1998 Forester reverse light woes

[rxleone]

WARNING: LARGE PHOTOS AHEAD

 

 

I've got a bit of a problem with my 98 5MT Fozzy - no reverse lights.

 

Figured it'd be a simple problem with the switch, which I figure is the one illuminated below with the red wires.

 

 

So I pulled off my airbox to get to the plug.

 

 

Now, I'm fairly sure that the brown plug goes to the reverse switch... Hello! No power on the circuit when I test it with a test light.

 

So I figured it must be a fuse right?

 

 

I checked every fuse in the fuse box...nothing.

 

(I had to check every one because, being JDM, my Forester has a fuse box label like this. 

 

 

Handy huh?

 

 

Does anyone have any idea on what this possibly could be? I can't find any info pertaining to which fuse is actually for the reverse lights either. I'm thinking a worn/corroded connector. About to go and dig through a manual I downloaded on the internet for the diagram to see if I can track down where it goes wrong.

 

Would be nice to be able to see when I'm going backward at night!

Edited January 3, 2014 by rxleone

[Fairtax4me]

Did you check the ones under the hood too? Probably the dash panel that supplies power for reverse lights by you never know.

 

How did you check fuses? Remove them and check with an ohmmeter? Or just check both pins on each fuse with a test light?

 

I like to remove them in case there is poor contact or corrosion between the fuse and the terminals in the fuse box.

 

Also, you did check for power to the switch with the key On right? (Sounds silly but sometimes you just have a brain fart)

[rxleone]

Did you check the ones under the hood too? Probably the dash panel that supplies power for reverse lights by you never know.

 

How did you check fuses? Remove them and check with an ohmmeter? Or just check both pins on each fuse with a test light?

 

I like to remove them in case there is poor contact or corrosion between the fuse and the terminals in the fuse box.

 

Also, you did check for power to the switch with the key On right? (Sounds silly but sometimes you just have a brain fart)

 

I've checked the ones under the hood too - mainly just a visual inspection but from my diagrams it looks as the Fuse 18 is the one for the reverse light, so I pinned that.

 

I did check with the key on - should have mentioned that

[Gloyale]

Brown plug is the nuetral switch.

 

IIRC the one for reverse lights will have Green/white and Green/Black wires.

[ivans imports]

the trick have been doing lately is to remove the aluminum washer to move worn sensor tip closer to shaft this fixes 90 % of them

[rxleone]

Thanks guys - I will try this very shortly and get back to you on it!

 

UPDATE - Turns out I did trace the wrong plug to the switch..It turned out to be the middle plug.

 

So I put a jumper between it...

 

 

And guess what happened?

 

 

I tried the trick posted by Ivan above - the lights worked properly for a couple of goes then died. Thanks for the tip but I think this switch is part of the 10%.

 

Any advice on whether I should buy a switch new or go through a junkyard?

Edited January 5, 2014 by rxleone