Hi,

I have a Ford Focus 1.6TDCi Titanium 2010 who's reversing lights and parking sensors have stopped working at the same.

After digging around a little on the internet many people have found that the problem lies in a faulty 'Reversing Light Switch'.

Would people agree that this is the most logical cause of the problem?

I have checked the bulbs and wires and they all seem to be in tact (including insulation). I have also checked Fuse F141 which is fine.

Thanks in advance for your help,

Stophen.

The problem definitely sounds like it's related to the switch. It could be a broken wire (due to engine movement) or corrosion in the connector so it's worth checking before investing in a new switch.

Cheers mjt,

I've had a look around the area and can't see anything obviously so hopefully that will be the culprit!

The car is 10 years old and done over 120,000 so I guess things like this have probably reached the live expectancy!

Cheers,

Stophen.

I had to replace the switch on mine at just 6 years/46k miles so yours has done well if it's still original!   They cost less than a tenner and are easy to access on this gearbox though, it's just underneath the battery.

Easy to check it's the switch, just unplug it and place a small jumper wire or unbent paperclip between the pins in the plug to bypass the switch, switch the ignition on and the reverse light should come on.

Thanks, it started randomly working after a 30 minute drive and then wouldn't work when I went out ten minutes later, so I think all things are pointing to the switch.

Thanks all!

This is an old thread but helped me. Car passed MOT with one advisory (reverse light not working). If the car had been built Jan 2009 onwards that would have been a fail, but mine is Mar 2008.

Checked bulb (OK), checked fuse (10A in 141 of the GEM) and that was OK. Renewed both for sake of good order - still no joy. Bought a new reverse light switch (£10) and installed. Bingo, reverse light works (with the rear parking sensors).

Out of curiosity I checked the old (I guess original judging by its tarnish) with a micrometer and ... a connection sounded when touching both terminals and pushing in the ball at the tip of the sensor. Still working! Not sure what the problem was (may still be something to do with the reverse sensor, even just dirt in the plug connection). But after 17 years probably worth changing.

Moral of the story, checking the old reverse switch with a micrometer before replacing - it could be something as simple as a dirty connection.

In true banger style I am keeping the old one (marked as connecting, but possible fault) as a reserve!