Posted October 27, 2012 Thanks George and Pete for your advice, will have a look underneath as soon as the weather gets a bit better. Pleased that it all seems not to be too much of a problem. Bit terrified about Can_Bus systems on more modern vehicles. New switch is about £30 plus dealer to change it, or maybee a loose connection. Cheers guys -- mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike 202 Posted March 20, 2015 Author Share Posted March 20, 2015 hi ni view of this posting being quoted today, a much belated update Sorry. In the end I took my Mk7 transit to the ford dealer and the problem was an intermittent wiring fault caused by Auto-sleepers when they wired the reversing light in through the chassis, as the wiring eventually shorted intermittently to the chassis. Hence it shorting when the Motorhome was in different attitudes. The cure was to solder a length of wire plus heat shrink cover and a new gearbox switch as the original one was not working due to excessive current (amps) through the switch. I let the Ford main dealer do the job as I did not want to take the risk of messing the gearbox up for the sake of a few pounds. Cost for me was the investigation plus wiring change plus 1/2hour to fit the gearbox switch plus parts. So for you I woukd estimate switch + say £50 to fit. Just drop the Motorhome in -walk away- pick it up job done and no worries about how to do it or messing it up. Good luck and let us know what you decide ------- Sooner rather than later like me !!!'!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neill.mitchellhotma Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Hi, I have a similar fault on my Geist motorhome based on RWD Ford Transit. I am trying to find out how to access the reversing light switch so that I can test it. Do you, or anyone, know just how to get at it as it looks as though it is on top of the gearbox and not accessible from below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neill.mitchellhotma Posted March 20, 2015 Share Posted March 20, 2015 Hi, As I have asimilar problem could you please let me know how to remove the reversing light switch on a RWD Ford Transit as I need to test mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger s Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Our Windsors RL switch failed just before its annual service, our garage replaced it at £24 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipsticks Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Here is a picture of the location of the reversing lights switch on our Transit 140 T350 Panel Van. (2007) It is at the rear end of the gearbox offside at the top close to the prop shaft doughnut, quite easy to access and remove/refit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipsticks Posted March 21, 2015 Share Posted March 21, 2015 Apologies post above for offside read NEARSIDE. (cannot edit original post) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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