I have a lighting problem with an 04 Texas Chopper that is kicking my butt!!

Turn the key and there is no headlight, no front or rear running lights. Rear brake lights work, from both brakes (front/rear). Turn signals work on front and rear lights, and flash the arrow on the dash. The 04's have the SmartFlash module (run/brake/turn) and all fuses check good. Flipping the hi beam switch does nothing, and the hi beam indicator on the dash does NOT come on.

If I unplug the harness that goes to the headlight and front run/turn lights, the rear running lights come on but very dim. Rear brake/turn still work normal. Obviously none of the front lights work while disconnected, but the hi beam indicator on the dash does work when the hi beam switch is on.

With the ignition on, the feed to the headlight low beam has voltage present at the connection to the front harness, but only 5 volts. When connected there is no headlight (not even dim).

Any ideas?????????

I would possibly suspect the SmartFlash run/turn/brake module. but I don't think that it has anything to do with the headlight circuit (maybe I'm wrong??)

 

I'm thinking the best thing to do is to start at the headlight and work your way back. Check voltage at the headlight. Then check voltage where the headlight plugs in. Is your ignition switch located on the side or on the tank? I would suspect that the module you have for lighting is the culpret.

 

except that I don't think the headlight runs thru the run/turn/brake module.

Headlight works when connected directly to 12volts. only 5volts present at headlight feed harness.

 

sounds like you have a ground in there... common on chops from the vibration if the wiring is not done right it wears though it... it is your main power line that i would look at, runs the power up to the lamp an to the front turn sigs... I know on bikes i wire i run one line from my ignition to the lamp as well as one from the fuse block to the lamp... from that the horn will tap in, as well as the brake switches, "N" light, and guages... from the back of the bike the reg/rectifier unit should tap into the fuse lblock and the rest of the charging system. without seeing even what your bike looks like it is so hard to even begin to point you in what direction, is the wiring in the frame or external, where is your main fuse pannel, does it have a main fuse pannel? what style ignition are you running, is your charging system working, that is what i would be most worried about, if you are only getting 5 v it could be your regulator or rectifier. does the bike run any diff or just the lighting?

 

Like I was saying, if you trace the wire from the headlight back , you will most likely find your problem. There's no way for me to know how they wired it up. But, if you are only getting 5vdc at that plug, something is haywire near that connection.

 

other then the fuses in the SmartFlash run/turn/brake module, I don't think the 04 Ironhorse has fuses. There is a 30amp breaker. I'm not sure what all is hidden on the front of the splash shield that is between the rear tire and trans, but that is where the SmartFlash and 30amp breaker are. Kinda hard to get to.

I guess the next step will be to remove the rear tire, pull the splash shield and see what I find.

 

Had the problem on my FLHX. it was the module take it out and see what it does. But im with JRK it prob a damn ground that can cause lots of things that you would never enve think of. Good luck. I just purchased my chopper and love it man. 1000 miles in a month.

 

I had a wiring problem with my custom. Someone had zip-tied a wire to the frame and from the vibration it cut the wire and like you it was between the splash pan and the oil tank.

 

turns out it was the power control module, mounted behind the battery box on the splash shield.

 

Glad you found it !!!