reverse sensor switch shorting out.

[Alexii]

hey guys ive just put my reverse sensor into the gearbox and for somereason it is shorting out. its a t50 of course. when i am holding the switch in my hand the reverse lights seem to turn on fine but as soon as it touches the gearbox hole it all shorts

[Hen may possibly be a nut]

What do you mean when you say "it all shorts". Is there a spark and fuses blow? Or just that the switch doesn't seem to work any more?

If it's the first it might be time for a new switch. If it's the second it may be that the ball bearing that presses the switch has fallen out and so it will no longer switch.

Hen

[Alexii]

nahh i just bought this switch. ball bearing is in there and the ignition reds die down..

[Hen may possibly be a nut]

NFi what's going on. The switch should get 12V on one pin and the other pin should go to the tail lights. Lights then get 12V when the switch closes.

I'd be guessing the switch is either stuffed or the wrong one.

Hen

[Alexii]

yeah well. for examplee. i press the switch in my hand and it all lights up. put it in and its like it stuffs up. is there ment to be a earth somewhere running from the gearbox?

[FoldKing86]

Yes there is meant to be an earth from gearbox xmember to the chassis. If not then i would assume it would earth thru the engine earth but it may not and i dare say it isnt for you.

If you can trip the sensor yourself but in the car it doesnt then id say it isnt an earth problem.

[Alexii]

then what could it be? it seems like as soon as the sensor touches the inside thread it all dies down

[assassin10000]

Check wiring from the switch back to the bulbs. Perhaps a short somewhere?

Andrew

[Alexii]

all been checked. i just got this sensor from toyota itself.... like i said, i press it in my hands and all works finee.... wires are heating up also once its in the gearbox

[Hen may possibly be a nut]

I vote for switch fucked/wrong. Check continuity with a multimeter between each pin and the switch body. If that doesn't work proceed to check everything else you can find with wires on it until you find a short/problem. Then fix it and you're good to go.

I doubt anyone can diagnose much more over the internet.

[Lexsmaz]

What do you mean " it all dies down " ??

If the wires are heating up there is obviously an issue, if you try it in your hand for a while do the wires heat up as well ??

As Hen said disconnect the switch, put in on the bench & use a multi meter, put one lead of the multi meter on one terminal & with the other lead of the multi meter touch it against the body of the switch & then push the switch in, you should have no continuity at any time & then try it on the other terminal of the switch & again have the other lead on the the body of the switch & push the switch in & again you should have no reading / continuity, if the meter reads something the switch is faulty as far as a reverse light switch goes ..

PS, use gloves so you don't get any feed back from your body if you are touching the bare leads ..

Rob ..