2003 Heritage Softail Rear Light Problem
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 111
Likes: 62
From: Jax, FL
2003 Heritage Softail Rear Light Problem
Hi Folks,
A few nights ago a buddy noticed my rear light and yellow parking lights (probably not the correct name) were out. The brake light and the blinkers still work. The LIGHTS fuse in the box checks OK. I recently had to replace the light bar. Everything was working when I was done but there's a nonzero chance that I messed something up since I'm a hack when it comes to electricals. Does anyone have an idea why those particular lights would be out while my brake light and blinkers were still working?
A few nights ago a buddy noticed my rear light and yellow parking lights (probably not the correct name) were out. The brake light and the blinkers still work. The LIGHTS fuse in the box checks OK. I recently had to replace the light bar. Everything was working when I was done but there's a nonzero chance that I messed something up since I'm a hack when it comes to electricals. Does anyone have an idea why those particular lights would be out while my brake light and blinkers were still working?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,195
Likes: 11,310
From: San Diego, CA
Hi Folks,
A few nights ago a buddy noticed my rear light and yellow parking lights (probably not the correct name) were out. The brake light and the blinkers still work. The LIGHTS fuse in the box checks OK. I recently had to replace the light bar. Everything was working when I was done but there's a nonzero chance that I messed something up since I'm a hack when it comes to electricals. Does anyone have an idea why those particular lights would be out while my brake light and blinkers were still working?
Well....... first off, I'll fix your rear "running lights" for you over the internet....
The yellow signal lights in the rear DO NOT work as running lights from the factory. They only illuminate when the blinker is active, and they are flashing... Only the front turn signals also work as a running light when they are not flashing.
The rears are a single element #1156 bulb, and the fronts are a dual element #1157 bulb. When I switched the rear turn signals on my 2003 Heritage to use the rear turn signals as additional running lights and stop lights, I had to add a Run/Turn/Brake module to make the rear single element #1156 bulb act like a dual element #1157 bulb.
So we fixed that issue...
Sadly, I can't fix the tail light for you, but I can give you a few suggestions to check.
The tail light IS supposed to be a running and stop light. It has a dual filament bulb.. I believe it too is an 1157 bulb, except in mid-year 2003 they changed to a wedge style bulb, #3157. So if you have a late-model 2003, you still have a dual filament bulb, just with a different base.
Did you check the bulb in your tail light? The "Run" element could be burned out.
If it's not the bulb, and it worked after your light bar replacement, it is possible you had a loose connector that has now lost contact with a pin due to vibrations. It's also possible a pin in the connector in the running light circuit became loose in the connector when you were plugging & unplugging the connectors. Check to ensure the pins are all "locked" into their positions in the connectors.
Last edited by hattitude; Oct 15, 2024 at 07:57 PM.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 111
Likes: 62
From: Jax, FL
Well....... first off, I'll fix your rear "running lights" for you over the internet....
The yellow signal lights in the rear DO NOT work as running lights from the factory. They only illuminate when the blinker is active, and they are flashing... Only the front turn signals also work as a running light when they are not flashing.
The rears are a single element #1156 bulb, and the fronts are a dual element #1157 bulb. When I switched the rear turn signals on my 2003 Heritage to use the rear turn signals as additional running lights and stop lights, I had to add a Run/Turn/Brake module to make the rear single element #1156 bulb act like a dual element #1157 bulb.
So we fixed that issue...
Sadly, I can't fix the tail light for you, but I can give you a few suggestions to check.
The tail light IS supposed to be a running and stop light. It has a dual filament bulb.. I believe it too is an 1157 bulb, except in mid-year 2003 they changed to a wedge style bulb, #3157. So if you have a late-model 2003, you still have a dual filament bulb, just with a different base.
Did you check the bulb in your tail light? The "Run" element could be burned out.
If it's not the bulb, and it worked after your light bar replacement, it is possible you had a loose connector that has now lost contact with a pin due to vibrations. It's also possible a pin in the connector in the running light circuit became loose in the connector when you were plugging & unplugging the connectors. Check to ensure the pins are all "locked" into their positions in the connectors.
The yellow signal lights in the rear DO NOT work as running lights from the factory. They only illuminate when the blinker is active, and they are flashing... Only the front turn signals also work as a running light when they are not flashing.
The rears are a single element #1156 bulb, and the fronts are a dual element #1157 bulb. When I switched the rear turn signals on my 2003 Heritage to use the rear turn signals as additional running lights and stop lights, I had to add a Run/Turn/Brake module to make the rear single element #1156 bulb act like a dual element #1157 bulb.
So we fixed that issue...
Sadly, I can't fix the tail light for you, but I can give you a few suggestions to check.
The tail light IS supposed to be a running and stop light. It has a dual filament bulb.. I believe it too is an 1157 bulb, except in mid-year 2003 they changed to a wedge style bulb, #3157. So if you have a late-model 2003, you still have a dual filament bulb, just with a different base.
Did you check the bulb in your tail light? The "Run" element could be burned out.
If it's not the bulb, and it worked after your light bar replacement, it is possible you had a loose connector that has now lost contact with a pin due to vibrations. It's also possible a pin in the connector in the running light circuit became loose in the connector when you were plugging & unplugging the connectors. Check to ensure the pins are all "locked" into their positions in the connectors.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,081
Likes: 1,498
From: Black Hills of SD
Or corrosion making the contact intermittent. Sometimes the contact "Nub", yeah that's a real word, on the bulb itself gets worn enough that it makes the contact intermittent. And we all know our bikes have some shaking going on in the extremities.
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Cruiser
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From: Jax, FL
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Stellar HDF Member
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