Reverse / backup lights not working with Subaru transmission

[Crooked Designer]

Anyone solved this problem before? Everything is hooked up properly but back up lights don’t go on when shifted into reverse. Does signal from nee Subaru 5 speed trans work the same as oem 4 speed?

Just installed transmission and new Led bulb on all exterior lights. All other bulbs work great. Cleaned all wire connections at tail lights.
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'85 Westy full camper, Subaru 2.5L, 5 speed SubiGears + 5speedbus shifter kit

[MarkWard]

First step would be to unplug the switch and bridge the connectors on the harness and see if the backup lights work. My syncro conversion had inop backup lights, but I was switching from an automatic to a syncro transaxle. Figured I must have miss wired something. In the end, both bulbs were burnt out. Easy fix.

If jumping the harness connectors works the backup lights, you have a problem with the Subaru switch. The vanagon switch completes the connection through the harness. The Subaru would need to do the same. Sorry on Subaru experience.
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[Crooked Designer]

[Mac_Daddy_Westy]

I have subi 2.5 conversion, and have the same problem. I cannot figure out why rear back up light is not working. So will be following your post.

[MarkWard]

An ohm meter should confirm how the switch is working. How many terminals does the switch have? How about a picture?
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[danfromsyr]

on standards VW grabbed the supply power for the Reverse lights from the engine compartment. this connection may have been dropped by the 'professional' who did your conversion.

on Automatics the Reverse is triggered up at the shift console. I presume it gets it's power from up front and shouldn't be impacted by a engine swap.
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[peteguenther]

well here's a thing that happened to me just now- noticed rapid blinker action, and no backups and that tail and blinker lighting was reversed. I had just painted the vanagon and turns out it's possible to install tail assemblies upside down and on wrong sides! I assumed the one way plug prevents this but it doesn't if the assemblies are on wrong sides and upside down w backups on the bottom.

[Binolardo]

My transmission came from a 2005 legacy donor. Since the reverse switch are electrically similar, I juste connected the same two wire. I know it doesn’t help much, but on the transmission side, it should be the same for both transmission. To the best of my knowledge.