Hey fellas.. Softail Blackline 2011 here... so I have Custom Dynamics LED replacement bulbs type 1157 ... and I had bullet turn signals filament bulbs in the front... I now have the stock signals in the front.... when I replace all front and rear bulbs with stock incandescent bulbs... the turn signals do not work... Brakes do not work...
the console indicators for the turn signals hyper flash ...

Now.. if I install the Custom dynamic LED bulbs in the rear turn signals they flash properly and brakes work... however the front incandescent lights do not work ... same situation if I swap front and rear with a mix of incandescent the LED...

This is a weird issue... since reverting the turn signals to stock incandescent bulbs causes total failure of turn signals / brake signals...

Any idea of what is going on? Thanks !!!!!!

 

I have never heard/read about that issue before..... very strange..... I'd call Custom Dynamics and see if they have heard of this before... Their customer service is excellent.

Until then....

You have the canbus system on your bike?

Did you have to perform the "learn" procedure when you added the CD LED bulbs to stop the hyper flash..??

Just a wild guess..... but maybe try to do the learn procedure backwards.....??? Couldn't hurt...

Let us know the resolution when you get it fixed...

 

Hey Hattitude....

I have not tried the learn procedure in reverse... but it is worth a shot!!.. I will try tomorrow and I will let the forum know how it goes.. Thanks!

 

Certainly try hattitude's suggestion of the reverse learn procedure. It would be a quick and easy solution if it works. hattitude, a very interesting recommendation BTW.

If it doesn't work, here is another suggestion. Now, I am just thinking out loud but too tired to really think this through. Joe's 2011 Blackline should have CanBus wiring. Is it possible that load equalizers were required when you first switched to the LED bulbs? I believe older LED lights required load equalizers but newer lights didn't. Now switching back to incandescent bulbs doesn't work because the load equalizers are still in place but the LED lights do work as expected.

Joe, let us know what you find.

 

Hey Bone Doc..

Unfortunately, the trick did not work... I tried many times... no joy...

The weird thing is that I did not have to go through the learn process when I installed the Custom Dynamics LEB bulbs in the rear (I did only rear... the front stayed as incandescent)..

I ordered a set of front LED bulbs with optional resistors.. I will give it a try.. if it works then I will leave it as LED front / rear... I will keep you posted.. Thanks!

 

This is a puzzling problem for sure..

I believe the OP has a canbus bike, so no load equalizers should have been needed to add LED lights... My suggestion to try the BCM relearn procedure for the switch to LED bulbs was just a shot in the dark.... I was hoping the switch back to incandescent bulbs may have thrown off the BCM, and the relearn procedure would make it right..

Usually, a switch to LED bulbs, on a canbus bike may lead to hyperfash of the turn signal indicator, because the BCM reads the low draw from the LEDs, thinks that a blinker light is out, and is alerting the rider to that condition... Some BCMs will automatically adjust, and some need that LED learn procedure..

I am at a total loss as to how/why a change in the draw from the turn signal bulbs, would actually shut down certain turn signal bulbs, and/or the brake lights.... This problem is over my pay grade...

IIRC, there was a recall for the early 2011 softail's BCM.... but I seem to remember that was about a stalling issue, not lights going out...

I'd still call Custom Dynamics and see if they have heard, or had reports of this happening before... but I have to admit, this is the first case I've heard where someone has switched from LED bulbs back to incandescent bulbs...

My only other thought would be to put the bulbs in the bike you want to run, disconnect the battery for an hour or so, to let the bike systems go through a reset/reboot when you reconnect the battery... again, just another shot in the dark...

 

yeah Hattitude.. the issue with the 2011 BCMs was the connector allowed entry of water to the electrical pins and caused the BCM to stop providing power to the fuel pump...

yeah.. I am also at a total loss as to why incandescent bulbs just don't work... it seems the module that controls the signals goes completely haywire

the reason I am trying to switch back from LED to incandescent is that I am going to sell my Blackline... and I am trying to make it as stock as possible.. :-)

I will try disconnecting the battery for a couple hours.. Thanks!

 

This is strange indeed. Another one of those "it just shouldn't be so difficult" issues.

 

After installing LED bulbs on both front and rear the turn signals are back to normal... the console is still hyper flashing... but at least the turn signals work as intended..

I really have no idea why the turn signal system fails to operate completely when I install incandescent.. but at this point, I give up.. LOL...

Thanks for all your help fellas !!