Brake light advice

[Guest]

Hey guys I was wondering if you had any insight. I plugged the wires back in like they originally were using the original plug and all. However the tail light isn't working correctly. All lights come on and that's the problem.when plugged in the running light comes on with the headlight. The bottom bulb does not. I can run the extra wire from the group (grey) to the bottom bulb wire (grey) and it lights up. It does not go off though. Any insight? I am going to grab an after market light but I don't know that it will work properly if the current one doesn't already.

[850GT_Rider]

The model and year of your bike will help tremendously. Help us help you!

[Bearjew]

Sorry, 1983 Suzuki gs1100gk

[geol]

To avoid having to remember to put your bike year/model in your questions, go to your profile and edit your signature to reflect your bike year/model.

After reading your issue, not sure I understand what you are getting to. You have two filaments in a brake light bulb. One is the running light which will light when the key is turned on. The second filament is for when the brake lever is pulled or you push the brake pedal. What happens when you step on the brake pedal with the brake light or when you pull the brake lever? Most of the time, if a bulb is burned out, you can see the filament broken. Most of the time, you can use an automotive type 1157 bulb as a replacement. I usually have a couple stashed somewhere for my bikes.

[Steve]

The separate gray wire is for the license plate light. It should go on and off with the tail light and the key. If it stays ON, what are you plugging it in to? If your tail light stays ON, too, make sure you are not turning your key to the right, to the PARK position. Turn it to the left, to OFF.

.

[Bearjew]

The problem I am running into is that I am getting no reaction from the brake. It doesn't seem to be the bulb as it burns fine. Both of the bulbs do actually. I will switch to another bulb and try it when I get back home.
There is a gray wire that runs separate from the plug and grouped wires. When I plug it into the license plate bulb it comes on. I turn the key on and the brake light comes on and stays on with no reaction when the brake lever is pulled.

[850GT_Rider]

There are two bulbs but THREE filaments fed by THREE circuits, and probably FIVE wires.

License plate light. One filament inside it. Probably fed by the gray wire as power and black wire with white stripe as ground. Since, on your bike, the gray wire is separate, it's probably the license plate light.

Tail/Brake light. Two filaments inside it. On my 850 (and yours is probably similar), the brown wire is for the tail light and comes on when the ignition key is turned to the right to the IGN (ON) position or far to the right, to the PARK position.

The white wire is for the brake light and comes on ONLY when either the hand or foot lever is pressed.

As with the license plate light, the black wire with white stripe is for ground to the socket.

IF you have an meter and know how to use it - with the key OFF, there should be continuity between both the white/black wires and the negative terminal on the battery. IF not, you have an open ground circuit, which can lead to all sorts of interesting symptoms. Fix that first.

Then, using the volt meter, turn the key ON. There should be 12-13 vdc on only two of the remaining three wires. One of those (the gray one?) is license plate. The other (brown?) is the tail light.

IF there is voltage on all three wires at all times, one of the two brake switches is shorted or you have another wiring error.

Now that's narrowed down, check the last remaining wire. With the key on, but no brake lever pulled or pressed, no voltage. If there is no voltage, pull the hand lever or press the foot brake, there should be 12-13 volts on that wire. That's the brake light wire.

If you don't have a wiring diagram or a manual, there's a GK manual here:

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

[Steve]

I turn the key on and the brake light comes on and stays on with no reaction when the brake lever is pulled.

Do you have a test light or a voltmeter? Ideally, you should have both, but either one will work here. As 850GT said, the white wire is the one that powers the brake. You should have NO power on it when you simply turn the key ON. If you do, one of the brake switches is stuck or mis-adjusted. A couple of minutes with either or both switches will tell you which one is the problem.

..., the brown wire is for the tail light and comes on when the ignition key is turned to the right to the IGN (ON) position or far to the left, to the PARK position.

I did not realize that you had such a unique bike.

On everybody else's bike the PARK position is to the far RIGHT.

[Bearjew]

Doin my best.

Again I am new to all this. I am doing my best though. Key on white has juice, brown has juice, grey off to the side has juice. The second filament is not lighting but doesn't look damaged. Continuity appears to be ok. Maybe it is the bulb. I still haven't got another bulb yet.

[bobgroger]

The front brake light switch has a wrong and right way. Flip it around and try again. Voice of experience

[Steve]

Key on white has juice, brown has juice, grey off to the side has juice.

You admit you are new to this, so you might be reading only the parts that seem to make sense. Let's try this:

When you turn the key ON, the white wire should NOT be hot.

One of your brake switches is stuck ON or you have a wiring problem.

Check the brake switches first. Let's start with the front.
1. Remove the headlight.
2. Follow the wires from the front brake switch into the headlight bucket. If it is still the stock switch, the wires will be orange/green and white. Disconnect the connector on the white wire.
3. Turn the key ON, see if your white wire at the tail light is hot. If it is not, you need to repair the front switch.
4. Verify the front brake switch works. Use your meter or test light touch the white wire that comes from the switch. Turn key ON, squeeze the brake lever to see if your meter or light shows 'hot' when the lever is squeezed.

If you need to check the rear switch because the brake light is still ON:
5. Find the switch on a rear frame rail on the right side, just above and behind the brake pedal.
6. Follow the wires to find the connectors.
7. Same as the front, disconnect the white connector.
8. If the brake light goes OFF, the problem is with the rear switch.
9. Probe the white wire from the switch, see if it comes ON when the pedal is pressed.
10. If the brake light is still ON with both switches disconnected, you have some wires crossed somewhere. Happy hunting.

.

[Bearjew]

I do have my work cut out for me. I will get on it ASAP. Thanks Steve.
I will try it after I get my new tailight in hopefully this weekend.

[Steve]

This is a picture from another one of your threads:
If that is the light that came with the bike, I'll bet there is nothing wrong with it. You might have wasted your money on a new one, but at least you'll have a spare.

.

[850GT_Rider]

I did not realize that you had such a unique bike.

On everybody else's bike the PARK position is to the far RIGHT.

Corrected. Thanks! (Must have been a loose nut behind the keyboard)

[Bearjew]

I am back! After a few days I have fixed the problem, for now. It was in fact two fold. First the foot brake is indeed jacked up. Stays hot for whatever reason, I will move to that another day. Second...the previous owner he'd the front break wires in backward. Yep so he put the front break wires in backward at the handle bar and bypassed the rear tail light in order to make it work. So thanks to Steve I followed his steps and found it. I really REALLY appreciate the help guys. I am sure I will be back when I move to my oil leak but for now it is done.