Anyone know why my reversing light doesn't work??

[dave_s13]

Anyone familiar with Audi A6's???

I've got a 1995 2.6 auto and the reverse lights playing up, I've changed the bulbs (to no avail) and the diagnostic computer's reporting a bulb failure. Ocasionaly they work (although comp always reports fualt) so I'm thinking it must be a loose connection somewhere but god knows where.

Anyone know how this mechanism works and where the relevant bits are????

cheers

[Podie]

Could be the switch...

[lazyitus]

You're not driving forwards are you ?

[Mark B]

Sounds like a dodgy earth. Reverse lights generally have a live feed and are earthed when you select reverse.

[Buffalo]

In days of yore there would have been a switch on the box somewhere which initiated the lights when reverse was selected.

Not sure how its done with these new fangled machines.

Would it be linked it off the gear indicator lights or something - do these work at the moment..?

I would imagine however that the switch would still be on the gearbox though, it still seems the most logical place for it.

[MarkK]

Buffalo said:

In days of yore there would have been a switch on the box somewhere which initiated the lights when reverse was selected. Not sure how its done with these new fangled machines. Would it be linked it off the gear indicator lights or something - do these work at the moment..? I would imagine however that the switch would still be on the gearbox though, it still seems the most logical place for it.

Not sure if this is any help but my 1994 220 Turbo had intermittent reversing lights and then a complete failure. Turned out the wires had started to break away from the switch that screws into the gearbox. Replaced that and everything was fine. Made it easier to diagnose because the wires were connected to the loom with two spade connectors so I disconnected and touched them and the reverse lights lit up.

[wedg1e]

Those lamp diagnostic things usually work by having a resistor in series with the lamp. It then looks to see if there's any voltage drop across the resistor and advises of a fault. Now for reversing lamps I presume it would have to advise of a fault BEFORE you actually go into reverse, so the 'old-fashioned' way of earthing the lamps wouldn't work because there'd be no complete circuit for the diagnostics to measure, if you follow me. Also, you'd need some way of telling the diagnostics to only check the lamps when they were supposed to be lit, which smacks of excessive complexity to me, even for Audi. I'd have to see a circuit diagram for this before committing myself; can't see whay a newish car should have such a problem though.

Ian

[edc]

I had the reverse light switch replaed on our '93 BMW and that did the trick.