Harley Davidson Forums

Softail Models Standard, Custom, Night Train, Deuce, Springer, Heritage, Fatboy, Deluxe, Rocker and Cross Bones.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Heritage Head Light Running Light Issue

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Aug 24, 2025 | 01:39 PM
Share
  #1  
kneesinthebreeze24's Avatar
kneesinthebreeze24
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 237
Likes: 38
From: Joisey
Default Heritage Head Light Running Light Issue
Greetings all, I have a 2009 Heritage with LED headlight and running lights. Never had an issue until last night. When I turn on the bike with low beams on, all 3 lights are on, when I switch to high beams, the running lights turn off.

What I have tried so far:
Changed all the bulbs
Checked the fuses ( I was hoping to find a bad relay, however I didn't see a headlight relay, maybe its somewhere else???)
Checked wiring inside the light bucket and behind the cover,
Checked connections at the battery
opened up the clamshell at the switch and checked for pinched or burnt wires

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

TJ
 
Reply
0
Old Aug 24, 2025 | 01:46 PM
Share
  #2  
YZR's Avatar
YZR
Grand HDF Member
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 3,634
Likes: 2,904
From: Mostly Florida, some Michigan
Default
That's the way it's supposed to function. You can buy a harness and rewire things to get the running lights to stay on if you want.
 
Reply
0
Old Aug 24, 2025 | 02:37 PM
Share
  #3  
kneesinthebreeze24's Avatar
kneesinthebreeze24
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 237
Likes: 38
From: Joisey
Default
Originally Posted by YZR
That's the way it's supposed to function. You can buy a harness and rewire things to get the running lights to stay on if you want.
I've had the bike 6 years and it always was able to run with high beam and passing lamps on. This is something new
 
Reply
0
Old Aug 24, 2025 | 02:48 PM
Share
  #4  
YZR's Avatar
YZR
Grand HDF Member
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Jan 2019
Posts: 3,634
Likes: 2,904
From: Mostly Florida, some Michigan
Default
My '08 Heritage running lights turn off with the high beam. Here's the harness I mentioned: Harness
Maybe yours already has it and something has come loose. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will chime in with a better answer.
 
Reply
1
Old Aug 24, 2025 | 03:04 PM
Share
  #5  
WP50's Avatar
WP50
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 6,185
Likes: 2,134
From: W. Texas
Default
Unless you had something modified what you describe is how it works from the factory.

That or it's fixing to burst into flames maybe

WP
 
Last edited by WP50; Aug 24, 2025 at 03:09 PM.
Reply
0
Old Aug 24, 2025 | 03:24 PM
Share
  #6  
Bone Doc's Avatar
Bone Doc
Seasoned HDF Member
10 Year Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 13,104
Likes: 13,047
From: Texas, USA
Default
Do you have this harness installed already? If so, maybe a connector loosened or a wire broke/shorted ??? If not, then the lights had to be rewired for them to function as you describe.
 
Last edited by Bone Doc; Aug 24, 2025 at 03:28 PM.
Reply
0
Old Aug 24, 2025 | 05:34 PM
Share
  #7  
kneesinthebreeze24's Avatar
kneesinthebreeze24
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 237
Likes: 38
From: Joisey
Default
Originally Posted by Bone Doc
Do you have this harness installed already? If so, maybe a connector loosened or a wire broke/shorted ??? If not, then the lights had to be rewired for them to function as you describe.
I didnt install anything. If the previous owner did, where would it be? Behind the headlight, connected to the passing lamp toggle switch?
 
Reply
0

Trending Topics

Old Aug 24, 2025 | 07:03 PM
Share
  #8  
Bone Doc's Avatar
Bone Doc
Seasoned HDF Member
10 Year Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 13,104
Likes: 13,047
From: Texas, USA
Default
Originally Posted by kneesinthebreeze24
I didnt install anything. If the previous owner did, where would it be? Behind the headlight, connected to the passing lamp toggle switch?
The harness connects to the passing lamp toggle switch behind the left fork leg cover and the fender tip lamp connector under the fuel tank.
 
Reply
0
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Aug 24, 2025 | 07:30 PM
Share
  #9  
kneesinthebreeze24's Avatar
kneesinthebreeze24
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
5 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 237
Likes: 38
From: Joisey
Default
Originally Posted by Bone Doc
The harness connects to the passing lamp toggle switch behind the left fork leg cover and the fender tip lamp connector under the fuel tank.
ok, thanks, I'll take a look.
 
Reply
0
Old Aug 24, 2025 | 08:24 PM
Share
  #10  
razorbacksrule's Avatar
razorbacksrule
Road Warrior
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Liked
Top Answer: 1
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,318
Likes: 579
From: Ft Smith Arkansas
Default Lights
22 model Heritage is the same way running lights go off when high beam is on .
 
Reply
0



Advanced Search
Reply Closed Thread Share
Forum Jump

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:03 AM.

story-0
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-1
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-2
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-3
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-4
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-5
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-6
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-7
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE