Do i need reversing lights for Mot test

[shortcircuit123tv]

hi it looks as though something in side the gearbox is not making contact with the reversing switch because if i take the switch out of the ford transit mt75 gearbox and press the balbearing on the switch , the reversing lights work another words inside the gearbox is not making contact with the switch

i Have put a manual switch on the dashboard and will it pass an mot if i operate the reversing lights in this manner thanks john

 

[Burnerman]

Reversing lights aren't required for the test, mate.
However, rear fogs are, and they are often overlooked.
John

 

[LooPrEvil]

SC it may be worth looking at the reversing light switch again and compare it to a new one. You never know, a small spigot of metal / plastic may have broken off, thereby not allowing the mechanism of the gearbox to activate the switch.

Personally, I would have thought the switch was more likely to be damaged.

Lou.

 

[shortcircuit123tv]

SC it may be worth looking at the reversing light switch again and compare it to a new one. You never know, a small spigot of metal / plastic may have broken off, thereby not allowing the mechanism of the gearbox to activate the switch.

Personally, I would have thought the switch was more likely to be damaged.

Lou.hi lou i have compared it with a new switch and there is nothing missing off the switch it is inside the gearbox where the fault must lie i even soldered the wires direct on to the switch in case it was a bad connection from the harness to the switch but it isnt john

 

[Burnerman]

Just one other possibility, if the switch shows no physical damage - the old one may need to be depressed further than a new one to make it operate. Again you'd need to test them side by side.
John

 

[LooPrEvil]

SC it may be worth looking at the reversing light switch again and compare it to a new one. You never know, a small spigot of metal / plastic may have broken off, thereby not allowing the mechanism of the gearbox to activate the switch.

Personally, I would have thought the switch was more likely to be damaged.

Lou.hi lou i have compared it with a new switch and there is nothing missing off the switch it is inside the gearbox where the fault must lie i even soldered the wires direct on to the switch in case it was a bad connection from the harness to the switch but it isnt john

Fair comment SC - it was just a thought. I do not have much experience of gear boxes, but the little I have indicates that gear trains and spindles are pretty beefy items, hence I feel the switch itself is more than likely to be the offending component. Did you try the new switch to see if it worked in situ?

Johns suggestion is also worth considering re wear in the switch itself.

Its the type of thing that irritates me, if it does not work, I hate to be beaten by it!

Lou.

 

[TicklyT]

IIRC some switches are adjustable, and need setting up to operate correctly. The setup sequence for an old Morris Marina / Ital (yes, I know! ) was something like select first gear, screw switch in until it operates, select reverse, and unscrew it until it releases, then set it halfway between those two positions and tighten the locknut.

 

[shortcircuit123tv]

hi lou the only possibilitys are either the gearbox is worn or the switch is worn by that it feels like a spring is getting depressed and the spring could of lost some of its tension and like you say imight be depressing it further by hand and it is making contact
as i converted some months ago from a automatic to a manual when i went to ford for a replacement i told him what gear box it was out of and he got me a switch which was the same length but had different Electrical terminal connections the lead wouldnt fit so i didnt insert it into the gearbox and the only other he could find was double the price so i didnt fit it ,
as he said i could exchange if i never inserted it into the gearbox as i have an mot on friday i will look out for the exact same one in a scrapyard and let you know when i do find one as it looks ok reads ok but isnt i have wired a switch in to the reversing lights and that works hopefully the mot tester agrees with my modification John

 

[gregers]

iirc a reverse gear is not required for a mot,i remember a work m8 with a car whih could not reverse at all,when time came for his mot,he had to push it off the ramp,