No reverse lights- neutral safety switch?

I'm driving an '03 Protege LX- manual. I recently had both reverse lights go out at the same time. Don't know when, but they don't work. I replaced both bulbs with new ones and they still don't work. The Auto Zone guy said to buy a neutral safety switch, but he can't get them. Neither can the guys at Advance. I've been thinking about this, and it seems to me that the car shouldn't even start without it. Is that just a feature on automatics? I'm thinking that when I find and install this switch (no idea how, by the way- any help out there?), I will not have fixed the problem.

So has anyone else encountered this?

Thanks!

I have never experienced this problem myself, but a quick search online I found that it could be a fuse, on some cars the neutral safety switch and reverse switch are part of the same, so that might be the case here, I have no idea. But, check for a fuse, quicker, cheaper and easier then starting elsewhere. Sorry I couldn't provide much more help.

uhh dude, there is a reverse switch in MANY transmissions... and on the protege, there is one! well that's why the dude works at the auto parts store and not fixing cars

it's unlikely that the s*** went bad, so like the other guy said... check the fuses!

Duh on me, thanks TheMAN! There's no fuse specifically for reverse lights, and that's what I was looking for. I'll look elsewhere for a likely spot, and failing that, just go through the fuses until I find a melted one. This is likely the problem.

No joy on the fuses. The only fuses that control lights back there are for the whole taillight assembly. All the fuses for that check out. It's got to be a switch of some type. Will continue to research. Anyone have an answer?

Figured it out- the harness in the engine compartment was unplugged. I either didn't plug it back in after spraying down all the electronic contacts, or didn't push it in all the way and it came out. I know I've had reverse lights since then, so probably the latter. BTW, Mitchell On Demand gives the wires as BK/WH, RD/WH. They were all green, so go figure.

Anyhoo, it's good again. Dumba** mistakes aside, a good learning experience...