Back up lights

The back up light switch is on top of the transmission....the one close to the motor.....when you put the trans in reverse it makes the switch and the lights should come on....I pulled my wires into the first time i pulled the transmission....so i put a switch on the dash to turn back up lights on and off

 

It appears that there are two switches on the top of the trans. The switch closest to the motor doesn't have a connector plugged into it and there are no unplugged connectors hanging around anywhere.

The switch a little further back is the one with the two black wires coming from it.

I wired up a toggle switch on the dashboard until I can get this sorted out but I really hate Mickey-Mousing things around when they should work properly in the first place.

I wonder if someone pulled my trans at some point and broke the connector and just cut the wires and taped them up someplace ?

Thanks for your help,
Dave

 

The rear plug is for the 4wd light in the dash... when you pull the t-case out of 2H and into either 4wd gears the light comes on (if you had it plugged in. The other end of each plug goes into the wiring harness just above and to the passenger side of the coil. There are two connectors that are opposite so you don't swap the plugs by mistake. You can still get either of the trans switches from Suzuki or source them from Petroworks or Hawk.

 

My reverse lights aren't working either. I unpluged the switch lead in the engine bay and crossed the wires and I had reverse lights, so now I know I need a new switch.

Like everyone said the closest switch to the engine is the "reverse switch". The wires (one RED / one Yellow) run to a connector the is in the engine bay attached to the fire wall about center of the vehicle.
You can buy a new reverse switch for about $20ish from Suzuki Depot (website not working right now).
http://www.suzukicarparts.com/partlocator/index.cfm?siteid=214820

Here is a wiring diagram (the reverse switch is not labeled but it is the middle one of the three in the diagram).
Ack's FAQ: Your Information Portal To All Things Suzuki/Geo 4X4

Good Luck !!!

 

I think the switch you are describing (the one closest to the engine) is the switch that has nothing running to it (on my trans.)
The switch a few inches behind it is the I mentioned previously that has two black wires running to it.
I cannot find a connector that has a yellow and red wire anywhere near the front switch on my transmission. Am confused.
I hooked up a toggle switch to the dashboard and ran a new wire to the backup lights but I know I'm going to forget to turn it on and off. It's trouble waiting to happen.

Well, thanks a lot for your help guys. I sure appreciate the advice,

Dave

 

I cannot find a connector that has a yellow and red wire anywhere near the front switch on my transmission. Am confused.

The tail coming off of that switch (on the trans) is normally about 3 feet long. If it was torn out during a trans replacement you may not find it as it may have been tossed. You can find where the tail is supposed to be plugged into up at the top center of the firewall on the main harness (left of the coil).

 

Billjohn, somebody should dub you, "Samurai Master" 'cause you clearly know your Suzukis.

The pigtail for the wiring loom was exactly where you said it was and there's nothing attached to it or nothing anywhere near it that looks like it should be attached to it.

I think I'm going to try to pull the backup light switch out of the transmission and see if I can fabricate some kind of plug to fit into it to go to the proper pigtail on the firewall because the proper wire is long gone.

Thanks a lot to everyone for their help and advice,

Dave

 

Glad I could be of help.
Although Samurai's are not sold in the States anymore, you would be surprised at how easy it is to still get parts. The link above was one possibility, but if you can't get through there check out PetroWorks
You can still get those switches for the top of the trans.

 

Also having a no backup lights issue.

I'm open to installing a rocker switch on the dash. Only concern is, will pass state safety inspections?

 

Question #1 - do you have the skill set to install a rocker switch & wire it up? If the answer to that question is yes, then you have what it takes to find & fix the "no backup lights" issue. The corollary to that is equally true, if you don't have what it takes to find & fix the "no backup lights" issue, then you probably can't successfully install a separate switch.

You'll find the wiring diagrams for the Samurai over at Ack's FAQ - it's a very simple circuit - power from the ignition switch goes to the fuse box, from the fuse box (the turn signals & the backup lights share the same fuse, so if the turn signals are working, it's not the fuse) to the reverse light switch on the transmission, then to the reverse lights and the chassis ground.

 

Fordem, yes, I have the skill set to install a switch. I'm a retired electronics tech of 40 years-- I think I can handle it .

I've read here how the switch on the transmission is in a difficult location, and I just wanted to avoid dealing with that. My 98 Cherokee has its crankshaft position sensor located in a similar place on top of the bell housing, and it was a mother-bear to access.

2013GV, not a stupid suggestion at all. First thing I checked, in fact. The left light did appear burned out and corroded. The right one was an amber bulb, not even the correct bulb. I replaced both backup lights with new bulbs, and cleaned up all other bulbs in the rear light assemblies. All the other lights work, but not the backups.

That's why I was just asking if a switch on the dash would satisfy state safety inspectors.

 

Have you verified that the switch is defective?