My Fabia 02T reversing lights have become intermittent (more defective than working), bulbs and fuse have both been checked as ok. Reading the relevant threads on this forum hint that a strained wiring loom may be the problem, also that a new switch is about £7 and dealers charge about £40 to rectify, so I bought a pair of 2ton axle stands for £13 and had a look, see picture here: reversing switch on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Question: Have I labeled the parts correctly, and if so do the loom-interconnectors come apart? I tried tugging/pulling the connector on the switch and also the interconnector but niether wanted to budge.

As the cabling to from the main loom to the interloom connector was extremely tight I slipped the connector off the metal mounting plate and tied it up with a cable tie. So far the reversing lights are working.

Yep its labeled up right.

If you want to extend the wiring loom a really neat trick is to nab some of the old pad sensor wiring (someone will have some, if not I keep some when changing pads) as they have the same plug. You can then cut that plug off and join it up to the std loom.

To disconnect that type of plug you need to rock back the end tab, this lifts the inner release tab, push the connector in slightly, then pull back.

Thanks Lummox, it's been 30+ years since I did any car maintenance so with no spares I'll cut and solder in a couple of inches of gash wire then put heat shrink sleeving over it for a long term repair. Still slightly mystified by the inter-wiring loom connector but I shall try waggling it and at worst totally bypass it. Now have to wait for the next dry day.

If any more help's needed on that connector, this pic (for a different connection) ought to help!

A quick update - I cut the wiring between the main loom and the interloom connector and soldered an extension inline and finished with heat shrink sleeving. Has cured the reversing light problem.

I was unable to separate the interloom connector. Following ap0gee's excellent piccy I shoved small screwdriver in and wiggled and pulled everything but still nowt:mad: even after a small bit of the plastic broke off the connector. Have put it back and hopefully it'll work forever more - if not I'll just bypass the interloom connector with a couple of bits of replacement wiring.

Job done - thanks all.

My 04 Fabia 1.2, 3 pot, 6 valve reversing lights became a bit unpredictable at 26,000 miles, then stopped working altogether. Getting at the switch was easy (remove plastic tray under front of engine, 6 star screws or thereabouts), the switch sticks out of the front of the gearbox casing. The connector block on the loom is made of one piece, there is a tab on one of the long sides and after numerous attempts I found that inserting a screwdriver blade into the tab cutaway (at right angles to the connector block) and rotating it while pulling the block worked. Oil does not come out when you undo the switch (or maybe I have low gearbox oil!). I had bridged the contacts on the harness so I knew the switch was faulty. Curiously, it worked on the bench, so I can only assume I could push it in further than the arm or whatever in the gearbox.

Loads of cars use this item, including some Ford Galaxies (people on their owners' forum report a lot of failures!). Intermotor part 54916 at about £9.70 did the business for me.

Handle the connector carefully - the wires looked so slender to me that I suspect there must be a relay somewhere. I greased the self tappers when I put the engine under tray back, I got the feeling that in a year or two they would not have come out.

The OE switch is obviously typical VAG cr*p from the cheapest supplier.

Time involved in actually twirling spanners not much more than half an hour.

Hope this helps someone.