hey guys, i wonder if you can help me? My reverse lights dont work on my 07 9N3, they were fine a short while back but now the fuse keeps blowing (fuse 19). I cant seem to figure it out - ive inspected the wiring and switch in the engine bay - all seems fine. Ive removed both rear lights to inspect the bulbs - all ok it seems, but every time i change the fuse and put the ignition to on it pops 😞

 

any ideas?

Clive

Do you know if the car has heated windscreen washer jets Clive? If it has, try disconnecting one, then the other, whilst fitting new fuses. Seems they share fuse 19.

The supply from fuse #19 also supplies the rear parking control unit as well as the heated washer jets @Pete1 mentioned above

thanks guys, i dont THINK it has heated windscreen washer jets...

what is the rear parking module? 🙂

 

forgot to mention sorry, so far ive tried new fuses of course, removing both rear lights and bulbs and disconnecting them (fuse still blows when i turn on the ignition). The wiring to the switch in the gear box appears ok, but some wiring in that are has had a repair (im not sure what the wires are for but they dont appear to be for the reverse light switch - i have also repaired those wires and everything else in the car i think works fine...!

I think the wiring to the washer jets may be obvious with a lift of the bonnet if you have heated ones. 

Parking module presumably is the thing that goes beep a lot just before you crash into something while going backwards  if fitted and working.  🙂

ooops,,,,good point 🙃

then no, i dont have heated washers or reverse sensors 🙂

 

The circuit I'm looking at seems to suggest only one reversing light, do you definitely have one both sides, that were both working before this fuse trouble?

Have you tried unplugging the reverse light switch,  had a switch on my mk2 golf (mk4 gearbox) go to earth internally and keep blowing the fuse.

Alternatively if that is fine check the loom between gearbox and inner wing is a bit of a dodgy area, wires inside it break,  we actually bought our polo with what was diagnosed as lambda sensor,  but was the loom broken causing it to go in limp mode and eml on, replaced the wiring and as good as new.

May need to unwrap wires and meter it out.

yeah i thin ive got one reverse light on the drivers side Pete 🙂

Pedro - i quickly tried to remove the switch connector the other day but couldnt - though i wasnt underneath the car i was above 😕 i will try that though, sorry that is one important thing i should have tried before crying for help!

As for the wiring on the inner wing, roger that will inspect it asap 🙂

Loom took a little more than a superficial look at the outside,  it's all wrapped, it's vibration that breaks it inside, may be able to check for earthing on the plugs, see if it's gone to ground somewhere,  may be 2 wires broken and shorting on to each other.

Did my friends 2010 bmw saloon as the wires to the bootlid had snapped in hinge area and so the electric switch wouldn't open it, had to climb in via rear seat, run a supply from the boot light to the switch and earth it to get it to pop all within the load area.

3 minutes ago, Pedropolo said:

Loom took a little more than a superficial look at the outside,  it's all wrapped, it's vibration that breaks it inside, may be able to check for earthing on the plugs, see if it's gone to ground somewhere,  may be 2 wires broken and shorting on to each other.

Did my friends 2010 bmw saloon as the wires to the bootlid had snapped in hinge area and so the electric switch wouldn't open it, had to climb in via rear seat, run a supply from the boot light to the switch and earth it to get it to pop all within the load area.

nightmare ha but satisfying when you find the fix 🙂

right, ive ordered a new reverse light switch just in case - the cars a 2007, cant say the switch looks old but if i do remove it to test it, may as well replace it 😕

Failing that i will then inspect the wiring - as you say, something is going to ground somewhere and im guessing it can only be something in that specific wiring for the reverse light? Fuse blows as soon as i turn the ignition to on..

Does the fuse blow when you select reverse? or with it in neutral and as you put ignition  ON ? as that will help isolate where the problem lies

47 minutes ago, nige8021 said:

Does the fuse blow when you select reverse? or with it in neutral and as you put ignition  ON ? as that will help isolate where the problem lies

the fuse blows when in neutral and i put the ignition to on....

OK so that isolates it to the wiring from the fuse through the bulkhead disconnect to the connector on the reverse switch, can you pull the connector off the reverse switch ? and see if it still blows the fuse, if it doesn't use a paperclip or similar and short the two contacts in the removed connector and see if the reverse light/s work, if all  good then the switch is shorting to ground and blowing the fuse

thanks for this, rain has put a stop on my plan to do this tonight so ill have a look asap over the next few days - i really appreciate the help 🙂

ok, FINALLY got round to sorting this out. Did what you suggested Nige - managed to remove the connector then bridge the pins and yes the reverse lights came on, fuse did not blow 🙂

I'd already ordered a new switch so fitted it and all good now.

 

Thanks very much for the help guys, i really appreciate the direction and advise.

all the best

Clive