Hi,

All of a sudden my reverse lights stopped working yet all my turn signals and other lights work perfect. Forgive me as I'm not very good with electrical and I've combed all the threads and this is what I've done based upon what I've read. Wondering whether the Neutral Safety Switch is bad on the column or something else is going on. Thank you very much for any assistance.

1. Pulled the green wire connectors off the neutral safety switch and jumped the 2 green connectors with the key in the engine run position and the car in park (engine off)...reverse lights came on so I guess this shows that power is getting to the bulbs and grounds are good?

2. Put the green connectors back on the NSS and put the key back in the run position with the car in Park (engine off)...took voltage readings and the green/white wire had 11.58v and the light green wire had nothing showing....should both connectors show 12V?

3. Should I be taking voltage readings of the green connectors NOT jumped while OFF the NSS switch with the key in the run position? If so what should I be looking for in terms of readings.

 

It could be a simple NSS adjustment. Put it in reverse and try grabbing the steering column collar and move it slightly back and forth to see if the reverese lights come on. Or see if they come on briefly as you shift from park through reverse to neutral.

 

Thanks very much. Sorry but what exactly is the steering column collar? I grabbed the part where my column shifter is located and moved that slightly left to right...is that the collar? Also I checked the CSS manual and I didn't see any specific instructions to adjust the NSS. Do I just loosen the 2 bolts and move the NSS back and forth left to right OR do I move it up and down the column to adjust? Thanks again.

 

Is this a column shift car, a factory floor shift car, or a formerly column shift now converted to floor shift? Is the backdrive linkage in place and adjusted properly?

 

Hi Joe,

This is an original column shift car that is using the column shifter as it came from the factory....no floor shifter. It had a TH350 and was converted to a TH400 3 years ago and all worked well. The only thing was that I would have to move the shifter when in reverse slightly up in order to engage the rear lights. Other than that all worked well. I'm wondering if the NSS is dead in that section or needs adjusting but I'm not sure how to adjust the NSS whether side to side or up and down the column once I loosen the 2 bolts. As mentioned above I get 12V on the green/white wire but nothing on the light green wire while the car is in park and the ignition in the on position. Thanks very much,

 

It's either an NSS adjustment issue or the NSS has finally gone bad. The NSS is held to the column with two screws. Simply loosen them to adjust. There is actually a gauge pin hole in the switch that will lock it in the DRIVE position when you insert a 0.090" pin in it. Put the shifter in D and bolt the switch in place.

Alternately, do it by trial and error like the rest of us...

 

Sounds like it needs adjustment.

 

Have you checked the light bulb and ground?

 

Brother's got a gauge pin set which includes a .090" pin.
Do I just place the car in drive first and then move the NSS switch left or right until I can fit the pin through cleanly OR do I put the pin in first and then move the shifter to drive which will then engage and lock on the pin? Thanks guys...I'm learning as I go along.

 

Put car in drive, loosen screws, move switch until pin fits in. Tighten screws, done.

 

This is what I was alluding to in my previous post. Sounds as if your NSS was slightly out of adjustment before, and now it may be further out so the reverse lights don't get switched on when in the reverse position. This is why I said to move the shifter from park to neutral and see if the lights come on. If the NSS is out of adjustment, the switch will close in a position other than reverse and you will see the lights come on briefly. If the lights never come on, the switch may be bad.

 

In addition if the reverse lights come on in a position other than rev, your car will start in a position other park or neutral.

 

Checked to make sure the car starts in Park and Neutral only correctly. Does not start in other gears. So based upon all the information it must be either an adjustment of the NSS switch or it's gone bad for the reverse lights. A little bit nippy up here in Canada so going to wait for a warmer day to fool around with the NSS. Thank you all and I'll let you know the results.

 

There are several bushings and rubber insulators that could be worn or missing, if there is excessive wear you will have a hard time getting things to work consistently.