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Lunar Landy



Member Since: 02 Jun 2023
Location: Northamptonshire
Posts: 45

United Kingdom 2003 Defender 90 2.5 TD HT Bonatti Grey
Reversing rear light
Hi All,
I’ve just picked up my TD5 Defender 90 after a rear cross member, on arrival home I noticed a cable hanging from below and when parked placed in reverse and these lights were illuminated.
The dash board rh indicator and orange fog legend illuminated
The rear LH red light illuminated,
The rear white light is not,
So there for the garage had not checked to ensure the connections were correct or after they fitted the rear cross member all lights were correct?


See below

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Post #1073289 13th Aug 2025 5:08pm
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Penfold_6290



Member Since: 22 Sep 2021
Location: Dorset
Posts: 399

United Kingdom 2002 Defender 110 Td5 CSW Epsom Green
What colour wires are connected to that redundant plug? It doesn't look like one of the lighting plugs.

Although the weird dash lights might point to an earthing issue somewhere. Did the garage cut the original loom and then reconnect the individual wires? That's what I did when I did the crossmember on mine. Worth checking the trailer socket has been put back correctly and that the complete rear wiring has been reinstated correctly, especially the earths. Poor/missing earth from your reversing light circuit may explain why you have random lights on the dash and the back of the vehicle as the voltage looks for an alternative earth. It's possible that the loom has been subject to heat during welding and that has damaged some wires.

If a professional has done the cross member for you then that professional is also responsible for returning your vehicle in an operational state or paying for an auto electrician to do it for them if they're not capable.
Post #1073350 14th Aug 2025 10:50am
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17915

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Any reputable or competent professional will withdraw the harness from the chassis (it is withdrawn from the rear of the vehicle, not the front) and either replace it afterwards or secure it outside the chassis rail afterwards (there are two schools of thought, one says it is better running inside, the other better outside). It is not difficult to withdraw or replace from the chassis.

If someone I was paying cut my harness* I'd be insisting that they replaced it with a new uncut one!

Whoever did the job for you has given you back a vehicle in an unroadworthy and illegal condition and it is their duty and responsibility to resolve the matter. If at all practical I'd be taking it back to them. To return it without checking all the rear end electrical devices including lights and trailer socket is extremely shoddy.



* Unless they had agreed it with me beforehand - and I would not agree to it!
Post #1073369 14th Aug 2025 1:33pm
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Lunar Landy



Member Since: 02 Jun 2023
Location: Northamptonshire
Posts: 45

United Kingdom 2003 Defender 90 2.5 TD HT Bonatti Grey
Thanks,
The problem was the reverse light wiring were shot along with other wiring connections that needed resolving, the person who fitted the LED lights was a cowboy.
I returned to the garage and after 3 hours they fixed all the issues except the reverse light, they done some repair work but I will need to go back to the garage to find the fault.

The dangling cable was to be used as a water temp sensor, this has never been used and fell out of the clip in the under chassis, nothing to do with the work carried out by the garage, the manager emailed me and explained in detail.

All this garage work is Defenders, only the old versions. And their reviews are all 5 star.

Thanks.
Post #1073380 14th Aug 2025 4:39pm
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