'08 Super Glide...brake light stays on after releasing lever on handlebar...pushing outward on lever gets light to go out, but when letting it go, light comes back on. What is likely cause?

 

There is a little microswitch (15 in Dan's fish)that turns on brake light. It is on when it comes out. Off when in. It's broke. In the clamshell.

It has a little rubber boot on it. That's torn, jamming it making it act strange I bet. There easily torn if someone is not careful when replacing brake lever.

I cut cut it out. Solder and shrink wrap new one. Like Dan says, get V spring clip in correctly. It's actually a pain getting it in, and all back together. Four hands help. Cover tank and fender.

My experience is if it sticks, spray is temp. I only take it apart once for now on after taking it apart twice in the past after spray fixed it for a few days.

 

The problem is there is something wrong inside the control housing.

Open up the control housing and look...it could be something as simple as a missing clip (item 6 in the illustration).

Illustration

 

See if your lever slid back.

 

If you have not had the lever off, the switch may be sticky or have some road crud in it. Spray some WD-40 and work the lever back and forth to see if it frees up.

If you had the lever off and did not follow the procedures using a shim on the lever, the switch may have gotten damaged and need replaced.

 

1. Does the lever fully return all the way forward by itself?
2. By your post sounds like it doesn't
3. The plastic plunger under the lever that pushes on the master cylinder
has a seal. That seal gets gunked up.
4. Spray a little wd 40 at that plunger, easier with lever out, work it in and out.
5. Your brake switch is out of place or broken

 

To all that replied to my question...Thank you. I sprayed a light lubricant into area toward pin that holds lever in place, then worked lever several times. Light now goes out when lever is released. Yay! Again, thanks.

 

Well that was easy. I had to micro solder a new switch into mine. What a PITA and took 4 hands. All Harley had to do was make this a plug-n-play replaceable part as it is a weak link but noooooo, "lets pot this thing with epoxy so they never get it off".

Oh, the metal tab thing (#6 in the diagram) is to hold the wiring in a specific place in the switch housing. That too is a PITA to get back in properly after you have installed the new switch and it's different length and thickness wire leads.

F-ing Harley engineers!!! They must not actually ride nor work on these bikes...(same goes for those damn Italians and their tiny hands...) lol.

 

Just keep this thread handy for the part number. That little boot is a seal for the micro switch.

Only way a lub will help is the boot is torn. Next time it gets dirty, light will stick on again. Then you won't get a on/off brake light. Also, both elements can deform certain covers depending on bike from heat.

Just keep a check on it. You want that rear brake like working.

 

Working on these bikes is not for everyone....