stingrayj

iTrader: (1)

I just purchased a 2001 Camaro SS yesterday and this car has the strangest feature that I've ever encountered on a used vehicle. The backup lights are on a toggle switch just above the clutch pedal. If you put the car in reverse, the backup lights do not come on. You have to kick the toggle switch with your toe just above the clutch to turn them on.

1) Why would anyone want to do this?

2) How do I put it back to the way it was supposed to be?

This is a new one for me, so I'm not sure where to even start with it.

99SSJarhead

iTrader: (2)

ha ha..

There is a possibility that your car may not have been born a manual and someone wasn't sure what exactly to do to make the reverse lights work when they converted it. That would be my guess.

Trips

Take the center console out. You'll see a wiring harness inside convoluted tubing. There is a good chance you'll see a connector not hooked up to anything with 6 wires terminated into it, or possibly some cut or spliced wires. Purple/white, Dark Green, Light Green, Brown, Orange/black, and Black should be the colors of the wires. The Light Green wire and the Brown wire are the two wires that need to be connected to the reverse light switch in order for your reverse lights to activate when reverse is selected. I'm gonna guess the switch you have by your clutch pedal is spliced into the light green and brown wires. You might want to jack your car up and take a look at the reverse light switch on the trans and see whats going on down there as well. Could be not functioning or just gone completely... Why someone would go to the trouble of putting in a switch to bypass it though, is beyond me.

stingrayj

iTrader: (1)

I checked the RPO codes before I bought it. It is a factory manual with the factory Hurst shifter. However, it may be that this is not the original transmission?

So is it more likely that they spliced into the wires under the consol or under the car? I guess there is only one way to find out. I'm just wondering, at this point, if the car will pass inspection the way it is. The lights work, just not with the way they are intended to.

89 formula350

iTrader: (8)

LOL just like an old truck. too bad its not a spot light like one too so you can get rid of tailgaters

93LS1S10

iTrader: (19)

yea i agree with trips, it doesn't make sence for some one to do that. like he said jack it up and look at the switch on the transmission and go from there. As far as inspection, just flip em on when you push the clutch to get in reverse, they shouldn't notice you doing it.

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

If you search, you'll find a thread tucked away in the "stupid & illegal" section about this. Some people are inclined to do this in order to scare people tailgating them.

I'd suggest finding the original owner, slapping them across the face with a wet glove, and then putting the car back to the way it was.

stingrayj

iTrader: (1)

That thought had crossed my mind. It was about the only "useful purpose" that I could envision.

I talked to my mechanic today when I scheduled an appointment for inspection. She, yes she, said that as long as the lights do work it should be okay. Regardless, I intend to put it back to normal.

All of this did give me another idea though. I really like the idea of having a rearward facing fog light like a lot of the newer eurpean cars have. I was thinking of rigging up one of the tail lights this way. And since my car does not have the ASR I already have a place to put a switch.

SexyTransAm

iTrader: (6)

just leave it. and when someone is riding ur *** flip em on and see if they back off thinkin ur bout to back into em doin 60 lol

wssix99

iTrader: (5)

The reverse lamps are in the wrong place for this. (The light will just reflect off of the fog and you won't see anything.)

The European delivery F-bodies had them from the factory. You may be better off just finding a Euro body bumper if you want the lights:

stingrayj

iTrader: (1)

Hmm, I think I'll pass on the Euro bumper.