Blinker/brake lights not working?

Hey guys, I just put the tank back on after finishing the repaint. I took it for a rip and it was good except once i got back i tested the blinkers and brake lights and neither of them worked. I assume I didn't mess something up while putting the tank back on, but something is messed. A few days ago i put in a new headlight and didn't drive it until now. could i have pinched or unhooked something at that time? just wondering where i look because stuff worked good until now.

PS-my one lense flew off and I didn't notice where, but i guess that's a different story.

 

i went through all the connecters in the headlight section and they all seem good. Is there some relay/fuse I should be checking. I dunno why it worked fine and suddenly crapped out

 

I'm pretty sure turn signals and tail light share the same fuse, but I don't have my manual with me to check. Besides the fuse itself, has the fuse box been replaced? The original ones on these bikes generally have oxidized fuse clips that snap off if they're bent at all. It's usually a required repair step to replace the stock fuse box with an aftermarket one.

 

hmmm, i will check the haynes manual and see what it says.
i was reading on it earlier and it talks about the blinker relay. hopefully it's just a fuse instead

 

Flasher relay will cause turn signals to stay on all the time, on one side, or stay off all the time, but won't take out your tail light.

 

ya, i checked the fuses and one was blown. dunno why, but maybe some of my fiddling. thanks for the help

 

Turn signal and brake light do share the same fuse.

 

good, i havent replaed it, but good it was an easy problem. hope it doesn't keep blowing or else that sucks. I killed the battery yesterday and put on a booster pack and made a spark. could this have blown a fuse

 

That could have done it. It would be well worth your time to replace the stock fusebox. Many options available and not very expensive.

 

Ya, I will look into it. When i took the fuse out I looked at the contacts and they were perfect. No corrosion on the fuse box whatsoever, so that might be a moot point in replacing it

 

i put in a new fuse and I guess it's not the fuse exactly. When the new fuse was in the blinker light blinked for the left side and the blinkers worked, when I tried the right side blinker the "neutral" light blinked instead and the right side blinkers didn't work. after about 10 seconds on the right side blinker, the fuse blew.

would this mean there is a bad ground somewhere or would a bad blinker relay cause a fuse to blow?

 

I would suggest going back into headlight bucket and check wiring. Neutral light blinking is way off base. As SQLGuy said usually relay will allow signal tolight up, but not flash. Best I remember turnsignal wires are green for one side and brown for the other.

 

Flasher relay should not blow a fuse, the signal would just stay lit and not blink. Flasher relay definitely will not make the neutral light blink.

If the N light didn't blink before your headlight replacement, that is the first place you should check. If it blinked before the replacement...you have problems! LOL

Might help if we knew what all you did to replace the headlight. Just plug-n-play? or did you have to do some splicing? Or did the PO do some splicing that wasn't noticed until you replaced the light?

 

i went through the electrical plugs in the headlight area, unplugged and plugged everything i could. i then replaced the fuse and the blinkers work fine. no the N light didnt blink before this problem.

the problem i see now isnt the blinkers, but the brake light doesn't light up when the brakes are pressed. the brake light is on as the running light, but nothing more when the brakes are pressed. this was just tested by me when the bike was on an in neutral by pressing the rear brake pedal. if there is something i missed in the test then maybe there is still hope of it working.

 

Check your bulb first , then check brake light switch. The rear brake light switch is adjustable. Also have a brake light switch on front brake lever.

 

I have a brand new front brake switch. How do i go about checking the rear brake switch?

 

If you pull on the wire at the bottom of the switch, with the key on, the light should work. You adjust the switch by turning the nut on the top of the switch, I forget which way is up/down on the nut. Test with the brake lever, the light should come on after you press the pedal 1/4" to 1/2".

If the switch doesn't light you can OHM it out with a multi-meter.

 

i pulled on the rear brake switch cable thing, but the brake light still didn't go on. I also replaced the bulb. the original bulb was good, but i replaced it anyways. The brake lights still don't work though.

what makes me wonder is that the brake light doesn't go on when either brake are pressed. So would this mean it is more of an electrical thing instead of a brake cable/switch thing?

 

You can also "jump" the rear brake light switch where the wire connectors are right above switch. If light doesnt work then, probably in the wiring. Also you can check with a test light at rear bulb socket. I think you said you were running stock fuse box...if so I would definitely test with a light or meter on both sides of fuse.

 

Yeah, sounds like more of an electrical problem now that you know neither switch works.

I'd start at the fuse box. I believe the headlight fuse runs the tail/brake light, but it may also be the signal fuse.

Do you have a tail light when the ignition is on?

The tail light plugs in to the harness underneath the seat, could also be a loose connection there.

 

ya, the blinker/taillight fuse is the same. the headlight fuse is by itself. What makes me think it has nothing to do with the fuse is the fact that the blinkers work now, which is on the same fuse as the tailllight.

i will take alook under the seat. I fidgeted with them a while ago, so maybe something got disconnected, when I was trying to get the blikers fixed

 

There are connectors on top or side of fender for brake light circuit. To the rear of connectors it is a continuoous wire to socket. Goes down thru fender held up by clips to and back thru fender to tail light. You can check continuity from socket to above mentioned connectors, to test that leg of the circuit. Not trying to sound like a know it all......I have spent hours and hours on this circuit hunting a short....PO had about 4 feet of home speaker wire wadded up between fender and light assy. With "hot " bare ends. Hours and hours of diagnosing for some s&%t like that. Good luck,remember start simple and work your way into it.

 

Yup. I actually have more hours into the wiring on the bike than all the other work I've done so far.

 

is the wiring the weak link to these bikes?

 

what bugs me is my lack of knowledge. I get good advice from you guys/haines manuals and since i have maybe 10% knowledge I just stand there staring because i have no clue hahah

 

ABOLUTELY NOT!!! The previous owners are the weak link on these bikes.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

Good...anything that happens to this bike from here on I will be blaming on the previous owner!!

Damn that previous owner making me tip the bike and light the gas tank on fire!!

 

lol actually....if the PO hadn't made a mess of that tank you wouldn't have had to repair/paint it in the first place, so yes, it was his/her/its fault! LOL

 

what about my tipping it while i was driving it?

either way this brake light is a bitch!

 

Well that one could be that you ran out of talent because you had to use it on so many things the PO screwed up