Where is the reverse light switch on a Freelander 1.8 K-Series

Having hunted down for this myself, and tbh not having much look on Google, I thought I’d start with a descriptive post. Once the new one arrives next week I’ll add pictures and maybe a video on where it is.

It would seem that a lack of reversing lights is getting to be more common on a Freelander of 199X vintage now they are reaching a certain age.

So where is it, and how to get to it. Well the first job is to check that it is the switch. Down the side of the battery, the airbox is attached with two bolts, take these out with a ratchet spanner or suffer “twisty wristy” pain. Disconnect the lower air intake pipe in front of the battery, that just slides off then move the filter assembleing towards the back of the engine. Now look straight down at the gearbox, from a sheathed set of wires you will see two wires, go down towards the front of the gearbox, they have handy quick connectors on them. Simply unplug them from the switch and into each other to create a permanent circuit. Put the ignition to II and check your reverse lights are on, if they are, you need a new switch.

Now for ease of access, I found it easier to remove the sump guard, four bolts under the bumper, two either side on each bracket and two little 10mm one on the plate. Follow the wires that you have disconnected down to a 19mm plug that is the reverse light switch, remove replace, put everything back and cross fingers.

Part number CDU51L and can be found online for under a tenner.

Once mine turns up, and I’ve traced what’s draining the battery so heavily and quickly - I’ll post some pictures.

DT.

If it’s the PG1, it’s on the front of the gearbox.

EDIT

Ah, a rhetorical post title. Personal note to read post before replying. :chuckle:

Cant you just re-route the cables to a dashboard switch ?

You should fit a second switch panel for just this sort of thing and leave enough space for all the additional light switches, you know front fogs, front spots, roof spots, warning beacon, comedy air horn…

[QUOTE=MrTFWitt;460099]Cant you just re-route the cables to a dashboard switch ?

You should fit a second switch panel for just this sort of thing and leave enough space for all the additional light switches, you know front fogs, front spots, roof spots, warning beacon, comedy air horn…[/QUOTE]

I was tempted with this, option, but buying the panel and the cable etc would have cost more than the replacement switch.

Genuine LR part = http://www.brit-car.co.uk/product.php?xProd=172027 £48.58
BritPart Special = http://www.brit-car.co.uk/product.php?xProd=172028 £6.42

Looking at the options, same switch as on the Disco as well.

DT.

replaced in minutes, and now there are these white lights that come on when I select reverse. Learnt something new though, last time I did it the engine was at the top of the hill …

Gearbox oil tends to come out if the nose of the car is parked facing downhill :lol: whoops :slight_smile: Just started to dribble as I was pulling the switch out, so put it back in and jacked up the front. I’ve taken 5 pictures of the locations of things, as when searching on :google: I found nothing but other people asking the same question.

DT.

Glad you got it sorted DT. :thumbsup:

she was running for a few days with engine coolant flush, 50miles or so I did in that time. The mess that came out when I flushed her out was worrying, I think the HG has gone but has gone the right way if you know what I mean. Water is not getting into block, but oil is getting into water.

Changing the coolant is a ten minute job and not expensive, I can do that 30+ times before I have to change the head gasket in terms of cost. TFW is bored and has a garage, might park it there and see what happens :lol:

DT.

new note - before fitting, check the length of the new switch against the old one, in my case I’ve had to get hold of another sump washer, http://www.brit-car.co.uk/product.php?xProd=135838 as the new switch is a few mm longer.

The signs of this being the case, reverse lights are always on and the dashboard warning light for hill decent control failure comes on :slight_smile:

DT.