So I picked up a Boxer Metal rear fender eliminator. I sent out and powder coated and now it won't work. I'm thinking it has to do with grounding it but I'm not sure what to do. Do I have to expose some metal to get the tail light to work?
The brown wire from the tail light harness need to be hooked up to one of the threaded studs on the back of the tail light and all will be well.
Does anyone know why my tail light wouldnt be working although my brake lights still work? My day time running lights and high beam are still functional and my fuses all seem fine. Thanks
If it is not the bulb, check the wiring and switches. Buy a new bulb to make double sure of this If neither the front nor back brakes activate the brake light, check the brake light loom as well as the connector block between the looms. Use switch cleaner to clean the connectors and switches Get a colour coded wiring diagram to understand which wire goes where Use a multi-meter to check for connectivity on wires and switches I had the same issue last year. Mine was a dirty connector but the loom can just be old
There's already great advice here, but we don't know which model is your bike. If it's a /5 or /6, the tail running light is run off of the grey/violet wire in the headlight bucket. It's likely the bulb though, it gets me every time!:huh
I need to jump in on this one! My issue is the brake light is working but no running light at rear or gauge lights. I put knew rear light on rear when I changed fenders and have not had power past the rear connector since. Popped Relay? Looks like the fuses in bucket are good! Ideas. Hope I am not hijacking to bad.
Have you physically tested the rear sub harness with a voltmeter to see if power is actually going to the bulb socket? Again, depending on what model you have the tail light and gauge lights are on in "park" mode as well as run. My rear lights are run from my light relay by a grey/violet wire. But if I had it plugged into the wrong post I'd lose my running light/gauge lights but my brake lights did work. If yours started only after you changed your tail light to something else, start with the bulb and if not there, check the wiring again.
The gauge lights and rear running light (tail light) usually run off the same circuit... Got head lights? Not likely to all those bulbs blown at once, nor ist it likely to be the ground.. So look at where the power gets switched to those lights .. handle bar switch? Which model and year of bike?
Pull out your wiring diagram. There is a switch that turns on your lights (headlight/tail light) .. on the left handle bar .. You want the wire from that that runs off to the tail light (and gauge lights) .. it goes to your headlight bucket .. that is where you want to test .. Is there power coming out of the switch ? No .. And the headlight works .. that means there is power to the switch .. so then probably the switch ... If power comes out of the switch then there is a connector from there to the gauge lights and the rear tail light .. check there.
Refresh: my running tail light is not working, but my brake lights, headlight and gauge lights are working. I have a color diagram in front of me, but I'm having trouble making sense of this. In the diagram there are three wires leading to the tail/brake light: one is the ground wire, another is connected to the front/rear brake switch, and the last one connects to the ignition switch. Where should I start? Would it be a connection prior to the ignition switch? Because that's all I could think of. Thanks
Brown in color .. that one works (as demonstrated by the stop light working) [we hope .. if the 'stop light is dim' .. and the instrument lights come dimmly on then this wire/connection is NOT working] Brake light supply. Working - as the brake works. That is the one to check. Does the ignition switch connection also go off to the instrument lights? It is does and they work .. then the ignition switch is working, if not then you need to check for power (voltage) on that switch connection , and while your are there that the wire is actually connected. If you have power there then; bulb connection not working correctly connector between bulb and switch faulty - check pins/sockets are not forced out of the connector. Wire frayed under steering head
Been through this today. Yesterday I found my tail light wasn't working, it's winter here and riding in fog and rain so not good. The grey wire was off the ign switch. They are soldered on, and I fitted Polly Heaters a couple of weeks ago, I had to remove the instrument panel to fit the switch and the wire must've broken then. How long did I have no light? I cut back and re soldered the lot.
I had the same problem. Twice actually except it was blowing fuses. It turned out to be the flimsy brass bulb sockets in the clock voltmeter. Each time the grey wire has come unsheathed and was grounding on the socket. Perhaps your sockets aren't grounding well? Just a thought and it's easy to check.
