Help! Brake lights not working
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Novice
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 24
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From: Pennsylvania
Help! Brake lights not working
hey guys my 07 street bob brake light isn't working the previous owner removed the handle bar controls and the turn signals he changed the brake light to a 3 wire brake light. There are two bulbs in the brake light one on top and one on bottom that is mainly for a license plate light. The brake light has three wires- one ground, one wire to the top bulb, and one wire to the bottom bulb. From a diagram I saw the front brake is the red/yellow wire, the rear brake is the orange/white wire, the running light is the blue wire and black is ground. I don't think the front brake will work without the handle bar controls,right? But the rear brake should still work so I hooked up the orange wire to the top bulb and hooked up the ground to test it and the light comes on as soon as the switch is on. I removed the connectors at the brake switch for the rear brake, the light still is always on, I took my volt meter to the orange wire and it has constant 12v when I turn on the switch. What do you guys think? What could be wrong here? And where should all of the wires go to have it wired correctly with this brake light. I'd imagine the bottom light should be constant and the top should be the running/ brake light
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,132
Likes: 12,692
From: South Carolina
You need a factory service manual, it will have the correct wiring diagram, otherwise you are just creating an electrical monstrosity for the next owner.
The brake lamp is powered by the Red/Yellow wire that comes from the brake switch.
The Blue wire is running lamp.
Black is ground.
Orange/White wire is not used on the tail light except international models.
The brake lamp is powered by the Red/Yellow wire that comes from the brake switch.
The Blue wire is running lamp.
Black is ground.
Orange/White wire is not used on the tail light except international models.
Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Pennsylvania
You need a factory service manual, it will have the correct wiring diagram, otherwise you are just creating an electrical monstrosity for the next owner.
The brake lamp is powered by the Red/Yellow wire that comes from the brake switch.
The Blue wire is running lamp.
Black is ground.
Orange/White wire is not used on the tail light except international models.
The brake lamp is powered by the Red/Yellow wire that comes from the brake switch.
The Blue wire is running lamp.
Black is ground.
Orange/White wire is not used on the tail light except international models.
Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 24
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From: Pennsylvania
I looked at all the fuses and none looked bad. I took the connectors off the foot pedal switch and one has power all the time. I pressed the brake and checked the red/yellow wire at the brake light and it doesn't have power it reads 1 volt
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,414
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From: Arkansas
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Novice
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From: Pennsylvania
I checked the red/y wire at the brake light with the connectors connected
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Thread Starter
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Novice
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 24
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From: Pennsylvania
I checked the red/y wire at the brake light with the connectors connected
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 2,414
Likes: 433
From: Arkansas
You check the front brake light switch? R/Y are the wires coming from the brake light switches and the O/W are the power supply wires going to the switches. There is a tie point in the harness combining the front/rear switches to the rear light and the turn signal switches. O/W on the tail is a hot wire specifically there for the tail light of the HDI models, but it does indeed supply power for quite a bit of the lighting and comes off of the Acessories fuse in the fuse box. Maybe it is at the tie point. Do you get power at the R/Y when you press the front brake?
Last edited by Zanthamos; Jun 14, 2017 at 03:31 PM.