Reverse Lights Not Working MKIV 2003 VW Jetta 2.0l Manual Trans
I recently discovered I had no reverse lights.
Which explains a few of those parking lot miscommunications. Oops.
So do your civil duty and go check your ‘I’m Backing Up Communication Device”
Checking your ‘reverse’ or ‘backup’ lights
Turn the ignition to the On position without starting the car. Put the car into Reverse. Get out and check the lights, they are at the inner bottom of your rear light housings. If they work, go do something fun instead. If they don’t work, welcome to the fun world of reverse light diagnosis and repair.
## Before we begin, note their may be exceptions to this diagnosis and repair: I believe earlier years of MKIVs had a different switch - same idea, just different shape and mounting method. Also, this is for a 2.0l manual transmission, I don’t know if things are different for different engines or automatic transmissions. Hopefully someone can clarify and I’ll edit this to reflect.
I would also recommend checking out this thread before beginning, it’s where I began and had some vital information for my particular issue:
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=355487
Reverse/Backup Light Troubleshooting:
Step 1: Check your bulbs. Here is a link to how to do that: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=2489742&postcount=4
Step 2: Check fuse #7. And how to: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?p=4010365 Click the link in the second post, it simply says ‘Fuses’, it will take you to the infographic about fuses that is here: http://gridlox.net/files/fuse_arrangements/a4fuse.pdf
*side note* Fuse #7 is for the reverse lights AND the speedometer; if your speedometer is working, it is fairly safe to assume that the fuse is good.
Step 3: With the basics verified (bulbs and fuse), it is time to discover your reverse light switch. It is located at the front driver’s side of the engine compartment, basically below the positive terminal of your battery.
https://goo.gl/photos/dCEwB8fEooG2DUei7 The switch is most of the way unscrewed in this photo, although I wouldn't unscrew it until thoroughly performing Step 4.
Step 4: Disconnect the connector at the switch and inspect the connection/connector/wiring. I skipped this step and went on to Step 5 - I highly recommend completing these steps in order, Step 5 is a pain in the arse and proved unnecessary in my case. So to clarify, step 4 is to CAREFULLY inspect your connection and wiring at the switch. If your wiring is damaged, you can skip step 5 and head to the repair.
https://goo.gl/photos/fKXFrRKsfhXW1wvRA
In the photo above you can see I had already unscrewed the reverse switch. And you can also see why I should have looked more closely at my wiring before doing so.
https://goo.gl/photos/3zrH9yZR9Swi82US8
Step 5: At this point, IF you have CONFIRMED your bulbs, fuse, connector, and wiring are all in working order, it is time to remove and inspect the switch itself. Removal is done with a 22mm open end wrench and is a pain to mess with for what it is. You will likely want to remove some stuff to gain better access and wrench-turning room. For me, in my 2003 2.0l Jetta, that meant removing the airbox. This is the easy part, only two bolts. So I’m unsure what might be in the way for other motors but you’ll want to improve your access. Once that is done, I spent the next 3 days hunched over the car unscrewing the switch, 1/8th of a turn at a time with the 22mm wrench. Okay, it only takes like 5-10 minutes, but it felt like forever and as stated, is a ridiculous pain in the ass to do, particularly if it is unnecessary.
Inspection is done with a multimeter. Switch it to the ohms/resistance setting. It should read undefined or OL or something until you touch your positive and negative leads to each other, and then it should read 0.0 So touch each lead to the separate connectors on the switch, it should read undefined again. Now depress the switch( I used my work table as my hands were busy with the leads), and with the switch depressed your multimeter should read 0.0 , indicating the connection is complete with the switch depressed.
https://goo.gl/photos/eh2YcKuYw5Z5Sukp8
https://goo.gl/photos/BW9uksoiHmoiCugu5
Mine was fine and I didn’t need to perform Step 5. If yours isn’t, you’ve likely found your problem and it is time to replace the switch. It goes in the same way it came out.
Here is my best pic of the switch in place(the switch is almost entirely unscrewed): https://goo.gl/photos/SYPoGV5weNmxaqzG6
For my situation, my switch was fine and it turns out I missed a now-glaring damaged wire connection.
Which if that is your case also, you’re going to want to repair the wiring. In my case, that meant replacing the female connector for the switch. One of the wires had corroded and broken right at my connector housing. Luckily, if you’ve read the thread I linked at the top, you know that the female connector is the same as the one wired to one of your front brake pads for the brake wear indicator switch. I happened to save my old front pads and was able to just use the connector from the old pads. If you are not a hoarder like me, you’ll need VW part#1J0973702 but that part# is just the housing, with no pigtails(wires). I found the housing with wires preattached here on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Connector-Ha...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VG7YNYDCFBGYX085XJWA
Score another point for hoarders, you won’t have to purchase that or rewire your connector if you have a front brake wear sensor connector lying around.
Anyways, at this point you’ll cut into your vehicle’s wires for the reverse switch and install the new or repaired connector. I used 18gauge butt connectors, then double heat shrink over the repaired section.
https://goo.gl/photos/ToXD48DZiCxbbcmH7
https://goo.gl/photos/gH6kW8stRTLiDuoF9
https://goo.gl/photos/VvBMvQ3XWYd15Q6p7
I spent enough time trying to get these google photos to appear inline but for whatever reason it's still fighting me, so I apologize but I'm assuming you'll have to click the links for pictures until I can figure it out and edit this post.
While I am a gasser MKIV(2.0l), these forums have been a great help to me and I'm hoping this helps someone else.
I recently discovered I had no reverse lights.
Which explains a few of those parking lot miscommunications. Oops.
So do your civil duty and go check your ‘I’m Backing Up Communication Device”
Checking your ‘reverse’ or ‘backup’ lights
Turn the ignition to the On position without starting the car. Put the car into Reverse. Get out and check the lights, they are at the inner bottom of your rear light housings. If they work, go do something fun instead. If they don’t work, welcome to the fun world of reverse light diagnosis and repair.
## Before we begin, note their may be exceptions to this diagnosis and repair: I believe earlier years of MKIVs had a different switch - same idea, just different shape and mounting method. Also, this is for a 2.0l manual transmission, I don’t know if things are different for different engines or automatic transmissions. Hopefully someone can clarify and I’ll edit this to reflect.
I would also recommend checking out this thread before beginning, it’s where I began and had some vital information for my particular issue:
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=355487
Reverse/Backup Light Troubleshooting:
Step 1: Check your bulbs. Here is a link to how to do that: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=2489742&postcount=4
Step 2: Check fuse #7. And how to: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?p=4010365 Click the link in the second post, it simply says ‘Fuses’, it will take you to the infographic about fuses that is here: http://gridlox.net/files/fuse_arrangements/a4fuse.pdf
*side note* Fuse #7 is for the reverse lights AND the speedometer; if your speedometer is working, it is fairly safe to assume that the fuse is good.
Step 3: With the basics verified (bulbs and fuse), it is time to discover your reverse light switch. It is located at the front driver’s side of the engine compartment, basically below the positive terminal of your battery.
https://goo.gl/photos/dCEwB8fEooG2DUei7 The switch is most of the way unscrewed in this photo, although I wouldn't unscrew it until thoroughly performing Step 4.
Step 4: Disconnect the connector at the switch and inspect the connection/connector/wiring. I skipped this step and went on to Step 5 - I highly recommend completing these steps in order, Step 5 is a pain in the arse and proved unnecessary in my case. So to clarify, step 4 is to CAREFULLY inspect your connection and wiring at the switch. If your wiring is damaged, you can skip step 5 and head to the repair.
https://goo.gl/photos/fKXFrRKsfhXW1wvRA
In the photo above you can see I had already unscrewed the reverse switch. And you can also see why I should have looked more closely at my wiring before doing so.
https://goo.gl/photos/3zrH9yZR9Swi82US8
Step 5: At this point, IF you have CONFIRMED your bulbs, fuse, connector, and wiring are all in working order, it is time to remove and inspect the switch itself. Removal is done with a 22mm open end wrench and is a pain to mess with for what it is. You will likely want to remove some stuff to gain better access and wrench-turning room. For me, in my 2003 2.0l Jetta, that meant removing the airbox. This is the easy part, only two bolts. So I’m unsure what might be in the way for other motors but you’ll want to improve your access. Once that is done, I spent the next 3 days hunched over the car unscrewing the switch, 1/8th of a turn at a time with the 22mm wrench. Okay, it only takes like 5-10 minutes, but it felt like forever and as stated, is a ridiculous pain in the ass to do, particularly if it is unnecessary.
Inspection is done with a multimeter. Switch it to the ohms/resistance setting. It should read undefined or OL or something until you touch your positive and negative leads to each other, and then it should read 0.0 So touch each lead to the separate connectors on the switch, it should read undefined again. Now depress the switch( I used my work table as my hands were busy with the leads), and with the switch depressed your multimeter should read 0.0 , indicating the connection is complete with the switch depressed.
https://goo.gl/photos/eh2YcKuYw5Z5Sukp8
https://goo.gl/photos/BW9uksoiHmoiCugu5
Mine was fine and I didn’t need to perform Step 5. If yours isn’t, you’ve likely found your problem and it is time to replace the switch. It goes in the same way it came out.
Here is my best pic of the switch in place(the switch is almost entirely unscrewed): https://goo.gl/photos/SYPoGV5weNmxaqzG6
For my situation, my switch was fine and it turns out I missed a now-glaring damaged wire connection.
Which if that is your case also, you’re going to want to repair the wiring. In my case, that meant replacing the female connector for the switch. One of the wires had corroded and broken right at my connector housing. Luckily, if you’ve read the thread I linked at the top, you know that the female connector is the same as the one wired to one of your front brake pads for the brake wear indicator switch. I happened to save my old front pads and was able to just use the connector from the old pads. If you are not a hoarder like me, you’ll need VW part#1J0973702 but that part# is just the housing, with no pigtails(wires). I found the housing with wires preattached here on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Connector-Ha...coding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=VG7YNYDCFBGYX085XJWA
Score another point for hoarders, you won’t have to purchase that or rewire your connector if you have a front brake wear sensor connector lying around.
Anyways, at this point you’ll cut into your vehicle’s wires for the reverse switch and install the new or repaired connector. I used 18gauge butt connectors, then double heat shrink over the repaired section.
https://goo.gl/photos/ToXD48DZiCxbbcmH7
https://goo.gl/photos/gH6kW8stRTLiDuoF9
https://goo.gl/photos/VvBMvQ3XWYd15Q6p7
I spent enough time trying to get these google photos to appear inline but for whatever reason it's still fighting me, so I apologize but I'm assuming you'll have to click the links for pictures until I can figure it out and edit this post.
While I am a gasser MKIV(2.0l), these forums have been a great help to me and I'm hoping this helps someone else.
