Please Help - No rear turn signals or license plate light UPDATE! FIXED!

[Tailgate Tommy]

I have a 2000 IS and this morning I went for a breakfast ride and noticed that the turn signals were flashing faster than normal.

Both front turn signals are working, both run and turn signals, but right and left rear turn signals are out and not flashing. The license plate light is also out. The running and brake light in the trunk are working.

So far I've:
-Pulled the front and rear TS bulbs out and the filaments "look" ok. Planning to get new ones from the Honda dealer. Need spares anyway  
-The horn works so the TS, horn fuse must be good??
-I've wiggled the connectors in the black and clear boots under the right side cover but no change.
-I can hear the TS flasher clicking, and the front TS's work so it must be good??
I did a search and tried what I found with the exception of checking the connector under the rear fender.

FYI, I've not done any electrical work on the bike recently, no new accessories. Last thing I did was the Polk speaker mod a few months and 2000 miles ago.
Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!
tkylli

[Gavin_Sons]

Sounds like a ground issue to me. Check the ground wires for corrosion

[fudgie]

Check the harness under the rear fender above the tire where the 2 fender halves join. I been there. 

[Michvalk]

Check the harness under the rear fender above the tire where the 2 fender halves join. I been there. 

There is a connector under the rear fender near the joint in the fender. Bet that's where the problem is

[Tailgate Tommy]

Thanks for the replies everyone.
I did notice that the trunk lights are flashing dimly with the TS's, so sounds like it's trying to find a ground through the trunk lights.
Going to check grounds and the fender connector next.

[Tailgate Tommy]

So if I'm thinking correctly  (may be a bad assumption):
I put one end of my test light on the green (ground) wire in the harness (see pic) to the rear lights and it lit up for both TS's and the lic. light. So I have good wiring continuity coming out of the harness that goes threw the grommet in the front half of the rear fender. So the issue is after there maybe in the fender connection mentioned above.
My question is what is the best/easiest way to get to that connector??  Pull the rear fender half? Jack the bike up and pull the right bag while the wheel is hanging down?

[Gavin_Sons]

There should be another plug around the rear fender where the 2 halfs fit together. Could be some corrosion in that plug.

[DenverDave]

Check the harness under the rear fender above the tire where the 2 fender halves join. I been there. 

You have to pull the rear half of the fender to get to the connector.  I broke my connector when I forgot to put the connector back into its little metal box and my rear tire hit it and broke it apart, first noticed it when my flashers were blinking very fast.   I zipped tied and electrical taped it back together.  I ordered the rear wiring harness for $15 or so, I still haven't replaced it since it has been working fine.

If you find you need the harness and can't wait for the part, give me a call.

Dave

[Tailgate Tommy]

Check the harness under the rear fender above the tire where the 2 fender halves join. I been there. 

You have to pull the rear half of the fender to get to the connector.  I broke my connector when I forgot to put the connector back into its little metal box and my rear tire hit it and broke it apart, first noticed it when my flashers were blinking very fast.   I zipped tied and electrical taped it back together.  I ordered the rear wiring harness for $15 or so, I still haven't replaced it since it has been working fine.

If you find you need the harness and can't wait for the part, give me a call.

Dave

Thanks Dave. I appreciate your kind offer. I'll probably do like you did and just do a wiring repair.

Tom

[Tailgate Tommy]

Got her fixed!

Like you guys said the connector under the fender halves was broken and pulled apart. The connections were nice and clean so I did like DenverDave suggested and just held it together with a couple of wire ties and some electrical tape. Stuffed the connector back in it's little sheet metal box and now they work. Might order new harnesses for next time. The TS's do flash faster than my '03 standard does but they may have done that before -can't remember...

All in all took about an hour and a half. A one bandage job (stuck a screw driver into my finger trying to get the broken connector piece out). And only misplaced one tool, a mini vise grip.

Thanks very much to everyone for their help! What a great forum!

tkylli