[DeTomaso] back up lights on all the time?

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/16/09 21 25 7, cadhearse60 at verizon.net writes:


> 
> God knows how long I've been driving around like this but the other 
> day when I stepped out of the car while it was running in neutral I 
> noticed the back up lights were on.  Anybody ever run into this?
> 
> Thought I might check here first before I go poking around on my own.
> 

It's probably a misadjusted switch.   If you look at Bill Taylor's wiring 
diagram at www.panteraplace.com, you'll see that 12V power is routed to 
switch constantly.   When the gearbox is put in reverse, the switch is actuated, 
allowing 12V to exit the switch and flow to the two lamps, which are 
grounded to the body, illuminating the lights.   So it seems that your switch is 
actuated all the time, either through misadjustment, or because the switch 
itself is bad.

The switch lives in a rather hostile environment.   It's a potmetal casting 
with a sheetmetal cover friction-fit over the mechanical works.   Often 
this cover falls off, and then the works are exposed to all sorts of gick and 
grime.

The switch threads into the shift linkage cover, which is very thin, and is 
held in place with a locknut.   The cover is held to the side of the 
gearbox with four bolts.   There's no reason to not remove the bolts and remove 
the cover with the switch still attached, then carefully remove the switch 
(it's possible that there is a thin locknut on the inside as well), then soak 
it in some sort of penetrating cleaning fluid.   Clean it all out, verify 
function, then adjust it so that it just closes when the gearbox is placed in 
reverse, but stays open in all other gears, and neutral.

Good luck!

Mike