Reverse Lights Not Working On Cold Start

[FastPlastic]

Ok, so I have sort of a weird problem going on. The reverse lights on my 1998 Jeep Cherokee 4.0L don't seem to want to come on when the engine is cold and it's the first start of the day just outside my house. Once the engine warms up they work fine, so it's hard to recreate the problem. Is it a sign of a dying relay or something else? Just looking for ideas of where to look first. Thanks!

[Christ]

I don't think there is a relay for the reverse lights, it's just a switch in the transmission and a fused power from the fuse box.

When the vehicle is cold, pull the switch out and actuate it manually while watching via a mirror to see if the lights come on or not.

[wagonman76]

Sounds like the switch. It might be getting old and worn out and the contacts might be getting frosty. Maybe wiggle the shift lever and see if it makes the lights work. Or it might be a bad connection somewhere too, even a bad ground.

[FastPlastic]

Looks like you guys might be right about the switch. I did a little more checking on the internet and found the Cherokee uses a Neutral Safety switch to control the reverse lights. So I figure go get a new switch right? Problem is that switch costs $340 Can we say highway robbery? The good news is I found a great write-up about how to remove and clean the switch to get it back to good as new "NSS Rebuild". So I guess it's on the to-do list.

Thanks for the help guys

[Christ]

Until you get around to that, you can tap in a toggle for the reverse lights, just make sure you don't leave it on while you're driving.

[wagonman76]

And there's always the junkyard too.