Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting no backup lights, common prob?

Hi all,

Long time since my last post... mainly 'cause my 'tour has been problem free, until now.

No backup lights... yes, fuse is OK; yes, bulbs are OK

So, where is the switch for the backup lights, with a MTX? In the console? Or is it more likely to be a wiring prob like wires cracking from bending as the trunk is opened and closed?

My thought is to find the switch first, if that checks out, then I'd try and figure out which are the wires.

Help with where the backup light switch is, or your thoughts about troubleshooting would be appreciated.

Thanks
Brent

http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=trouble&Number=60524&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&vc=1

get a haynes repair manual and troubleshoot it with that. theres a few probs that can cause this. and its not unusual to happen in mtx's

I had the same problem, it is most likely a bad reverse switch, if you can replace it yourself do it, it cost me $207 at a stealer- errr dealership.

~Alex

so, just for your info...

thanks for the point to the old thread.. I hadn't found it my search of the archives.

Well, I fixed it. It was a PITA. I went for the backup light switch... took me quite a while to get all the breather stuff off, and then found I couldn't get the switch out without also removing the starter (manual didn't say that). But... I then found out that it would be 3 days to get a new one anyway, so I just re-assembled it all without taking the starter out or actually getting the backup switch all the way off. Along the way, I noticed that the stealership had failed to connect a big vacuum hose connector that's under the throttle body. You can't see it with the intake in place. It's been that way since they charged me something like $900 to replace intake plenum gaskets and replace plugs and wires. I knew it hadn't been running great (seemed way too rich), but there was no CEL or anything... I thought maybe an O2 sensor was going bad, but not quite bad enough to trip the CEL.

Anyway, I put it all back together, now with vacuum line attached and it runs way better. Just for fun, I laid in the trunk, and yes the wires running to the lid lights (backup) were broken. Fixed them in < 10 minutes.

I guess I shouldn't complain about the hours spent playin' under the hood since I found and fixed the vacuum problem. But it does tick me off. How much extra fuel have I burnt in the last 18 months because of that???

Anyway, that's my story.