Reverse lights always on

[Bjaye12]

My reverse lights are always hot on 57 Fairlane, any idea where to start? The lines are separated at the wire connectors in the trunk so they stay off but would like to fix. It was like this when I got it. Not sure if it?s run off the wrong terminal on a switch etc? Does anyone know the original wire routing or terminal layout?

[Ford Blue blood]

All the wires from the trunk forward are bundled and run along the tunnel to up under the dash.  There are clips that hold the wires in place under the carpet.  Pull up the rear lower seat and you can see the bundle route from the quarter panel to the tunnel.

The back-up light switch is located on the steering column in the engine bay just above the steering box.  The switch has four terminals on it (if an automatic car), two for start safety and the other two for the back-up lights.

[Bjaye12]

Safe to say it?s the neutral safety switch then, unless someone hacked into the wires?

[sprink88]

Reverse lights? Must have been an option.

[Ford Blue blood]

Yup, an option. 

I should add that the engine bay harness has the wires for the safety start switch in it irrespective of it being an automatic or a manual car.  In manual cars they are simply plugged together and "hang out the main bundle.  The are about 2" long.  Might be the wires for the back up lights are plugged in to each other rather then the switch. 

Could be the original switch is gone and given there are no replacement 57 switches somebody simply plugged them together.  Both the safety and back up wires have male/female bullet connectors on them.

[Bjaye12]

2 wires on ds taillight had fused together

[scottegibbs]

Could be the original switch is gone and given there are no replacement 57 switches somebody simply plugged them together.  Both the safety and back up wires have male/female bullet connectors on them.

Maybe I'm misunderstanding you Blue Blood, but I bought a replacement neutral safety switch for the 57 on ebay... eBay item number:151782863648, Vintage Ford Parts is the seller. this is a good listing as of today ... it states in the listing that the switch only allows the car to start in neutral. I believe the 57 and earlier was the only years that did that, 58 and above you could start in Park. So this would be a true replacement?

[Ford Blue blood]

My post did leave a little confusion.  What I should have said was the original owner (or prior) had removed the switch and did not find a replacement.  Yes, 57 switches only allowed starting in neutral.  If I have it correct the 58 switches are not re-popped and do allow the car to start in both park and neutral..