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no brake lights all of a sudden?

  • Thread starter Thread starter growler
  • Start date Start date
G

growler

Guest
never had this happen before. everything worked fine on my last ride. the rear brake light is on when the bike is running, but no bright brake light when squeezing the lever or pushing down the foot pedal. weird. where should i start? fuses?
 
The brake light bulb is double filament, running light and brake light. Check your bulb half of it is burned out.
 
To check a fuse in the "quick and dirty" fashion, check the horn and turn signals, they are powered by the same fuse.

If the "brake light is on when the bike is running", you have other problems. As OldVet suggested, make sure it's the TAIL light that is on when the bike is running. There is a 3-pin connector just ahead of the tail light that might have some corroded pins, check it out. You might have to remove the tail piece to get to it.

Do you have a test light (or a meter)? This is one of those times where it would be the perfect tool. Remove the tail light lens, remove the bulb. Use the test light to verify power is coming to the socket.

.
 
Horn and turn signals are fine. Will check out the bulb and test the connections with a test light this evening.
 
Would be a good time to check what your charging voltage is topping out at as well. Popping bulbs can be an early sign of R/R failure.
 
will do. i just looked at the charging system quick test and will post results.
 
Also, check your grounds (tail light housing)... Bad grounds can really mess with you. Good-luck
 
The bottom bulb in the tail light housing was burnt out. Broken filament. It says Stanley 12v4cp on it. Is this something I can pick up at an auto parts place?
 
It's a standard auto bulb (twin filament stop/tail) in the bottom. The top one is a single filament 5,6, or 10W, depending on who last fitted it.
 
Check that you are not riding the edge of either brake switch. That filament gets a lot of use but no sense in making it worse.
 
growler said:
The bottom bulb in the tail light housing was burnt out. Broken filament. It says Stanley 12v4cp on it. Is this something I can pick up at an auto parts place?
Click to expand...
Replacement would be a #67 or #89.

It is just a single-filament bulb to illuminate the license plate.

.
 
Thanks all. I'll get a replacement.

Next, charging system quick test. Hope I can get back early enough from plans today to check that out.
 
Ok, so I got a replacement bulb (a pack of two #89 from Advanced Auto). Put it in, turn the key and it lights up immediately. So now it seems as though instead of the bottom bulb not being on at all, now it doesn't turn off. Am I correct in thinking that the running light is the top bulb and when you hit the brakes the bottom bulb illuminates in addition to the tob bulb?

I took off the inner plastic part of the tail piece, and found the three pin/prong connector. On female side of the connector, my test light lit up on all three. On the male side of the connector, the middle prong did not light up on the test light. Should I check grounds next? Something is making it act as if I'm braking all the time.

As soon as I turn the key, both lights come on.

IMG_6638_zpsopygn4uz.jpg



The middle prong of this connector did not light up my test light.

IMG_6640_zpsoaidb4sw.jpg
 
Crap. I forgot to check my fuses. :p

Ill check the rear brake switch too.
 
Last edited:
On that three-pin connector, you will have a white wire, a brown wire and a black/white wire. The black/white wire is ground. You can verify it with your test light by clipping the 'ground' wire of your light to the positive side of the battery and touching the black/white wire with the probe. Move the clip to the negative side of the battery, touch the other two pins. With the key OFF, neither one should light. With the key ON, the brown one should light. The white one should light with the brake.

This is one of those times when a test light is so much quicker and easier than trying to read a meter.

.
 
Test light connected to (+) side of battery, then touched to black/white wire - Test light glows
Key off. Moved test light clip to (-) side of battery, then touched white wire - nothing, brown wire nothing.
Key on. With test clip still on (-) side of battery, touched white wire - test light glows, touched brown wire, test light glows.

Then I decided to test the rear brake switch. Using Steve's post, it didn't seem right that the white wire was working even though I wasn't using any brakes. So with the key off, I connected the test light to the (+) side of battery, then touching the soldered wires on top of the switch. Both of them made the test light glow. With the key still off I moved the test light clip to the (-) side of battery. Then neither wire made test light glow.

With the key on , and test clip connected to (+) side of battery, neither light up.
With the key on, and test clip connected to (-) side of battery, both light up.

Do I have a bad switch?
Could a bad spring be the culprit? Here is a short video of me actuating the rear brake lever.
https://youtu.be/aFWrFFUhBn0

This is where I was testing on the switch.

IMG_6645_zpsvi29sana.jpg
 
So I unscrewed the front brake switch a turn or two, and slid it back and forth as I was squeezing and releasing the brake lever. No change in the rear lights, both we constantly on from the moment I turned the key on.

Took lever out to inspect, and here are a couple photos. This master cylinder needs a rebuild for sure. However, the brake switch slides easily back and forth, and has spring in it (returns quickly.) How else can I test it?

Oh by the way, the wet area is not brake fluid. I had shot a little Deoxit in there.

IMG_6733_zps1jhyy65b.jpg


IMG_6733_zps1jhyy65b.jpg


IMG_6731_zpsu6k9srme.jpg
 
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