Hyundai Repair: Reversing Light u/s, hyundai accent, electrical diagnosis


Question
QUESTION: I have a 1997 Hyundai accent 1.3i coupe and the reversing lights do not work when reverse is selected? The fuse is ok and the bulbs are fine too? Any hints?
ANSWER: The most frequent problem in vehicles with manual transmission is the reverse lamp switch in the top of the transmission.

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QUESTION: Where is the reverse lamp switch located on a hyundai accent 1.3i coupe? i do not have a manual so im a bit stuck trying to locate various bits

Answer
Since the 1.3 isn't available in the U.S., the information below may not apply to your vehicle, but I've provided it because most vehicles are similar.

The reverse lamps are controlled via a range switch on the transmission.  It's possible the range switch is open or improperly adjusted, but this is a rare problem.  The range switch is typically located under the shift cable lever where it bolts to the transmission.  There will be many wires in the switch, so it'll be difficult to diagnose without a schematic.  

For U.S. models, the back-up lamps receive power from fuse #9 (also for turn signals).  From the fuse box, power is carried to the range switch via a white/black wire which goes to pin #2 of the range switch connector.  When reverse is selected, power should continue through the range switch and exit at pin #8, a red/green wire.  From there, the wire continues through the engine harness to the main interior harness to the rear area harness where it connects to the tail lamp assemblies.  The bulb socket then grounds through the black wire.

You might first check to see whether the range switch is properly adjusted.  On the range switch, there will be a tab with a hole in it.  When neutral is selected, the hole in the tab should line up with the hole in the selector lever on the transmission.  If adjusted properly, then you'll need to do an electrical diagnosis.  You can try following the circuit description above, but I don't know if the wires will be the same colors or in the same locations.  

If you'd like, you can view the scehmatic at www.hmaservice.com.  You'll need to register for a free account, and the site requires Internet Explorer.  Just beware that nothing on the site is guaranteed to be a match to what's on your car.  The site is designed only for U.S. vehicles.