blowing out tail lights
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 684
Likes: 1
From: Colorado
Thanks for the replies.
The bulbs have all been from HD.. and the right side blows out first. The last change I did, the right side running light blew out within a mile of starting out.
If it were a batch of bad bulbs, wouldn't both sides be equally susceptible to burning out? I would think so, unless one side is drawing more current than the other.
Anyway, it's going into the dealer this evening. Will post more when I know more.
Thanks again!
The bulbs have all been from HD.. and the right side blows out first. The last change I did, the right side running light blew out within a mile of starting out.
If it were a batch of bad bulbs, wouldn't both sides be equally susceptible to burning out? I would think so, unless one side is drawing more current than the other.
Anyway, it's going into the dealer this evening. Will post more when I know more.
Thanks again!
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 506
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, AZ
I had the front left turn go out first, then the rear right runner, then the right rear turn... at this point my dealer also was having other customers comming in with similar issues, we swapped all 4 bulbs (front and rear) with new bulbs and I havn't seen a bulb blow in 2500miles since....
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 684
Likes: 1
From: Colorado
Just got the bike back from the dealer. What I was told that this problem happens out of the factory, on some small number of bikes now and then.
The problem was that the brake/turn wire was swapped with the running light wire. Brake/turn draws more current and when put through the run light filament - which is set for lower amperage - it burns out.
Looks like I made it home from the dealer without it blowing out... so far so good, but time will tell.
The problem was that the brake/turn wire was swapped with the running light wire. Brake/turn draws more current and when put through the run light filament - which is set for lower amperage - it burns out.
Looks like I made it home from the dealer without it blowing out... so far so good, but time will tell.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,298
Likes: 6,324
From: Honah Lee
I am going to assume your voltage regulator is OK and you are not getting random jolts of 30+ volts of AC. Worked on a GM car that had this problem and had gone through three timing control coil modules before I discovered what was wrong. Put my AC meter on it and you could clearly see it. If you had this problem it would be all of them.
By any chance after replacing the original bulbs did you grab some from Autozone. They actual make different grades of these and a motorcycle needs the heavy duty long life ones with the heavy duty shock resistance element. You would think if your connection was bad in that socket it would increase the resistance and lower the voltage but I would think that would cause problems at the connection, not the element itself. Not sure what lower voltage going across the resistance wire would do. Will ask my neighbor. He's a electrical engineer were I work. Do know your starter draws more amperage when voltage drops from 12.6 to say 12 volts. Maybe that is what the element is doing from the connection.
By any chance after replacing the original bulbs did you grab some from Autozone. They actual make different grades of these and a motorcycle needs the heavy duty long life ones with the heavy duty shock resistance element. You would think if your connection was bad in that socket it would increase the resistance and lower the voltage but I would think that would cause problems at the connection, not the element itself. Not sure what lower voltage going across the resistance wire would do. Will ask my neighbor. He's a electrical engineer were I work. Do know your starter draws more amperage when voltage drops from 12.6 to say 12 volts. Maybe that is what the element is doing from the connection.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Jul 15, 2011 at 10:24 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 529
Likes: 36
From: WV
I just had my left rear one burn out at 1700 miles. The blinker worked, but the running light was gone.
I'm a bit confused by what the dealer told you. Is there a way you can check to see if it's wired wrong?
I'm a bit confused by what the dealer told you. Is there a way you can check to see if it's wired wrong?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,298
Likes: 6,324
From: Honah Lee
They are color coded but the plugs only go one way. I would assume since each wire is removable from the plug by pushing in the retainer and pulling it out, someone put the harness together improperly or maybe in tinkers case when someone relocated the lights. In some cases when you pull the signals out you need to take plug off to pull wires through.
Road Captain
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 529
Likes: 36
From: WV
They are color coded but the plugs only go one way. I would assume since each wire is removable from the plug by pushing in the retainer and pulling it out, someone put the harness together improperly or maybe in tinkers case when someone relocated the lights. In some cases when you pull the signals out you need to take plug off to pull wires through.
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 684
Likes: 1
From: Colorado
If you've only had the bike for 1700 miles.. I assume you haven't had it long.. so take it in to the dealer and have them give it a look. I was told that this problem is a bit uncommon, but it does happen, so your dealer should know about it.
He said there are 3 wires involved. The two that are crossed are colored red and blue.
Here is exactly what was written on the repair order.
Resolution:
Tech located and repaired wiring issue with right rear bulb. Fond turnsignal wires were backwards and brake light was always on.
Hope that helps.
He said there are 3 wires involved. The two that are crossed are colored red and blue.
Here is exactly what was written on the repair order.
Resolution:
Tech located and repaired wiring issue with right rear bulb. Fond turnsignal wires were backwards and brake light was always on.
Hope that helps.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 38,298
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From: Honah Lee
Thanks for finishing and I think I learned something. Just my opinion would guess that the run light that was always on was going through the brighter brake element in the bulb and it was always on and when you hit the brake the smaller less bright run element was serving as your brake light. The red/yellow (stripe) and blue are the hot wires for the brake and run. When I follow it back in the electrical diagram since it does not show the actual element and going through so many plugs I can not tell which is which. Pretty sure red/yellow is brake since the wire coming from the hydraulic brake switch is marked red. My guess is the two element bulb has different hour life ratings for the two elements since the manufacture would assume the brake element is not on all the time like the run part. I would think you actual had a very dim brake light when you hit the brake. Still not sure what the signal light wires switched were doing. Surely your left signal was not flashing your right light.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Jul 17, 2011 at 11:13 AM.
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 233
Likes: 1
From: Boise, Idaho
Same problem here...doesn't seem to matter if they're HD bulbs or from Autozone.I go through a bulb about every 500 miles or so for about the past 2000 miles (I'm @ 8300 now). Didn't have this problem 'till about3-4 months ago.
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