*UPDATED WITH PICS*
Tools Required:
Roll of 16-18 gauge wire
Spade Connector for 16-18 gauge
Butt connector for 16-18 gauge wire, not applicable if you solder
Short Needle Nose Pliers
Wire Crimper
Amount of time required varies with mechanical experience and proficiency with tools.
This is for those who did manual swaps and ended up with no reverse lights, one thing of note: I'm not responsible for anyone who messes up their car by trying some of this stuff. I haven't had a chance to test it for extended periods of time, but it works which is the important thing. The logic and theory behind this DIY check out according to my calculations.
Here Goes:
In the diagram do you notice the difference in how the M/T and A/T reverse lights are wired? Now bare with me. The reverse switch on the M/T has two wires. One is yellow and one is Green/Black. The Yellowwire is power and the Green/Black is ground. The reverse lights wiring starting from the back of the car eventually connect together and then head towards the reverse relay on the A/T (Reverse Lights Wiring are Green/Black also).
Find the REVERSE RELAY on the A/T ,which is in the drivers sidee underdash fuse box. Pull out the relay then take the spade connector with a wire about 4-5 feet and plug it in like how its shown in the pictures below. Connect it to the Green/Black on the Manual Transmission either by a butt connector or with solder. You're gonna have to extend it through the firewall, but you can run it however you like. I personally ran it through a grommet in the middle of the firewall near where the intake manifold is. Its easier to run the wire from outside in, and the wire should appear right above the gas pedal inside the car.
Backup Relay in the drivers side under dash relay box that I pulled:
You are gonna have to find a spade connector that matches the pin that I circled. I recommend finding a pair of short pliers because space is an issue under there. I had to take out my drivers sit and lay on my back because I didn't have enough room to move my hands and arms. The one I circled on the relay in relation to the relay box is where you are going to stick the spade connector.
Spade Connector Hooked Up:
Then for the other YELLOW wire on the M/T connect it to a key on fused power source. I kinda ghetto-ed it because Its 3 in the morning and I was cold. I just ran a wire from the yellow/black wire on the backup switch to the backup/acc 40amp fuse (#54 in the picture) in the under hood fuse box and kinda stuck in the fuse and wedged it back in there. Lo and behold reverse lights work. The only thing is it works even if the car is off because that 40 amp fuse it meant to be run through a relay so its a constant 12v. You can just wire it to a switched 12v source when you have time. So as of now when you turn off the car you should just leave it in first instead of reverse when you're parked.
LOGIC AND THEORY:
Here is the thing; You see the the backup sensor on the M/T is a "sensor" in name only. What it really is, is a mechanical switch with two contact points that meet when you put the shifter into reverse. When you put the car in reverse you are completing that circuit because the contact points in the switch are touching, and since the reverse lights are grounded at the rear of the car through the body you have a complete circuit. Completing the circuit allows the current to travel from the Fuse through the Reverse Switch, Through the Green/Black wire, then through the Lights (Load) and finally into the Body Ground which is a bunch of small Black Wires.
If you follow that path of logic, that's how you would get the reverse lights to work.
PS: It funny because this whole thing just started off as an epiphany, combined with some curiosity. Till now no one has shown such a simple way wire up reverse lights, so if you're bad with electrical stuff you should still be able to do this. I hope this post benefits the 6thgenaccord community, and if you guys want you can go ahead and put it in the MASTER DIY list so any member can have easy access to this information. Took me 3 hours to find those pictures lol, then another hour and a half to actually wire everything up (that reverse relay is a b**** to pull).
Tools Required:
Roll of 16-18 gauge wire
Spade Connector for 16-18 gauge
Butt connector for 16-18 gauge wire, not applicable if you solder
Short Needle Nose Pliers
Wire Crimper
Amount of time required varies with mechanical experience and proficiency with tools.
This is for those who did manual swaps and ended up with no reverse lights, one thing of note: I'm not responsible for anyone who messes up their car by trying some of this stuff. I haven't had a chance to test it for extended periods of time, but it works which is the important thing. The logic and theory behind this DIY check out according to my calculations.
Here Goes:
In the diagram do you notice the difference in how the M/T and A/T reverse lights are wired? Now bare with me. The reverse switch on the M/T has two wires. One is yellow and one is Green/Black. The Yellowwire is power and the Green/Black is ground. The reverse lights wiring starting from the back of the car eventually connect together and then head towards the reverse relay on the A/T (Reverse Lights Wiring are Green/Black also).
Find the REVERSE RELAY on the A/T ,which is in the drivers sidee underdash fuse box. Pull out the relay then take the spade connector with a wire about 4-5 feet and plug it in like how its shown in the pictures below. Connect it to the Green/Black on the Manual Transmission either by a butt connector or with solder. You're gonna have to extend it through the firewall, but you can run it however you like. I personally ran it through a grommet in the middle of the firewall near where the intake manifold is. Its easier to run the wire from outside in, and the wire should appear right above the gas pedal inside the car.
Backup Relay in the drivers side under dash relay box that I pulled:
You are gonna have to find a spade connector that matches the pin that I circled. I recommend finding a pair of short pliers because space is an issue under there. I had to take out my drivers sit and lay on my back because I didn't have enough room to move my hands and arms. The one I circled on the relay in relation to the relay box is where you are going to stick the spade connector.
Spade Connector Hooked Up:
Then for the other YELLOW wire on the M/T connect it to a key on fused power source. I kinda ghetto-ed it because Its 3 in the morning and I was cold. I just ran a wire from the yellow/black wire on the backup switch to the backup/acc 40amp fuse (#54 in the picture) in the under hood fuse box and kinda stuck in the fuse and wedged it back in there. Lo and behold reverse lights work. The only thing is it works even if the car is off because that 40 amp fuse it meant to be run through a relay so its a constant 12v. You can just wire it to a switched 12v source when you have time. So as of now when you turn off the car you should just leave it in first instead of reverse when you're parked.
LOGIC AND THEORY:
Here is the thing; You see the the backup sensor on the M/T is a "sensor" in name only. What it really is, is a mechanical switch with two contact points that meet when you put the shifter into reverse. When you put the car in reverse you are completing that circuit because the contact points in the switch are touching, and since the reverse lights are grounded at the rear of the car through the body you have a complete circuit. Completing the circuit allows the current to travel from the Fuse through the Reverse Switch, Through the Green/Black wire, then through the Lights (Load) and finally into the Body Ground which is a bunch of small Black Wires.
If you follow that path of logic, that's how you would get the reverse lights to work.
PS: It funny because this whole thing just started off as an epiphany, combined with some curiosity. Till now no one has shown such a simple way wire up reverse lights, so if you're bad with electrical stuff you should still be able to do this. I hope this post benefits the 6thgenaccord community, and if you guys want you can go ahead and put it in the MASTER DIY list so any member can have easy access to this information. Took me 3 hours to find those pictures lol, then another hour and a half to actually wire everything up (that reverse relay is a b**** to pull).
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