back-up light switch

[howru]

Anybody knows where is the back-up light switch on the 2000 camry 4 cyl? The backup light don't light up when I reverse the car. The possibilities about bulbs, fuses, wires in trunk have all been excluded, so I guess I have to look at the switch now. Where is it? What does it look like? Thanks.
Oh, it's automatic transmission.

[deekay140]

Its Built Into The Neutral Safety Switch, Which Is On The Trans.

[howru]

Originally Posted by deekay140

Its Built Into The Neutral Safety Switch, Which Is On The Trans.

Thank you, deekay140. I didn't believe your answer when first seeing it, as my manual says there is a seperate back-up light switch. After many trials and errors, and after calling the dealer, now I realized how correct you were.

The Neutral Safety Switch seems an expensive unit. Before changing it, I guess I should make sure it's defective. If it's the problem with the PNP switch (neutral safety switch), do you think I will get an error code when using a ODB meter to read it? (The "check engine" light doesn't light up in my car.) The car still backups OK, do you think a defective switch can have the proper backup function but without lighting up the back-up lights?
Is there a simple way to test the PNP switch specifically for the back-up light circuits? Thank you very much.

[howru]

Finally, after many efforts, I found the problem. The wire was cut somewhere around the hinge under the trunk lid.

[MvGuy]

HowRu:: Your post about the ++BACK-UP +LIGHT ++ problem you had with your 2000 Camry...HELPED ME QUITE ALOT!! I just bought my 2000 Avalon one day before and brought it back to the ISLAND I live on....... Had to have it inspected...It failed...No back-up lights......Everything else O.K. So, like you, I thought the switch was most likely culprit..... Getting one here means shipping & time... I found the cable and shift arm on trans.....Three switches on trans that I saw...I pulled all the connector plugs..... Two looked perfect, one looked funky......Then I put a six volt lantern battery to send 6v into the back-up, light socket (plug) and tried to find any juce on any of the prongs in the plugs....But no power found......Anyway to make it quick.....There was a broken wire on the LOWER END of the trunk hinge couduit 4 the back-up & license plate harness same as your car I guess its a bad design......because the "conduit" that is attached makes a 90 degree turn at its end...& that is where the failure happened!!.........One other thing that steered me away from the switch.........The parts guy at the dealer said he hadn't sold a switch for a real long time..........It seems like a nice car nice.....paid $6750 Thanks again...Tom

[Mike Gerber]

That loom of wires inside the trunk, by the driver's side trunk hinge, has been a constant problem for all the rear lights on all generations of Camry. It's subjected to a lot of flexing every time the trunk is open and closed. Eventually one or more of the wires inside that loom frays and/or brakes. Not the greatest design IMHO.

Mike