As the title says, I have intermittent reverse lights, sometimes they work, sometimes they don't. Apparantly this is a common problem with this model. I've checked the bible to see whatit says and it simply says check gearbox connector.

what I don't understand is though, when in reverse, there is 12v being supplied to the bulbs, but bulbs aren't lighting. Bulbs have been replaced and both are fully working, I also know this cas it works now and again.

Any ideas on the problem and fixes guys?

Then the bulbs aren;t earthed. Check the earthing point wherever that is.

Change the earthing point,simple.Splice the earth wire from the reverse light into a length of wire (wire available from all good car shops) and then take that wire to under a nut on the body (numper mounts)

Reverse lights arnt part of an MOT - dont go fast backwards and dont worry about it

For over 2 months i had no reverse light due to the plug not fitting the new style gearbox.But i got a new plug and wired it in as my reverse lights are really bright and make reversing in the dark easy as fook

A pain in the arse when you pull up at the toll booth at the Mersey Tunnel, throw your money in, it bounces off and goes under the car, so you have to back out, but nobody knows that because your reverse lights don't work (voice of experience voice of experience voice of experience voice of experience voice of experience voice of experience)

lol that mainly why I wanna get them working again, might have a look at em 2mora, theres like a dodgy earthing point block so I'll check that oot. I just shove my hazards on if anyones behind me when reversing

had a fiddle (PARDON!) and seems to be sorted now cheers for the help guys

Gdgd glad ya lights sorted, looks like the shed of a car is starting to see lights and starting to rebuild itself.

If its an intermittent problem, are you sure they are deffo fixed?

Id wait a week or two before id say it is deffo fixed.

Hope it is for ya matey

yeah i thought that myself matty, I'll check in a few weeks.

Lmao @ pomp, I hope so!!

Well, after having 2 months with no reverse lights, I was getting sick of it. So I looked good and hard on google for a solution. I found it. It turns out, all E36 BMW's (maybe others too) have a very common problem with the reverse light switch going. Scoop, you wasn't far off

So I had a look in the bible (Haynes Manual) of how to replace it. It had a spanner rating of 1 meaning it is a piece of piss to do). In theory, it is.

Anyway, I went to Senars (aka LVW Automotive) and bought a new one (got supertrade discount thanks to Dazza ). It's a bitch to get to as BMWs are rear wheel drive, so the gearbox is right underneath the car past the bulkhead.

As I'm too lazy to jack it up and use axle stands, I just threw the passenger side up on the kerb, and crawled all the way underneath. It's right in the middle of the car, both width and lengthwise, facing the passengers side, and it's in a really akward place to get to.

The head of the screw is 19mm and I didn't have a socket set, so I tried using a spanner, but then realised I didn't have a 19mm spanner, so I had to use and adjustable which was just too big. So I went out and bought a socket set only to find the bit was too shallow to fit over the plug. Anyway, I borrowed a shiney Halfords socket set off my workmate. His deep 19mm socket was way too big, so I used the shallow one which just about fitted over the plug.

Anyway, sorted it now, and I thought I'd post this as a guide for anyone else (i.e. Stuy) who may have this problem in the future.




Unfortunately, I found that out too a few weeks ago when I didn't have any change and went through the auto rather than staffed. Had to tell some old woman to reverse - felt a right tit