back-up lights not getting power?

[nvyemdrain 0]

So here i am, an electrician and im in a pickle... i cant figure out why i cant get power to my back-up lights. I own a 1992 Corrado G60 1.8L manual transmission.

 

I have the biggest hunch its the back-up light switch associated with placing the manual in reverse except... i cant find that damnedable switch anywhere. I've got the bentley factory repair manual but it doesn't tell me where it is physically, just the electrical representation in the circuit. Unfortunately, i bought my car as an electrical nightmare thinking it couldnt be that bad... except it is when your missing electrical parts and not everything is connected and dont know where the rest of it should be connected to. for example: when i remove the cover around my shifter i find 3 plugs, one with 2 wires, one with 4 wires (i suspect should be attached to the back-up light switch due to color coding and voltage on that line) and a third with roughly 8 wires that arent connected to anything at all.

 

Both back lightbulbs are new and good. I checked for voltage going to the lightbulb at that hatch with the shifter in reverse, no voltage. As mentioned before, checked voltage on that connection under the shifter that isnt connected to anything and got about 12v, which is what should be seen at the back-up lights.

 

If anyone has any suggestions to help and/or can tell me where i 'should' find the back-up light switch at that would be swell.

thanks bunchs

 

-EM2 Drain, USN

[flusted 0]

its the plug on top of a black tower on front of gearbox, wire colours are black and black/red i think, common the switch contact wears out, only 2x 8mm bolts hold it on

[nvyemdrain 0]

thanks for the quick reply

 

i see what youre talking about in the repair manual, where it connects to the selector shaft, but i cant physically see it in the car. I'm thinking its going to require me to disable the shifter to be able to get to it? or can it be reached from the undercarriage? i havent tried that yet since i was using a flashlight at 10pm to find it and the car sits kinda low

[KipVR 1]

Try the Gearbox, not the gearstick bud.

[nvyemdrain 0]

well, once i found it i felt like an idiot, lol. There is nothing to really block it from sight other than being right under the nose. So it seems the problem is easier and cheaper than replacing it, i hope. The pin that connects to it isnt connected... and i cant find that now. I spent about 40 minutes trying to find it by sorting among every wire i saw near there but nothing. Anyone able to point out to me where the wire for the switch is? either near the switch or where that wire goes to so i can follow it back to the switch. Thanks, much appreciated

 

drain

[nvyemdrain 0]

bump

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Have a look around the starter motor and around the bottom right of the radiator, it should be around there somewhere. VW aren't very generous with loom lengths, so it can't have gone far!

 

Unless of course the previous owner cut it off!

[nvyemdrain 0]

well, i see no connection anywhere near there. The bentley manual says im looking for a black/red wire that connects to terminal t2o/2 then the switch, wire becomes black/blue and connects back to t2o/1. I dont see any loose wires of that color scheme or terminal t2o. Manual says the terminal is 'near the transmission,' kinda general location but looks in depth and didnt see that. short of routing a wire from line 15 to the switch and then to t2n/1 and t4i/4, which would be a large pain in the ass, any more help/ideas out there for me?

 

Would be great if someone could trace the wires in their car and take a photo of where the black/red starts and where the black/blue disappears and/or of the t2o i would love it... a lot. Thanks