Uuugh - brake light question

[Guest]

I have no brake lights. The tail light is working properly, but not the brake light. I just replaced the front switch with a brand new unit. When I first got the bike, i replaced the rear switch. Now, the brake light will not come on with either switch. I replaced the bulb (yes it is double filiment, and no both are not lighting up). I know the front switch is installed correctly. I pulled the rear switch manually by hand (not using pedal) and no brake light is coming on. I looked for a bad connection, but no luck. Short of tracing the entire brake wiring throughout the entire bike, does anyone have any ideas what else may cause this?

[BassCliff]

Hi,

It shouldn't be hard to take off the seat and tank to trace the wiring. See the wiring diagram HERE. Since you have a tail light we will assume the brown wire is good (12v switched) and the ground wire (black/white) is good. So check the white wire that connects to the front and rear brake switch. Somehow the power coming from the orange/green wire (also 12v switched) is not making it to the white wire when the switches are activated. Perhaps there is a bad connection on that last leg of the white wire to the brake light. Did you check the fuses?


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Steve]

Sorry, Cliff, you shouldn't assume:
(always remember what Mr. Nessism has in his signature: "to measure is to know")

Since you have a tail light we will assume the brown wire is good (12v switched) and the ground wire (black/white) is good.

Although his description did not match the symnptoms I am about to give, you can't assume a good ground.
It is possible that the ground wire is bad, and the tail light is 'grounding' back through the brake circuit. In this situation, the tail light would go OFF when the brake pedal is pressed.

But, as I mentioned, that is not what toejams has going on.

Toejams, get out your test light (or voltmeter, but a light is quicker) and see if you have power at the fuse. If you have power at the fuse, pull the tail light to see if you have power at the socket. If you have power at the fuse but not at the socket, check the connections between the two poiints. Basically, that would be one connection in the headlight bucket where the front brake switch connects and another connection near the rear brake switch. Check for a constant HOT wire on one side of the switch and a switched HOT wire when the appropriate switch is activated.

.

[toejams1]

You guys continue to be awesome. I didn't have time last night to work anymore on it, but I should tonight. Thank you for the responses.

[Killer2600]

If it worked before you "fixed" it and it doesn't now then you should check your work. It doesn't sound very helpful but you'd be amazed how many people will be all over the place trying to a problem they created.

[Steve]

You guys continue to be awesome. I didn't have time last night to work anymore on it, but I should tonight. Thank you for the responses.

Simple electrical troubleshooting is all it is. Check to see if you have power at the bulb socket. If not, check to see if you have power at the source (fuse). Keep tracing the circuit until you find power, then look between there and where you don't have power to find your problem.

.

[toejams1]

I swear, only one filiment was burning when I checked the brake light the other day - I specifically looked for that initially. Since it was daylight out, I guess my eyes were playing tricks on me and I assumed the brake light wasn't lighting. Last night when it was darker out, it was obvious both filiments were lit. I simply had to adjust the switch on the front brake a little to turn off the brake light. Took about 3 minutes to fix.

Works perfectly now. Thanks for your responses anyway.

[BassCliff]

Hi,

I'm glad it was a simple fix. Those are the best kind.



Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[old_skool]

I swear, only one filiment was burning when I checked the brake light the other day - I specifically looked for that initially. Since it was daylight out, I guess my eyes were playing tricks on me and I assumed the brake light wasn't lighting. Last night when it was darker out, it was obvious both filiments were lit. I simply had to adjust the switch on the front brake a little to turn off the brake light. Took about 3 minutes to fix.

Works perfectly now. Thanks for your responses anyway.

Don't you just love to hate those fixes, your all ready to do all out war with your bikes electrical gremlins and it turns out so easy, you almost hate to win that easy...well, maybe not

[cableguy]

This is a good thread to remind oneself of the mantra: check the simple stuff first. And: Even if you made a repair, don't think the original problem is fixed. You might not have made the correct repair.

That being said, I'm glad you tracked it down and fixed it!