I have an issue going on with my break light. Front and rear levers will activate the break light when bike is cold and for a while while first riding, then several minutes into the ride neither will activate the light. Light will not work until bike cools down and then it works again. Running light works, just no break. WTF, any ideas?

 

It's not the switches since the are separate and independent. However they are supplied by one power source that splits off to the two switches. Hot being an issue leads me to think you have a poor connection near the fuse box near the engine. Try pulling accessories fuse and replacing with know good one. (put a dab of dialectic silicon grease on blades before plugging in. If that does not fix it, there is a junction plug were it splits, (under seat neat back fender on softail. Check that next (replug with grease on blades) Confused? If so I will pull my 08 Dyna service and electrical manuals. Just quoting Softail stuff now but I think they are similar.

 

Thanks for the quick reply, heading out to the garage as soon as i find a diagram for the fuse box to see which one is the accessory fuse.

 

Probably should have mentioned but I assumed you have checked bulb? Since there is only one, the resistance (heat could be here) best when you have this type of problem to get a new one from dealer (there is a difference since his is a long life vibration resistant one) Walmart unless it a long life will only last months. Pull you old one and before replacing it look at contacts for obivious problems. That should be number 1, then my two suggestion above. I have meters and such, so I usually do what comes easiest. However I usually find its usualy just the rear (2 to 1 over the front and most of time the switch. That is one place a bike of Harley's caliber falls down in. 50% of time however it is user caused problems from mods and stuff..

There were some Dyna's that were wired incorrectly with leads mixed up in lights from factory around you bike time period. However the running/break wires were switched causing the buld to be short lived due to running light being break I think. Do you have the run/break module? Mine does and I have 3 break lights. Good idea for safety but it is rough on the switches. Put an led in my fender break one. Signal LED to work required resistor load and that served no purpose for me since I was trying to take load off switch.

 

Its a kuryaken low profile LED tailight. I cleaned up the fuses they were a little corroded. Checked harness. Tested light which was working anyhow since bike is cold. Pressed lever a few times and running light went out, then it totally stopped working. Pulled the lamp and one of the wires fell out of the circuit board. So that sucks but hopefully it was the lamp and not switch or wiring issue.