No brake lights FXWG

[Wiglaf]

I just got my 83 WideGlide out of storage & the brake light isn't working. The taillight works fine, but neither the front or rear brakelight works. Where's the switch located? I can't read the electrical diagram online & my shop manual got left behind & has to be shipped to me.

Thanks!:small3d015:

 

[fin_676]

if neither front or back brakes get the light working id first try and change the bulb should be a dual filament bulb
may be that the 21 watt filament has blown

Brian

 

[jel123]

fin is right ck bulb first since it won,t work off bars or petal if the bulb is good ck under your seat at the connecter one of my pins slipped back and my brake light stopped working all you need is a test light all the wiring for the rear runs thru that plug so its easey to find i beleive it was a blk plug,jel

 

[Wiglaf]

Thanks for your help--I've spent all afternoon tracing the problem & it turned out to be my light bulb socket. Went to the local parts store & bought an old Ford socket, modified it & hooked it up--Shazam! I've got brake lights!

Thanks again--

 

[Wiglaf]

Well, I spoke too soon. It was working, but after reassembling it all, now I've got full time brake lights. Did I cross wires somehow?

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

Could be you were fighting a symptom and not the root cause...brake light on all the time overheated the socket and damaged it...sounds like either the momentary switch in the brake lever or foot brake lever is at fault. Looks like a bit more troubleshooting is in order...!

While this simplified schematic is not necessarily how your bike is wired being an 80's machine, it gives you an idea...the lamp outside metal is ground and the center goes out in to both the momentary switches in the front brake lever and rear brake pedal switches in parallel to the ignition switched 12V fused light power source. Either one of the switches are probably the source of the brake light...you have to isolate by opening wire to one or the other switch.

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s45/bills985/Wiringdiag.jpg

 

[Wiglaf]

I've fixed the problem again (maybe)--I had somehow reversed the poles on the plug. Now I've got a taillight and brake light as it's supposed to be. (Unless newhd74fan is right and it blows again.)

Thanks to everybody who posted.

 

[glider]

That'll do it.