2013 S Reverse lights out?

Been lurking here since the spring, PM'd a couple people, but basically my first question. Both the reverse lights on my 2013 S are out. I figured it was just the bulbs, but I pulled the taillights off and the bulbs seem fine! Even tried swapping the bulbs JUST in case, but no dice! The entire rest of the lights on the car work perfectly. Thoughts? I can find a relay, but not a fuse, for the reverse lights, and I'll try putting a multimeter on it the next time I have a chance...but?

Besides checking for voltage at the sockets, check the resistance on the bulbs themselves to confirm they haven’t burned out.

Sorry, that's what I meant by swapping the bulbs. Replaced them with new ones and they still didn't work.

Is that relay it for controls / protection? I suppose I could also look for a bad ground, but I would think everything in that lens would sharr a ground connection... And all the other lights are working great.

I am also having this same problem with my reverse lights in my 2013 S. In addition to this problem, the back up camera is also not switching on anymore. I presume both of these are linked as they both started happening around the same time. Do you have a backup camera? Is it working?

No, it's as basic as basic gets. I couldnt argue for what I paid for it, but if I knew then what I know now I might have picked a different car. I haven't even had a chance to look at it since posting this. Ill put a meter on it probably tomorrow and see if its a power or ground issue. The problem is that it takes two people to do it because someone has to stand on the brakes so you don't get run over. :-/

I feel like my problem must stem from a blown fuse, but just like you, I could only find the relay for “rev lamp” and it looks fine. I plan to look at all the fuses again more closely when I have the time.

Have you figured it out? I don't have a garage, and the weather has been HORRENDOUS the past few days. Unfortunately diagnosing this is a two person job, lest my car take off without me in reverse. I want to try putting a hand on the relay while someone shifts into reverse to see if it clicks. That will be an instant tell.

In the meantime, I put in an email to the dealership (Westwood Honda in Port Moody) where I bought the car to see if they've heard of this problem at all.

No, I haven’t figured it out yet. I have had a lot to do so have just been putting it off. Coincidentally, I also purchased mine at Westwood Honda.

I wonder if it relates to the DRL wiring that was added when the Leaf was imported from the US. I'm pretty sure Westwood Honda imports all their Leafs...

FWIW, if either of you need assistance (ie stomping on the brake pedal for you while you troubleshoot), I'm happy to help (I live in Port Moody). Just send me a private message to arrange where you want to meet.

I'm wondering that too. My car doesn't have daytime running lights. Or automatic taillights, or anything like that (it's as base as you can get). If I don't remember to turn my headlight switch on, the outside of my vehicle is pitch black at night. I've spent most of today calling around, and visiting Canadian Tire. Westwood Honda has all of their cars inspected and modified at the Canadian Tire in White Rock. The Canadian Tire where I am was able to look up ALL the cars that they have had inspected / converted....and mine was not among them. Honda tells me that this one was one of very few that went through a broker to get here (they buy all theirs directly at auction now), and that they can't find much of a paper trail of proof that my car was actually modified. It DID have it's inspection decal so they figure that meant it was done according to law.

Honda instructed me to take the car to my local Canadian Tire, who should consult with the White Rock CT, in order to do the install. It can then be charged to their 'account' or what have you at the White Rock CT. I told this to my local guy who basically told me to pound sand, either pay for it myself or take it to White Rock, they 'don't play the chasing game'. He was also quite adamant that I should take the car to a Nissan service centre to have the work done, as the wiring is there, it's just a software switch, and it'll be cheaper than CT doing it (basically did everything he could to talk me out of bringing him the job...and it worked)....so I phone up North Shore Nissan (closest to me), who say they don't do that, and don't have access to the kits, and that I should take it to Canadian Tire. The last time they did a conversion, it was 5 hours at a shop rate of $132/hour. Oi.

I appreciate the offer of pair of legs to hold the brake for me; unfortunately I'm on the Sunshine Coast, so I have to try and pick a time when both the wife and I are home and have nowhere to be, and it's daylight out (I know that sounds like a pitiful excuse. lol). I'm going to poke around in the wiring a little more and see if I can't find a way to both make sure my taillights are on all the time, as well as see what's possible with DRL. I'll just fit them myself and be done with it.

Why isn't this a mandatory feature worldwide? What do car makers think they're REALLY saving by not making these features standard??

Alright. poking around in the dark, I have found that the car DOES have a DRL module installed (Truck-Lite 97300) in that weird upside down fuse panel on the front drivers fender. I found that whoever had installed the kit had put in this cute little fuse breakout device, that plugs into an existing fuse slot and gives you a space for two fuses....one for routing back down to the factory fuse holder, and the other to a pigtail, which in this case was what was supplying power to the aftermarket relay module.

Turns out the reverse light fuse was blown.....for some reason. So I unplugged the DRL module fuse splitter, installed another 10A fuse in the original fuse slot, and lo and behold the reverse lights work again!

I currently have the DRL module un-powered. I THINK I have a better way to accomplish the always on marker lights, but I'll share that in a different thread.

Not surprised there's a DRL module, as it's mandatory to have DRLs in Canada. If it's a US car, then whoever imported the Leaf would have had to install DRLs to pass inspection.

Glad you got the tail lights working again

I followed a DRL post on these forums and successfully wired two LED light bars so that they automatically turn on when the Leaf is in run mode. That method doesn't cause the DRLs to come on when charging, unlike some other methods.

FYI, it took me about 60 minutes to install the DRLs and they still work perfectly 10 months later.

Here's a post I made a little while ago RE DRLs:

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=24734&hilit=DRLs&sid=79c4ce5405ca386e5e61304544e1c31e#p508334

I think I figured it out. If you are looking under your hood, there is a fuse box on the far right. It's a bit trick to get open with four latches holding it shut. It is also wired liked nothing I've seen before. The fuse holders are actually in the lid, or the piece that you lift off of the box. Because it is wired like this, the fuses are difficult to access. There is one there marked "rev lamps". It's hard to see the location marker f16. the fuse you want is actually in a group of two, that stick out perpendicular to the rest of the them. It's in a funny little holder that actually fits into another fuse slot just like the majority of the fuses fit into. It's hard to describe and I'd submit photos, but I don't think I have that capability on the forum. Anyhow, my "rev lamp" 10a fuse was burnt out. I have not replaced the fuse yet, but I'm sure this is the problem.

Did replacing that fuse work for you? Having same problem with our 2013. No running lights, no backup camera, no reverse lights. Also, trying to figure out where you found that fuse. I found what looks like a relay marked REV LIGHT in the fuse box under the hood on the right near the firewall. Tried to follow your description of the little perpendicular housing but a little lost. Any way you could send me a pic in a DM?

My car was modified to add DRL for Canada (came out of Cali). To accommodate that, they put a splitter into the fuse spot. All i did was unplug it, and put a fresh 10A fuse in the slot that is labelled for Rev Lights. Works like a champ, though I no longer have DRL until I fix it properly. Probably going to jumper the lighting stem so that DRL are always on.

Hope that helps? I'll try and remember to get a picture in daylight for you.

leafoncoast said:

Did replacing that fuse work for you? Having same problem with our 2013. No running lights, no backup camera, no reverse lights. Also, trying to figure out where you found that fuse. I found what looks like a relay marked REV LIGHT in the fuse box under the hood on the right near the firewall. Tried to follow your description of the little perpendicular housing but a little lost. Any way you could send me a pic in a DM?

Click to expand...

Are you in the US? Are you the original owner? Did the problem develop recently or has it been this way since you've had the car?

If you're in the US and it's not due to user error, would be a good idea to file a safety complaint at https://www.safercar.gov/. Reverse lights probably falls under non-conformance with FMVSS.

No, in Canada, and just like others on this Topic I purchased the car from Westwood Honda who I believe add the DRL module to pass Canadian inspection. Everything worked fine for about a year after purchase, then… dark. Noticed the rearview camera down first, and the Reverse lights and running lights later, as the car is almost always only used in the daylight, but I assume they all went down at the same time.