failed inspection / reverse lights

well, it had to happen, the guy at the gas station just HAD to find something wrong with my car (ashho!)during MASS inspection.

it turn outs the reverse lights dont go on when I back up.

SO i changed the switch towards the front of the transmission (while spilling out all the oil) and still no back up lights....the light bulbs also look good...

any suggestions would be helpful..thanks



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83 sc euro cab

Try small things first. You say the bulb LOOKS good, try another bulb just to see, does this happen on both lights or just one side? Does your car have a fuse for this? Also check the wires, use a multimeter or even a 12V test light, good luck. Let us know what you find.

Shawn

thanks for the reply.

both lights dont work....tomorrow I'm gonna try two new bulbs.

this sucks because now I dont have any gear oil in the transmission so I cant drive the car....is SWEPCO ok?

also wanted to add that this is the first time I ever had the back-up lights inspected in ANY car....this gas station person was just determined to find something to give me the big "R" sticker. ( I will post a pic)




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83 sc euro cab

Try another inspection station.

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Robert Stoll
83 SC
83 944

Here's my inspection story fron hell(kinda long):

it was a beautiful morning in the neighborhood and so I decided to get a brand new sticker since the old one had expired a few weeks go....so I pulled into a station kinda near a busy intersection, got out of my car and asked the guy how long it would be, he said about 20 minutes and told me to wait behind two other cars....I didnt really want to wait so I drove to a second inspections station right across the street.

this place could take me right away but they insisted that they drive my car into the bay cause IT WAS THE LAW! I agreed to that hesitantly and so I gave the attendent there my keys and said "you know stick, right". he said yes, took the keys, got into my 911, turned the motor ok, and when he proceeded to put the car in 1st and the car jumped forward, engine stalling, my heart leaped to my throat....
I got upset so I asked for my money back (since I had already given him the 39 bucks, ouch)

SO, I drive to a THIRD station around Wilmington, again no wait, I drive into the empty bay without asking and now the guy wants to jack up my car to check the front steering! He proceeds to roll a jack from the back and tries to find a jack point...I insist that I jack up the car since I'm more familiar with it....well, after about 5 minutes of arguing of who should jack up the car, he doesnt let me and DOESNT want to jack it up risking any damage....so I had no choice but to leave.

so I drive away.
now I find this FOURTH station up in Beverly near my work and I ask "have time for an inspection?" The guy tells me "sorry, we are booked for the day!"

WHAT? booked for the day??? isnt it supposed to be first come first serve....is this called Porsche owner discrimination????

anyway, the FIFTH place I took it too on that faithful day gave me the rejection sticker....I was just happy to get anything at that point.

well, I keep telling myself the "R" stands for "R"EALLY F'KING COOL CAR, HAHAHAHAHA

thanks for reading!



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83 sc euro cab

That is just tough luck. I drove to a station just up the street (Burlington) and had no wait at all. I told the guy that the car was touchy and that I should drive it in the bay. He just noded. We turned on my lights (one was very dim), tested the signals, tested my back up lights and that was it...done. didn't even test the horn or wipers. Try another station. Mine was it the exxon on 3a across from d&d.

good luck


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Dave
1970 914-6 (soon GT)

Does anyone know what happens if you REFUSE to let one of these jugheads drive your car?

I fail to see how a state law can REQUIRE you to let someone drive your car. If your car passes the idle test, it is almost certain to pass the cruise test because cars put out more pollutants when idling than when cruising.

Comments??

What the heck is this crap? In Washington state we don't have to deal with ANY of this...visuals, etc. are never performed; just a poke of the sniffer into the tailpipe and you're on your way.

God please don't let this bizarre legislation get a grip out here!

Jw

A few years ago here in Minnesota, they got rid of the last of the required smog testing. We don't have safety inpsections either. Our air quality exceeded all EPA requirements. The resident eco-loonies were at wits end. They wanted to continue emissions testing, but there weren't any laws that required it, plus we got a new governor (a former porsche owner BTW) who was as anxious as the rest of us to end testing.

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Bill Krause
'79 911SC Euro

THats sucks.

The insections in Canada here are also different. When I lived out west in Alberta there is NO inspections. You should see some of the vehicles on the road, not only gross polutants but unsafe.

Now I live on the East coast and we need an inspection every year, lights, suspension and body check for rust. But no emissions YET!

Shawn

Kansas. No emissions, no inspections. You can drive anything out here, but that sometimes is a bad thing.

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Cheers,
JerRed
1973 911T, 2.4 CIS

Registered my car as "special interest". Here in Oregon, anything over 25 years old qualifies. You then agree to limit your driving to 2,500 miles per year, driving only to shows, photo shoots, club events, to & from getting it worked on, etc. As you can see, lots of loopholes. The cost? A one time only $40 registration fee. Oh, forgot to mention...you are then exempt from any of the "inspections"... How does this help you guys with newer cars? Probably not a bit. Just wanted to brag a bit, let you know that even with cars, there are some minor compensations for being old....

Thanks for reminding me of another reason that I moved to the boonies in northern Michigan. I HATE those freekin nazi b. s. required inspections. I love old cars and the new legislation is just another plot to help Detroit sell their new characterless plastic. We have none of those and when and if they institute that kind of big brother &*3p, I'll be looking for a new abode. Yeah, I live in a township with no zoning, thank you. I'll put up with the blight here and there as oppossed to the meddlin' government.

Checkout the back pages in Hemmings Motor News regarding being able to keep your old car hobby.

Diverdan

well, thanks to the Shell station on 3A in Winchester, I finally got my inspection sticker, noting that it would cost me big bucks to get the reverse light working again...

What gets me is that different inspection stations check different things on your car....also, I see "official" looking trucks out there with valid inspection stickers blowing black smoke out the tail pipe and I got a BIG R sticker on my car because the Reverse light doesnt work....doest make sense