Rear Brake Light Staying On...

[BorgBiker]

Well, I've had the Max a whole two days, and I found out that the brake light is staying on all the time. Now I realize that I didn't check that when I bought it:bang head:

Being a long time motorcyclist, and knowing a few things about bikes, I checked the rear and front brake switches. The odd thing is that even when both front and rear are disconnected, the brake light stays on.

The front and rear turn signals are stock appearing, and there are no mods other than the v-boost solenoid trick that I just did a while ago. Is there any way that could be affecting my brake light? Seems unlikely, but you never know...

Oh, for full disclosure: I have a new Optima gel battery the PO installed less than a month ago.

Guess I won't be riding it to work tomorrow:Sad:

 

[KJShover]

Could be a short in your lighting or (I don't know if the Vmax is equipped with this fail-safe) a burt out running light portion of the tail light.
Or, just the opposite, the bright filament is burnt out and all your seeing is the running light when you apply the brakes.

 

[MaxMidnight]

I would have thought that a short would blow the fuse?


Check that you only get power to the yellow stop light wire when you press the brake pedal.


As Mr Shover suggests, check that the tail light bulbs haven't blown.

Perhaps the enterprising previous owner has swapped the connections to get a tail light back again?

 

[wildweasel_pt]

I would have thought that a short would blow the fuse?


Check that you only get power to the yellow stop light wire when you press the brake pedal.


As Mr Shover suggests, check that the tail light bulbs haven't blown.

Perhaps the enterprising previous owner has swapped the connections to get a tail light back again?

Check if he didn't swap the connections and is feeding the stop light with the running light connectors. Start with easy and go up... If i remember well its a blue and a yellow wire. Keep the black and swap the yellow and the blue (brown and green are for blinkers)

 

[dannymax]

The blue wire is running power, the yellow is braking power....I'd start by probing these wires for power then disconnect one at a time, see which part of the bulb is reacting, etc.

Not sure about the laws where you are but I believe hand signals are still legal in a lot of states so you still could probly drive it if you want to.

 

[ninjaneer]

+1. make sure the bulbs haven't blown. the blue and yellow mis-swap seems to be a popular gremlin that POs like to inflict on NOs.

 

[KJShover]

I would have thought that a short would blow the fuse?

I have to quit posting late with no sleep. I'll be glad when finals are over with. I've looks back at a couple of my posts and thought to myself WTF? lol
I was meaning a short between the running and brake lights, so that they both will be lit up at the same time. so when the brake switches are activated nothing happens, it just stays bright.

 

[BorgBiker]

Ok, I checked the wires under the seat, and sure enough the blue and yellow wires were swapped (i.e. blue wire from bike connected to yellow wire going to tail light, and vise-vera). However, when I connected them correctly, nothing changed.

I messed around with the wires, and it seems that blue to blue gives me taillight, and blue to yellow gives me brake light. I actually thought I had brake light on full time, but that's just the tail light. Blue from the bike connected to yellow shines much brighter.

With the wires in their correct blue-blue and yellow-yellow places, I reversed the front brake switch leads, hopeing for the best, but nothing. I have temporarily removed the rear brake switch, so I just touched the leads together - nothing.

Now I am not sure where to go next. Amazing how such a simple thing can get so complicated when you don't have all the facts, isn't it? :ummm:

 

[Miles Long]

Ok, I checked the wires under the seat, and sure enough the blue and yellow wires were swapped (i.e. blue wire from bike connected to yellow wire going to tail light, and vise-vera). However, when I connected them correctly, nothing changed.

I messed around with the wires, and it seems that blue to blue gives me taillight, and blue to yellow gives me brake light. I actually thought I had brake light on full time, but that's just the tail light. Blue from the bike connected to yellow shines much brighter.

With the wires in their correct blue-blue and yellow-yellow places, I reversed the front brake switch leads, hopeing for the best, but nothing. I have temporarily removed the rear brake switch, so I just touched the leads together - nothing.

Now I am not sure where to go next. Amazing how such a simple thing can get so complicated when you don't have all the facts, isn't it? :ummm:

It appears that there is simply no power going to your brake light circuit. The power is taken off the signal light fuse circuit, and also supplies power to the horn. Are your signals and horn working? If so, check for power at the brown wire feeding the front and rear brake switches, with the ignition on. Probably dead. If so, trace the feed wire back to where it is connected to the source wire from the fuse box.
Cheers!

 

[BorgBiker]

It appears that there is simply no power going to your brake light circuit. The power is taken off the signal light fuse circuit, and also supplies power to the horn. Are your signals and horn working? If so, check for power at the brown wire feeding the front and rear brake switches, with the ignition on. Probably dead. If so, trace the feed wire back to where it is connected to the source wire from the fuse box.
Cheers!

Ah-hah! We are getting somewhere now. I checked the horn and the turns signals, and they are NOT working. I know the signals were working when I rode it yesterday, so I guess this happened during/after my ride.

So does this mean a fuse is loose/bad? And speaking of fuses, where are they. I haven't purchased a manual yet (didn't think I'd have an issue so soon :huh00000.

 

[KJShover]

... And speaking of fuses, where are they. I haven't purchased a manual yet (didn't think I'd have an issue so soon :huh00000.

Pop the seat and you'll see it.

 

[Fire-medic]

Ah-hah! We are getting somewhere now. I checked the horn and the turns signals, and they are NOT working. I know the signals were working when I rode it yesterday, so I guess this happened during/after my ride.

So does this mean a fuse is loose/bad? And speaking of fuses, where are they. I haven't purchased a manual yet (didn't think I'd have an issue so soon :huh00000.

Good call Miles.

I am tracking down some electrical gremlins now too, and have found a couple of wires which have fatigued/nearly broken or have broken, where the quick-disconnect terminal is crimped-on. When I find 'em, I solder them after using a tiny screwdriver to pop the lead out of the molded ganged plastic connector block. Then I use my Dremel and a cut-off wheel to cut-off the remains of the crimp terminal from the wire, which usually allows me to avoid having to shorten the wire to get a good CU lead onto-which to solder. You have to be careful, because a bit too-much pressure and you go right-into the CU wire instead of just cutting the brass crimp off. I try to just score it and then use a small pair of pliers or a small screwdriver, or sometimes my fingers to remove the broken-off brass crimp, now cut.

I bet if you use the electrical stickys, you will find a pic of the fuse block, I think it is near the rear coils in a black rectangular plastic box under the front seat. Use a penetrating probe test light and follow that brown wire back from the rear light until you re-establish continuity/power. Then you have found the break between the last place you didn't have power and that point where you do.

 

[BorgBiker]

Pop the seat and you'll see it.

I found some under the tank cover, just a battery and coils under the seat.

The fuse case was wrapped with electrical tape. It's not disintegrated or anything, but it's loose and was taped to what seems to be a flat post(?).

I did find that there are 3 red 10 rated fuses in the center of the box, and the middle one is bad. Looks like a replacement is in order. I'm going to see if I have any, otherwise I'll get one tomorrow. I hope that's it!:eusa_dance:

 

[KJShover]

I found some under the tank cover, just a battery and coils under the seat.

The fuse case was wrapped with electrical tape. It's not disintegrated or anything, but it's loose and was taped to what seems to be a flat post(?).

I did find that there are 3 red 10 rated fuses in the center of the box, and the middle one is bad. Looks like a replacement is in order. I'm going to see if I have any, otherwise I'll get one tomorrow. I hope that's it!:eusa_dance:

That would be them, I forgot how far forward they are. I never really payed attention, everytime I messed with them my seat, faux tank and scoops were already taken off.

 

[BorgBiker]

Well thanks to you, miles, Fire, danny, ninja and everyone else, I think I have this thing figured out:

I realized that there is a spare 10 amp and a spare 15 amp fuse at the front of the fuse box, so I moved the 10 to the spot where the bad one was. Then I tested my front switch and connected the two lead sot the rear. My front brake switch does NOT work, but the rear one does. So I can ride legally and semi-safely (if I remember to use the rear for signalling braking).

I have already found out that I can't use hand signals a). because I barely remember them and b). because I need both hands to hold on when the mighty Max hits it's stride!unk:

What can I do about the front brake switch? Is it possible to be cleaned, or should I try to find a new one (or a good used one)?

 

[ninjaneer]

this is gonna sound stupid, make sure the front brake switch connector is firmly in place. mine vibrated loose once and simply pushing it back into place did the job. cleaning up the connector as well couldn't hurt. there's nothing complicated about the brake switch that a good cleaning coulnd't solve. shouldn't be any reason to by a new one, imho.

 

[bazwell]

Nice work guys! :eusa_dance:
Borgbiker wouldn't get service like that at a Yamaha shop.