Reverse light switch problem

[willpisme]

Hi,

My Berlingo enterprise 1.9 2004 has no reverse lights.
I've checked bulbs and fuses, which are fine.
Shorted the wiring at the switch connector and they illuminate - so i thought ok! time for a new switch.

Ended up receiving two switches in the post and still no reverse lights.
Checked both switches with a multimeter and they are working correctly. - Open circuit when released and closed circuit when pressed.
Tried activating the switch when not plugged into the gearbox and no reverse lights..

I've also checked the switch connector at various angles to eliminate a wiring fault and used varying depths of a short piece of wire for the short circuiting.

Very confused as to what the problem could be...

[ffrenchie]

Have you done a continuity test on the switch. If the lights come on when you bypass the switch it's the switch.

[willpisme]

Thanks for the advice.

Yes i have done a continuity test on both new switches and even the old and they check out fine. Very strange.

I know it probably sounds like i am doing something wrong but i've done a lot of testing of switches 

Its really puzzled me as the laws of physics dont seem to apply to it lol

[polar]

Have you tried earthing the switch?

[willpisme]

Yes I've tried earthing the switch while operating it to see if it makes a difference.


Its such a simple mechanism, which is why im puzzled by it.  
Switch out - off.
 Switch pushed in - On. 
The multimeter says its all fine, but the lights do not.

[cancunia]

Does the switch 'on' action earth the wire that goes to the reversing lights? If so, earthing the wire directly should put the lights on. If there are 2 wires going to the switch, it may be a switched live if so care would be needed.
If the switch simply earths the wire going to it, you should be able to see if there's a live feed to the lights when the ignition is on and test from there?

[ffrenchie]

If you operate the switch manually with the wires connected do the lights come on ?

[willpisme]

Yes its a 2 wire switch so earthing is not an option. I have put a piece of wire between the terminals on the connector which causes the lights to come on.

If i operate the switch manually with it connected the lights do not work.

If i operate the switch with a multimeter checking the continuity its open circuit when not pressed and a very low resistance figure when pressed.


Thanks for the advice so far.

[Sootyfoot]

does it work when fitted to the car? i know that may seem daft.......but.....

[willpisme]

I agree that's one of those things i could've missed! But unfortunately no it does not work. I have 3 switches now, all which check out fine with the multimeter but dont switch the lights on!

Starting to think there's a warp in space time on my little dw8's gearbox