Gear indicator light on dashboard not working.
 

Hello everyone, I just purchased my 1995 Camry LE this past weekend, I love the car. It had a few small things when I bought it, so far I've either fixed them, or they aren't big enough issues for me to bother with, but this one just stumped me. When I first start the car, whether I leave it in Park or change it to Drive or Reverse or Neutral or any gear, it changes just fine but the display in the dashboard won't like up with the appropriate gear. So if I'm in drive, I can drive, but the dashboard doesn't say I'm in a gear until maybe 30 seconds later. This wouldn't even be an issue, but I realized last night that when this happens with reverse, the backup lights don't come on until the light on the dash comes on. What is this? A fuse? Once I've put it in gear, and one of the lights comes on, then I can switch gears and the lights on the dash work normal. Any help is appreciated, thanks!

Unless you have experience with electrical systems, I would take your Camry to a shop or ask friends and family if they do. If it is just a fuse however, you might just try replacing it, that experiment won't hurt. Anything beyond that, and I would see someone.

Gauge fuse powers the dash and backup lights.

If no dash or backup lights check for power at the gear indicator switch located behind the shift lever on the trans. Red/Blue wire.

If power OK might be the switch has bad contacts, try cleaning with an electrical contact cleaner.

Just got back from lunch, I noticed that if I put it in gear the light doesn't come on, but if I gently pull the shifter back just a little then the light comes on and then I can let it go and the light stays on, but if I push it forwards a little the light goes off again.

The gear shifter in the car is connected to a lever on the trans housing by a push/pull cable. The trans lever moves to select the gears. Behind the lever is a switch having multiple connections. When the lever moves the switch routes power from the Gauge fuse to the appropriate gear indicator light on the dash.

If reverse is selected the switch also routes power to the back up lights.

If you can make the dash indicator lights work by rocking the gear selector lever the switch may be the problem.

Yeah, I mean it's like a 1/4" forward or backward determines whether it's on or off. Is the switch an easy fix?

Not sure if you can fix it rather then replace.

Remove the shift cable then the shift lever. Then unbolt the switch from the trans and unplug the harness.