No headlights, no low beam, no high beam, no lights

DOMINO

Guest
Hi all, Domino here. Arriving home yesterday confirmed my suspicions of the prior mile or so...my headlights have stopped working. Here's what happened - went to dealer, had both tires replaced. All's fine to that point. Left dealer 2.5 hrs later and on way home - made 3 stops; fuel, & 2 errands. Best as I recall, lights were fine after leaving dealer (one of those things one tends to take for granted). Upon arrival home, confirmed no lights. Only thing out of ordinary was second errand I didn't shift to neutral before dropping kickstand - but don't believe that has anything to do with light problem. Have checked all fuses and they are fine. I removed both bulbs and tested them, they work and light fine. Reinstalled both (not necessary to remove any bodywork), reassembled and am now ready to return bike to dealer. It is almost as if a connector has come apart. All other lights - signals, brake, 'front & center' little bulb work. Anyone out there have this happen? Any solution to this poblem? Thanks for all your input. Cheers, Domino
 
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They don't have to mess with anything for the front wheel removal but removing the rear wheel requires a lot more work and something may have been loosening/removed. Remove the seat and the side covers and see if you can find something unplugged. In the service manual, page 22-22, it shows the headlight relay and although the photo is semi-cryptic, I'd guess its on the left rear of the bike under the plastic.
 
Contacts for the headlights also go thru the starter switch. Notice the headlights come on when ignition key turned on, then lights go out when cranking to start. You want to jiggle, play with agitate the starter switch.

Is you speedo meter panel backlight coming on normally? Does your high beam indicator light up blue with beams selected to Hi?
 
Others here have had trouble with the contacts in the starter switch. I would look therer first, Maybe contact cleaner and exercize the switch concacts.

Brad
 
DOMINO said:
It is almost as if a connector has come apart.
Click to expand...

I suspect it has... The wiring schematic shows a four pin connector that the High Beam, Low Beam, and Position Light all run through...and nothing else. Since all your other lights work fine, and you checked the bulbs, that is the most likely culprit. Follow the wires from your High, or Low, Beam bulb connector back to to that Four position connector and re-seat it. All three lights share a Common Ground, the Green wire on Pin Three of that connector, so it would be my next point to check it re-seating the connector doesn't work... Good Luck...:D
 
RedLdr1 said:
I suspect it has... The wiring schematic shows a four pin connector that the High Beam, Low Beam, and Position Light all run through...and nothing else. Since all your other lights work fine, and you checked the bulbs, that is the most likely culprit. Follow the wires from your High, or Low, Beam bulb connector back to to that Four position connector and re-seat it. All three lights share a Common Ground, the Green wire on Pin Three of that connector, so it would be my next point to check it re-seating the connector doesn't work... Good Luck...:D
Click to expand...

I believe he said that the "little front and center" bulb (which I assume to be the position light) was working, so the connector you suggest may not be the problem. It's a worthwhile check though.

Mike
 
Similar problem with lights last fall. Squirt some WD40 or contact cleaner into the starter switch housing. Press the starter with key off a few times. If it works its the simplest solution.
 
The speedo back light worked but no blue light for the high beam. See my reply to vzshadow for the resolution to this mystery - the high / low beam switch was the culprit.

Thanks for the input - ride safe. Domino
 
The starter switch turned out to be fine. I checked all I could and then took the bike to the dealer. See my reply to vzshadow for the resolution to this mystery - the high / low beam switch was the culprit.

Thanks for the input - ride safe. Domino
 
Hi Wayne. Thanks for your input. I pulled a couple of the front panels off and checked all the connectors I could find. All good. To resolve this as soon as possible, I drove the bike back to the dealer the next day they were opened - in the driving rain (again). See my reply to vzshadow for the resolution to this mystery - the high / low beam switch was the culprit.

Thanks for the input - ride safe. The shop manual is my next purchase. Domino
 
Hi Mike, you're right, none of the connectors were the problem. It was / is the high / low beam switch getting carboned up. See my reply to vzshadow for the full resolution to this mystery.

Thanks for the input - ride safe. Domino
 
Hi SeattleJim - it wasn't the starter switch but I'll be on the lookout for that one. See my reply to vzshadow for the resolution to this mystery - the high / low beam switch was the culprit.

Thanks for the input - your suggestion is appreciated. Don't know I want to deal with that one (starter switch). Domino
 
OK, so I've told Y'all to see my reply to vzshadow, but even I don't see it anywhere!! It went something like - 'took the bike back to the dealer, found it was the high beam/low beam switch. To get me back on the road ASAP, dealer cleaned the switch and ordered new one. So all's well. But I wondered, is this normal? I've got just about 16K miles in 12 months of seat time (bought it new in Aug of 2011). I ride to work in the dark and just for S&Gs, counted the number of times I used the switch while on the way to work last Friday (45 miles). I stopped after 40 times; high beam on (1), high beam off (2), etc., etc. There's sporatic traffic coming at me for more than 1/2 the ride. I've had a bit of experience with skill saw switches that fail through use, so maybe this is understandable. Begs the question should I carry a spare & what tools should I carry on board?

Thanks to all, Domino.
 
Don't worry, we can see it, in all the subsequent posts :)

Yes, I have had it happen too. So it is not an isolated incident.

FWIW, Honda uses the same cheap, exposed contact switches they have had since the early 70's. Even on the Gold Wings they use them instead of a good waterproof switch. So, every now and then we will have a switch that doesn't work properly.
 
DOMINO said:
Begs the question should I carry a spare & what tools should I carry on board?
Click to expand...

You can't carry spares for everything...or all the tools and shop manual required to install them, even on my Tri-Glide! I do carry a small spray can of WD-40 with my tools, that should clean the switch and get you back on the road if it occurs again.
 
I'm just having a similar issue... lost my high-beam, and no blue light when I flip the hi/low switch, though I do get a blue light when the key is first turned on.

Which switch is the likely culprit?

I'm thinking its the hi/low selector.
 
BigBill said:
I'm thinking its the hi/low selector.
Click to expand...

I rode in rain for 4 days last week, got alot of rain all around. Then Saturday went out at night to Home Depot, switched to high beam, low beam came on. I guess thats a good safety feature. Went back and forth a few times, even pushing switch off center, got it to work. It's not that bad yet to spray WD40 or contact cleaner yet, but I may have too soon. I'm at 34,800 now so funny things may start to happen:doh1:
 
Happened to my old ST1100 a few times, Spray some contact cleaner in to the Hi/Lo switch and work in back and forth a few times. Should fix it up just fine.havent had that issure yet with my ST1300 after 114k miles and 10 years. Keeping my fingers crossed.
 
Woodaddict said:
I rode in rain for 4 days last week, got alot of rain all around. Then Saturday went out at night to Home Depot, switched to high beam, low beam came on.
Click to expand...

That's exactly my situation, rode in the rain and heavy fog for most of a week, now no high-beam.

I'll hit it with the contact cleaner when I get home in the AM.

:)
 
FYI... as a safety concern, be VERY careful using WD-40 around electronics as it is highly flammable.

All you need is a spark and you'll have fire.

A PTFE (Teflon) based fluid would actually do a better job displacing water and dirt (after using contact cleaner).

I worked in a couple of bicycle shops and WD-40 was never allowed in either shop.
 
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