Electrical. Back up lights not working

[Kim K Kaiser]

Ok.  Man in pking lot said my backup lights werent working.  So. I pulled off rear lamp covers,  4 bigvheaded screws that hold it together were rusted shut!   Anyway, got that all out,   sruck a testing lamp point in it and other one and the little bulb didnt turn on.  So i tracked it to the connection right above gas tank.  Still no current while car was in reverse and on.   Followed the light green wire up the body behind dash.  I also tested the BU fuse, it lit up. So i hv power at the fuse.  

So to get off tract for a second, while under dash, about 10 oclock on the steering columnnear firevwall, were two single male paddles, next to each other.  I found a purple wire an dark blue wire w female plugs and a connecting wire between.  They are the only free hanging plugs and paddles.  Is that the nss?  And would those be the wires to it?    Do i need to plug those into the steering column?

Secondly, is there any connection between nss and back up lamps?

Were should i be testing wires for power to the bu lamps.?  I cnt seem to find another plug except a big plug on top of the steering column that is spring loaded some how up towards the steering wheel,,,

Nxt question, what and why is that spring loaded?

I know, lots of things, but kept running into the unknown as i moved along, and ibhv no knowledge of elecrtical

[Kim K Kaiser]

Guess i should hv read help section.  However, it appears the two wires are jummpered together as described.  

Should i plug in and see if nss works?  Would i need tp sever that jumper?   My parking brake realease does functiin when you push that lever down.  

Assuming the nss is bad, thus the jumpered wire,,  were then would the wiring for bu lights be affected,  would they simply not work as in my possible case?

[Kim K Kaiser]

Ok,   i hv lovated switch at what looks about ten or eleven oclock on the column.  I hv a tilt, ac 63 cdv.  Does this piece hv any correlation or attachmen to the piexe on the other side of the column were all the wires plug in and moves back and forth along the column?  I hv read many threads about this on the site.  I know that i hv no power to the bu lights w engine on and in revers w parking break on.  Break does not release automatically when i put it in reverse. Hv to manually release.  Car will stsrt in any gear, i suppose due to the jumper wire currently set up.

Shouod i remove the jumper wire,  then attach the two wires to the switch and see if its even working?  Or if i get any power to bu light. 

[Kim K Kaiser]

Ok, thanks,   see what i can figure out

[Kim K Kaiser]

If the two wires are jumped, should the bu lights turn on?   If they are, and mine do not, where would the next step be to ck for power.  I dnt see any damage to the wire from back to front, and test at fuse which is powered, but not at the split in the rear.

[3ft7bqmb7dryo]

The ignition needs to be on to power the back up lights.  The smaller wires jumped together should get you power to the tail light sockets.  If not, there are a few connectors to check.  At the left kick panel and in the trunk, under the package tray on the left.   Then the connectors at the back of the trunk wall, where the bumpers wire harness connects.