Reverse Lights Stay On

[glrestomod]

I appreciate all the help I’ve received here over the past few years trying to fix my 1969 Dodge Charger, everyone has a been a huge help! My recent issue is that once I start the car, the reverse lights stay on no matter what gear I have the car in (I have a 383 with the 727).

The car sat for ten years in the same spot from June of 2013 to June of 2023. I just replaced the neutral safety switch, but the reverse lights still stay on whether I use the new one or the old one.

The wiring harness that plugs into the neutral safety switch looks like it’s been spliced in several places, could that be my issue, and maybe I need to replace that wiring?

Also, even though I adjusted the linkage under the car, when I put the car in gear it doesn’t feel right. I used to have to drop the car down to 2 and put it back up in to the gear I wanted for it to lock in. It doesn’t really lock in at all now, but I can move the shifter the full range of the console and put it in each gear now that I made that adjustment (the reverse lights were staying on all the time before I made this adjustment and still does so afterwards). Almost seems like there needs to be an adjustment somewhere down under the console. Could that be part of the problem with the reverse lights, or is that a separate but unrelated issue?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Sixpactogo]

Different circuits. Your back-up switch is either stuck or the wiring got grounded somehow. Pull the console top off and check the switch for operation before chasing the circuit back. My guess is the switch is not in place or has failed.

OOPS. I was thinking of the older cars. My 65 Fury has the BU switch attached to the shifter. Sorry.

 

[pnora]

I appreciate all the help I’ve received here over the past few years trying to fix my 1969 Dodge Charger, everyone has a been a huge help! My recent issue is that once I start the car, the reverse lights stay on no matter what gear I have the car in (I have a 383 with the 727).

The car sat for ten years in the same spot from June of 2013 to June of 2023. I just replaced the neutral safety switch, but the reverse lights still stay on whether I use the new one or the old one.

The wiring harness that plugs into the neutral safety switch looks like it’s been spliced in several places, could that be my issue, and maybe I need to replace that wiring?

Also, even though I adjusted the linkage under the car, when I put the car in gear it doesn’t feel right. I used to have to drop the car down to 2 and put it back up in to the gear I wanted for it to lock in. It doesn’t really lock in at all now, but I can move the shifter the full range of the console and put it in each gear now that I made that adjustment (the reverse lights were staying on all the time before I made this adjustment and still does so afterwards). Almost seems like there needs to be an adjustment somewhere down under the console. Could that be part of the problem with the reverse lights, or is that a separate but unrelated issue?

Thanks in advance for any help!

There is no wiring in the console for back up lights. All underneath with the switch on the transmission. Unplug the switch and see if the lights go off. If they do then its a switch problem. If they stay on its a wiring problem.

 

[LowBikeMike]

Also a 2 wire connector near bulkhead, you can disconnect there and further isolate where wiring issue is if the switch is not the failure.

 

[glrestomod]

Thanks so much! I’ll try all of these things and see how it goes . I’m so thankful for all of the help!

 

[glrestomod]

There is no wiring in the console for back up lights. All underneath with the switch on the transmission. Unplug the switch and see if the lights go off. If they do then its a switch problem. If they stay on its a wiring problem.

Thanks! I'm new to all of this, so I ask as someone trying to learn. Are you referring to unplugging the connector from the neutral safety switch?

 

[dadsbee]

NSS is a three prong plug. Outer two terminals are the reverse circuit, center pin is ground to make your starter relay work in N or Park.

 

[pnora]

Thanks! I'm new to all of this, so I ask as someone trying to learn. Are you referring to unplugging the connector from the neutral safety switch?

Yes.

 

[Bird 426]

Mega Parts has a new, probably M&H harness, if unplugging the harness works. Do you have a Factory Service Manual? Replacing that harness would probably require getting into the bulkhead connector, just went through this with my '69 Road Runner. Just requires being able to go through the wiring diagrams. What is the condition of the rest of your wiring harnesses? Are they hacked? 50 + years old.

 

[glrestomod]

Yes.

Awesome, thank you! I just replaced the neutral safety switch (doesn't mean it's a good switch necessarily) and nothing changed. So I'll definitely unplug it and see what happens!

 

[glrestomod]

Mega Parts has a new, probably M&H harness, if unplugging the harness works. Do you have a Factory Service Manual? Replacing that harness would probably require getting into the bulkhead connector, just went through this with my '69 Road Runner. Just requires being able to go through the wiring diagrams. What is the condition of the rest of your wiring harnesses? Are they hacked? 50 + years old.

Thanks, yep, I have a FSM! I need every wire in the car replaced, but don't yet have the resources. Definitely been hacked. I'm doing a restomod version of the General Lee, so I'll go with the American Autowire Classic Update harness, since I'll be going with Dakota Digital gauges, a modern hemi, etc. In the meantime I'm learning all I can and trying to keep him running and on the road. I appreciate the help! If I have to do so for in the meantime I'll look into the harness you mentioned. Thanks again!

 

[Black_Sheep]

Mega Parts has a new, probably M&H harness, if unplugging the harness works. Do you have a Factory Service Manual? Replacing that harness would probably require getting into the bulkhead connector, just went through this with my '69 Road Runner. Just requires being able to go through the wiring diagrams. What is the condition of the rest of your wiring harnesses? Are they hacked? 50 + years old.

On my ‘69 there’s a 2 terminal connector under hood for the back-up lights, I suspect Mopar did it that way because manual transmissions and auto transmissions use different harnesses.