2004 Toyota Yaris Reverse light not working?

nimrod86

Hey guys,

So I've gone and done a stupid...

The uncle gave me some LED tail/brake lights for my car and I let him put them in for me (big mistake). The lights were on when he was putting them in and it shorted and blew the fuse - no big deal, changed the fuse and all was good... I thought.

COem this this morning, car goes in for the NCT - everything goes well but the reverse light isn't coming on...

I've already ruled out the bulb with an ohmmeter and visual inspection, and am 95% sure the fuse for it is fine because the book says it's on the same fuse as the power windows which are working.

It shouldn't be on the tail light fuse from what I can find, and besides they're working.

Does anyone have any idea what it could be?

Cheers

Toyotafanboi

I'd still be inclined to try another bulb before you strip half the car apart.

GARAGE.IE

nimrod86 wrote: »

Hey guys,

So I've gone and done a stupid...

The uncle gave me some LED tail/brake lights for my car and I let him put them in for me (big mistake). The lights were on when he was putting them in and it shorted and blew the fuse - no big deal, changed the fuse and all was good... I thought.

COem this this morning, car goes in for the NCT - everything goes well but the reverse light isn't coming on...

I've already ruled out the bulb with an ohmmeter and visual inspection, and am 95% sure the fuse for it is fine because the book says it's on the same fuse as the power windows which are working.

It shouldn't be on the tail light fuse from what I can find, and besides they're working.

Does anyone have any idea what it could be?

Cheers

Hi OP, I'd get two lengths of copper wire and first run them from a battery to your bulb terminals and actually check that you have light coming from your bulb by bench testing the bulb before I'd proceed any further. If the bulb lights up, I'd be checking for 12 volts at the bulb holder with the ignition turned on and the car in reverse, (obviously!).

If you have the old lamp unit, I'd be putting that back in and seeing if that sorts the problem, if it doesn't, assuming there isn't a fuse issue, I'd be then checking the reverse switch in the gearbox, (you test it by bridging the connections in the switch with a piece of wire, I wouldn't get into it unless you felt competent to take on this job. It's a small job for a professional but you'd need to be able to identify the switch, location, etc...

colm_mcm

I would troubleshoot in this order
assume it's only bulbs you got rather than New clusters?

bulb working?
current and earth at bulb holder
fuses
current at multiplug
reverse switch

ironclaw

Is the bulb you are using LED or standard? LED bulbs have direction, as they are diode, as such invert the bulb and check again. You probably have but double check this, along with voltage in the socket when reverse is engaged. The Yaris bulb sockets can be a little delicate and some cheaper LED's don't sit too well in them.

nimrod86

ironclaw wrote: »

Is the bulb you are using LED or standard? LED bulbs have direction, as they are diode, as such invert the bulb and check again. You probably have but double check this, along with voltage in the socket when reverse is engaged. The Yaris bulb sockets can be a little delicate and some cheaper LED's don't sit too well in them.

The reverse is a normal bulb. And weirdly its started working again no problems without me doing anything...

However, it only comes on when the engine is running and I'm in reverse. With just the ignition on it won't light. I have no idea if this is normal or not but it passed the NCT reinspection anyway!

ironclaw

nimrod86 wrote: »

The reverse is a normal bulb. And weirdly its started working again no problems without me doing anything...

However, it only comes on when the engine is running and I'm in reverse. With just the ignition on it won't light. I have no idea if this is normal or not but it passed the NCT reinspection anyway!

Thats normal. It only illuminates when the engine is running. The brake lights will light in all instances.

colm_mcm

It would illuminate when the key is in the "on" position rather then when the engine is running.

Miley Byrne

The bulb holders have a habit of corroding in the back lamps of them Yaris OP. Moisture seems to come from somewhere and leads to rust building up on the connections

nimrod86

colm_mcm wrote: »

It would illuminate when the key is in the "on" position rather then when the engine is running.

That's what I would have thought!

I started the engine, put it in reverse with the clutch depressed and the light was on. Then, without touching the gear stick or clutch I just flicked the engine off but left the ignition on - and the light went out.