Reverse Tail Light Not Working? How do I fix? Newbie Question

[mobilehippo]

Hi,

I just got a 1978/79 Odyssey. It's a 1978 model but all the paperwork says 79. The reverse tail lights do not turn work but all the other tail lights do. We checked the bulbs and they still look good. Our assumption because they both won't light up, is that when reverse is engaged, the connection is faulty or lose.

How would I approach fixing this? I have read forums about checking the voltage, also near to the transmission side but nothing about actually getting in there and knowing what I would need to replace.

Any help would be appreciated!

THANKS!!

[Skydancer2992]

You may have a bad ground or the voltage may not be reaching the bulb.

For a bad ground:

With the vehicle in reverse and ignition ON, use a voltmeter to measure between the bulb's contacts and a metal part of the vehicle chassis. If you get a voltage, check for where the circuit may be broken, often it will be corrosion due to water incursion in the lamp housing. There may be corrosion from dissimilar metal contact between the lamp housing and the path to ground.

For no voltage:

Try to follow a path from where there is voltage to where there is none. You may need to locate the reverse switch near the transmission and determine if there is 12V on both sides of the switch.

[mobilehippo]

It's fixed! Thanks so much. It was just corrosion between the contact to the bulb.