While we’re on the subject of backup light switches, I was attempting to
track down difficulties with mine yesterday. I have an ’89 Cabriolet
with the manual transmission, though, and at times it seems to be a
"kit" with few clues (due to a previous owner…). The backup light
switch connector I found upon the transaxle appears to have four male
prongs in a row though after seeing a photograph on the carpartstogo
site, I shall have to take a look at it and see if there may be a fifth
prong arranged by itself. According to the part listing upon the
carpartstogo site, this would indicate that it is an upshift indicating
switch even though there is nothing in the instrument cluster that leads
me to believe that the car has had an upshift indicator and there are
only two wires (with no white nylon plastic plug housing, only female
spade terminals that appear original and possibly once housed in a
plug) that I have found leaving the wire bundle under the hood. The
pair of wires I found and tested are definitely the backup lights, as
well. As far as I know, neither the instrument cluster nor the
engine/transaxle have been swapped out (but we know what assumptions
cause, eh?) but the combination does seem odd. To make a long story a
bit shorter, here are my questions: Is it possible to connect the
backup lights to two of the prongs (I’m not worried about having an
upshift indicator in the least) and, if so, which ones would apply?
And, if this is not a solution, is it possible (or practical) to
convert it to the two-prong switch? I suppose I could always connect a
toggle switch to the two wires and post a "preflight checklist" on the
dash, eh? ;-) (chuckle) Thanks in advance for any help! (By the way,
I just went out and looked further at it and it is the five-prong,
L-shaped switch.)
–
Johnnie
There are apparently 2 types of backup light switches for manual
transmission Cabbies. One is the L-shaped one you mentioned. There is
another one that is cylindrical in shape, has external threads on it, and is
referred to as the "screw-in" type. I’ve seen the 2 types in several online
Cabbie catalogs.
"Johnnie" <Johnnie.1o2…@news.autobanter.com> wrote in message
news:Johnnie.1o23ek@news.autobanter.com…
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
> While we’re on the subject of backup light switches, I was attempting to
> track down difficulties with mine yesterday. I have an ’89 Cabriolet
> with the manual transmission, though, and at times it seems to be a
> "kit" with few clues (due to a previous owner…). The backup light
> switch connector I found upon the transaxle appears to have four male
> prongs in a row though after seeing a photograph on the carpartstogo
> site, I shall have to take a look at it and see if there may be a fifth
> prong arranged by itself. According to the part listing upon the
> carpartstogo site, this would indicate that it is an upshift indicating
> switch even though there is nothing in the instrument cluster that leads
> me to believe that the car has had an upshift indicator and there are
> only two wires (with no white nylon plastic plug housing, only female
> spade terminals that appear original and possibly once housed in a
> plug) that I have found leaving the wire bundle under the hood. The
> pair of wires I found and tested are definitely the backup lights, as
> well. As far as I know, neither the instrument cluster nor the
> engine/transaxle have been swapped out (but we know what assumptions
> cause, eh?) but the combination does seem odd. To make a long story a
> bit shorter, here are my questions: Is it possible to connect the
> backup lights to two of the prongs (I’m not worried about having an
> upshift indicator in the least) and, if so, which ones would apply?
> And, if this is not a solution, is it possible (or practical) to
> convert it to the two-prong switch? I suppose I could always connect a
> toggle switch to the two wires and post a "preflight checklist" on the
> dash, eh? ;-) (chuckle) Thanks in advance for any help! (By the way,
> I just went out and looked further at it and it is the five-prong,
> L-shaped switch.)
> —
> Johnnie
Papa Wrote:
> There are apparently 2 types of backup light switches for manual
> transmission Cabbies. One is the L-shaped one you mentioned. There is
> another one that is cylindrical in shape, has external threads on it,
> and is
> referred to as the "screw-in" type. I’ve seen the 2 types in several
> online
> Cabbie catalogs.
Yes, I have noticed the same thing, as well. I have a sneaking
suspicion that the transaxle and/or engine may have been swapped out at
some point since there is no upshift indicator in my instrument cluster
and the wiring harness has only the two wires for backup lights (both
of which have what appear to be the original female spade connections
hanging loose with original crimping as if they were once enclosed in a
female plug), apparently for connection to the screw-in two-connector
switch.
I haven’t looked yet (but will in the morning) but a thought occurred
to me at work today, too… Might it be possible that there is another
mounting point upon the transaxle for the screw-in type (since the book
lists two or three locations possible for Rabbits, Scirrocos and
Cabriolets) that was simply plugged when the upshift option indicator
was chosen? Hmm… I shall have to see!
–
Johnnie
Regarding the instrument cluster, I was amazed (and dismayed) at the number
of versions of them – all of which at first glance look exactly alike. Some
have two connectors at the bottom, some have only one, and the connectors
themselves come in different configurations and sizes. Some have upshift
indicators, some do not. The fuel quantity and water temperature gages vary
as to their locations. There are other differences as well. A Cabbie owner
who is looking for an appropriate replacement cluster will be lucky if he
gets the right one.
Papa Wrote:
> Regarding the instrument cluster, I was amazed (and dismayed) at the
> number
> of versions of them – all of which at first glance look exactly alike.
> Some
> have two connectors at the bottom, some have only one, and the
> connectors
> themselves come in different configurations and sizes. Some have
> upshift
> indicators, some do not. The fuel quantity and water temperature gages
> vary
> as to their locations. There are other differences as well. A Cabbie
> owner
> who is looking for an appropriate replacement cluster will be lucky if
> he
> gets the right one.
Fortunately I haven’t had to tackle that problem thus far!
No takers on the backup light switch question? lol I’m going to play
around with it this weekend and see if I can’t figure it out if the
weather holds… :-)
–
Johnnie