No brake or backup lights!!!!

My 1972 Grabber has no brake or backup lights. The other lights work and all the fuses are fine. Could it be a ground problem or the neutral safety switch? Where should I look next? Where is the neutral safety switch if it has an automatic on the floor?

Nick

 

auto on the floor has the n/s switch and reverse lights on the transmission shifter arm. I need to get one of those for my swap... believe it's the same as the 71 or so mustang...

 

do the turn signals work? that happend to me once with the break lights, i found that i accidently kicked the wiring harness loose. It had some connecter right above the brake pedal and my toes hit it and pulled it loose. So maybe check that.

 

The turn signals work, so do the lights. Only the brake lights and backup lights don't work. I really need to figure this out.

 

Look at it this way.
The back up lights are switched by the transmission switching.
The brake lights by the switch on the brake pedal.
Go over the grounds that are common to both circuits at the trunk area. This is a common problem on car of this age.

 

I got the brake lights to work. It was a bad ground at the bulb sockets. The backup lights still don't work.

 

Nick, I would clean up all electrical connections in the backup lites. This means doing the area connected to the shifter too. Oxidation and other gremlin type things cause stuff just to quit working. Disconnect your negative battery cable before doing this. You can get some terminal cleaner at any auto supply store, would be a good idea. Since I dont know your knowledge level of electronics, I wont go any further with tests. And take a good look at all grounds. If it still doesnt work after all this, you have a problem with either the switch, power to the problem area, or still yet a ground. Continuity testing can be a great trouble shooting aid.
Dan

 

Dan,
Thanks, I'll give it a try.

 

Now my brake lights come on for a second then go off. Something is loose somewhere.

 

I'd try a brakelight switch.

 

I got the brake lights to work. It was the switch wire connection at the brake pedal. The backup lights are still not working, I have no power to the lights so I am in the process of tracing back to the neutral safety switch. Has anyone put a new one on and where is the best place to get one? The Auto Krafters switch looks like it does not have as many wires as mine.