As a car owner, chances are you depend on the gear shift light to some extent when changing gears. Gear shift lights make it easy to distinguish between gears, and it also tells you which gear is in use. Sometimes, the gear shift light suddenly stops working, and drivers are at a loss about the causes. In this article, you’ll learn what can cause gear shift lights to stop working and how you can resolve the problem.
Gear shift lights will stop working if there’s a short circuit, loose wiring, or when the indicator bulbs have reached their lifespan. The solution depends on identifying the root cause and applying the right fix.
Since the gear shift light doesn’t affect the functioning of the vehicle, it’s very common to see many car owners treating it with levity. There are some safety concerns associated with malfunctioning gear shift lights which will be discussed below. Continue reading to learn about them.
Understanding How Gear Shift Light Works
The gear shifter, or simply the shifter, is one of the most important components of any vehicle as it allows drivers to change transmissions and put the vehicle into different gears. So, an essential part of driving is knowing about the gears, when to use them, and when to control the transmission to change to the right gear when it is needed. And the truth is that you don’t need a gear shift light to achieve this. But with a gear light, shifting gears is a breeze as you see which gear is currently in use, and the light indicates the next gear you change to.
Shift light work is especially beneficial at night or in low light situations. Even if your car is well illuminated, the convenience that comes with the shift light is something no driver should miss out on.
How Do I Know The Shift Gear Light Has Stopped Working?
The telltale sign of a malfunctioning gear light is the failure of the light to switch on. When the indicator light doesn’t illuminate, you immediately know that there’s something wrong. But there are other ways in which malfunctioning shift light may present itself. They are:
Wrong Gear Reading
Sometimes the gear light may illuminate but not at the correct gear. For example, when you put your gear in neutral but the drive gear indicator light comes on. Immediately, you know there’s something wrong. Most times, this type of shift light malfunctioning is concerning and potentially dangerous as you may think your vehicle is in one gear, whereas it’s in a completely different gear.
Engine Light May Come on
Many car owners dread seeing the check engine light coming on as they fear it could be an indication of a serious problem with the engine. But the engine light comes on when your vehicle’s computer believes there’s an issue that might affect your car’s transmission.
In reality, a loose gas cap can trigger the engine light. Shift light malfunctioning, ignition system problems, and air/fuel delivery problems can also trigger the check engine light. There’s no way of knowing what’s exactly wrong with your car when you see the ‘check engine light unless you carry a diagnosis on your car, preferably by an experienced mechanic.
Stationary Shift Indicator
When the shift indicator light doesn’t change as you go from one gear to another, then there’s something wrong with it, and it needs to be checked out.
Why The Gear Shift Light May Not Be Working?
Part of the baggage that comes with owning a car is unexpected problems and, consequently repairs. Your gearbox light isn’t going to send you a notice of when it will stop working.
Below are the most likely reasons why your shift gear light may not be working:
Indicator Bulbs Have Gone Bad
Sometimes, the reason why the shift gear light isn’t working is one of the simplest ones. The bulb light may have reached its lifespan or stopped working due to factory error. When the bulb is no longer functional, there’s no way the indicator light will come up.
Short Circuit
Your shift gear light is part of the several electrical components of your vehicle. Below the gear selector is a network of wires and panels. When a short circuit occurs below the gear selector due to water finding its way into the electrical component, loose connection in the electrical box, or deterioration of the wires’ insulation, the underlying problem will have to be resolved to get the shift light gear in working shape.
It’s also worth mentioning that short circuits can also damage the indicator bulb, in which case the bulb will have to be replaced.
How To Fix Malfunctioning Gear Light?
Depending on the cause of the problem, you may need to change the indicator lights or some of the electrical components behind the gearbox. Sometimes, the fix could be as simple as reconnecting a loose wire.
The most important thing is to identify the root of the problem. And this should be ideally done by a mechanic. If you think the bulbs are the problem, you can buy a new set of bulbs and replace them yourself if you are a DIY person and know your way around a cat. It’s important that you buy the correct bulb, and you can refer to the owner’s manual to know the type of bulb to buy.
Is It Okay To Drive With A Shift Indicator Not Working?
The shift indicator light doesn’t affect the functioning of your car or your ability to change gears, although you will find out it’s more convenient to change gears with the shift light working properly. Also, you may find it more difficult to change gears at night or in low light situations. But this may not be too much of a concern if your car is well illuminated.
The real danger of a malfunctioning shift indicator is when you forget the shift light is no longer working as it should. Also, someone else, such as a friend or family, could drive your car and have no idea about the state of the gear light. Even if they do, they may forget. And this puts the driver at risk of an accident.
