How do you fix back up lights on 86 suzuki samurai?

Answer 1

The backup lights turn on through a switch/sensor that plugs into your transmission. (There are at least 2 sensors...one is to show if you are in reverse, the other is to tell the computer if you are in 5th, IIRC.) If everything is working correctly, when you are in reverse the sensor grounds the wire to it. Cheap fix I used: I put a toggle switch on my dashboard (there is room for about 3 toggle switches to the left of the steering wheel.) Once side of the switch goes to ground (like under a screwhead anywhere in the vicinity), the other side of the switch I spliced into the wire to the transmission. When I turn on the toggle switch, the backup lights come on. When I turn off the toggle switch, the backup lights go out. Just remember to turn them off, because if you drive down the highway with them on you can confuse cars behind you, and also get a "fix-it" ticket. Which wire to splice into? Sorry, I sold all 4 of my Samurai's (2 running with about 250,000 miles each, 2 parts cars) about 4 years ago. If you look in the engine compartment you will see a wiring harness going across the top of the firewall. There will be a few wires that leave the harness right in the middle of the firewall (side-to-side middle), and go straight down then into the transmission hump opening. You should be able to crawl underneath and see which wires go to the transmission...that at least will get you close to the ones you need to splice your new switch into. Or of course you could find a samurai in a junkyard and take the sensors off it. Good luck finding one in a junkyard, no t many left around. Good luck finding a sensor that is working. Trust me, wiring a separate switch if you are at all handy is the cheaper easier way to go. Hope that helps, Paul H.