Reversing Lights Stuck On

[Trev864]

I last used the van two weeks ago and all the lights worked fine.

Today the reversing lights came on as soon as I plugged the grey plug. They seem to be stuck on even with the ignition switched off.

All the connections look OK and I have made sure the plug and socket are dry.

Can anyone suggest waht's wrong please?

 

[antrimboy]

It would appear that you must have a short between pins 1 and 4 on either your car's grey socket or your 'van's grey plug. The 'vans plug would be the first place to open up and check.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Trev,

Assuming nothing has gone wrong in your car, then it is almost certainly something to do with the wiring in the caravan.

The majority of wring problems are usually down to corrosion of connectors in one or more of the light clusters. Pay specially attention to the negative wiring.

Equally the 12S plug is often flexed a lot whilst towing. This might have causes one of the wires to break inside its insulation sleeve. It may seem strange to say a light can come on when a wire is broken, but it all depends on how the electrical circuit is completed. A broken or corroded negative connection can have some quite strange effects.

Please do not assume that 12V dc is Safe; Given the right conditions there is enough power in most 12V circuits to overheat a poor connection and start a fire if it is near combustible material. If you have any doubts please refer to a qualified electrician for diagnosis and correction.