Brake light help....

[drpete65]

(97 valk tour) No brake light when lever OR pedal engaged.  All fuses good. Horn, signals etc all working fine. bulbs good. Recently replaced starter switch, (everything is hooked back up) -asuming brake lights were working before starter switch went bad.

Any suggestions???????

[Bone]

Is a ground involved in the brake light ?

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Check the plug under fender where all the wiring goes to brake and taillights. If that doesn't work get a meter and start checking switches and grounds. Hope this helps.

[Valkpilot]

Is a ground involved in the brake light ?

+1

How is everything else back there -- tail lights, license plate light?  I had everything go out and it turned out the ground wire in the connector at the seam between the two fender halves had come out of the back of the connector. (Some bottoming out riding two up had occurred.)

Here's what I'd do:

*Check the fuses using a multi-meter and not just visually.

*Ditto the bulbs.

*Check the connections in the plastic boot under the right side cover. The rear wiring harness connnects to the main harness here using bullet connectors.

*Check the connector in the fender where the two fender halves meet.

*Check the connections in the taillight assembly itself.

[drpete65]

I did have a recent blowout of the rear tire. My next step is to take of the fender and start poking around back there.

*I not only have the regular stop light but I have added extra dual filament lights on the side of my hard bags. All running lights are fine. but those brake lights are not working either.

I replaced the fuses with new. ( the brake light fuse is the same that powers horn, signals....they all work.)
Bulbs are good.

[Baloo]

Before tearing it too far, I would use a multimeter and check for power at the inlet of both switches and for power output when the switches are activated (pedal depressed or front brake handle squeezed). Could be that both switches are bad... strangest things have happened... 

[rww930]

Just because the fuse loooks good...replace it anyway. They often get very small cracks that are hard to see.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Just because the fuse loooks good...replace it anyway. They often get very small cracks that are hard to see.

Yep, what he said.

Also, seems to me like there is a plug under the right side cover which goes to the tail-lights and which can cause some strange problems if it's partially unplugged. I could be wrong about the location of that plug, it's been years since I had trouble with it.

[John U.]

I agree with checking for power to the brake lights under the right side cover. If you have power there, it's likely a bad connection at the connection at the rear fender.
Also check the condition of the wires as they pass under the  seat, could be some chafing has caused a break or a short.
Good luck. Let us know how it works out.

[Varmintmist]

(97 valk tour) No brake light when lever OR pedal engaged.  All fuses good. Horn, signals etc all working fine. bulbs good. Recently replaced starter switch, (everything is hooked back up) -asuming brake lights were working before starter switch went bad.
...
*I not only have the regular stop light but I have added extra dual filament lights on the side of my hard bags. All running lights are fine. but those brake lights are not working either

I was just in mine installing a led light bar. Gnd is green, switched brake is GN/YL. I dont remember if the turn signal and plate light gnd is common with the brake at that point, I am pretty sure it is.

If that is the case, you KNOW that you have good gnd back there, if it is hooked up or not is up in the air.

Pull your right side cover off and stick a test light or meter) in the GN/YL wire. If you get light (or vdc) with the pedal pressed, then you are open between there and the gnd 4 way connection in the rear light assembly.

Since you say you had a blowout, I would guess that if you pull the rear assembly (2 10mm nuts under the fender) you are going to find a loose wire in one of the condom covered connections.

[sheets]

Try pulling the electrical connection at the hand brake and spray some foo-foo juice on there to clean the contacts. Worked for me. Yrmv,

[drpete65]

Finally had time to tear into this little project. Since i have some extra brake lights I added on the side of the saddle bags, I disconected them and gave them direct power-they worked. I also checked the main brake light this way and it worked......

Next I tested the brake wire under the seat. With the lever or the pedal depressed-no juice.

Starting to look like I lost the pedal and the lever switches at the same time, or one has been out for some time, but nobody noticed because the other swich ingaged when both brakes were depressed.

Next up -the local deal for a brake lever switch, if that works i will get the pedal switch as well.....

Feel free to chime in with anything else......

[drpete65]

Update.....

removed switch, and used a wire to "jump" the circuit. it worked=bad switch.

Who would have thought 2 bad switches........

[gordonv]

I found one dark morning that my brake pedal didn't activate the rear brake lights.

All I had to do was adjust the pedal switch, as it would not activate anywhere when I stepped on the pedal.

[drpete65]

So I put on the new switch and Voila it worked! I adjusted the rear switch like suggested and it worked too! UNTIL.........

I started popping fuses everytime I touched the brakes!!!!!!


Come to find out, after an hour of testing wires, that one of the contacts behind the light bulb was melted. It dripped down and made contact with the metal housing, grounding it and blowing the fuse!

Who doesn't love electrical grimlins!!!!!??????!!!!

Thanks for the help

[Baloo]

Who would have thought 2 bad switches........

Me...

Before tearing it too far, I would use a multimeter and check for power at the inlet of both switches and for power output when the switches are activated (pedal depressed or front brake handle squeezed). Could be that both switches are bad... strangest things have happened... 

Glad you found it!!