How to change my Citroen's reverse light switch?

I have a 2017 Citroen C3 Aircross 1.6 BlueHDi. My reverse light, camera and rear park assist are not working. Looking online it seems the reverse light switch on the gearbox the most likely to be faulty. I'm wondering how and where do I access the reverse switch as the engine looks tucked back in the engine bay. I haven't looked yet to see if I can see the switch from the engine bay. I'm wondering what is the procedure to removing the switch.

Adam Ricken (Cork)

Aug 2024 Filed under: fault

---

Expert answer

Hi Adam,

First up, while this job isn't the most intricate, we would still recommend you get a qualified mechanic to do the work as a few things can go wrong that could lead to more expense - such as damaging the wiring, or even the gearbox itself.

With all that in mind, the sensor should be accessible from the engine bay, half way along the length of the gearbox itself at the top. It's a congested part of the engine bay of course so it won't be easy to access and may even require removal of other components to get at it.

Disconnect the wire (checking for faults in that before you assume the sensor is faulty) and then use an appropriately sized socket to unscrew the sensor from the gearbox. Make sure nothing falls into that hole and reverse the procedure with the new sensor, ensuring you don't over-tighten it and damage the threads.

Unless you have done plenty of work on car engines, I would again urge you to employ a mechanic to do this job.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor
@Shane_O_D