Kymera

Looking for some input. I've spent the last hour searching the forums for something on this but haven't found anything so I maybe using the wrong terms.

One of my buddies told me tonight that my brake light wasn't working. So when I got home I pulled the front brake lever and nothing. Put my foot on the rear brake lever and nothing. The brake light is stock with after market turn signals. To be honest after thinking about it I'm not really sure if it ever worked. It may also be that they are stuck in the on position.

There is a light in there working but what are the possibilities? could it be a bulb. One of threads in the search threads talked about adjusting something to do with the switch. Could it be a bad switch?

I'm not really handy when it comes to anything electrical so I don't know where to start. Any suggestions, i.e are there any easy tests that I can do to sort this out? Anything would be appreciated.

Gregw

I wouldn't adjust the switch until I was sure the bulb was bad (there are actually 2). If you don't have an ohm meter, probably the easiest thing to do is buy a new bulb and try that. If you see light when the ignition is on, your most likely seeing the running lights which is the dimmer of the two filaments in that bulb.

fuzzuki

Change the damn bulb man.

Riff

Turn signals and horn OK? This would eliminate the fuse.

VTRsurfer

First, there are 2 brake light switches, one each front and rear. One of the brake light switches on my '83 BMW RS shorted out once, causing the brake light to be on all the time. I had to ride home from work 40 miles.

Check the switch with an ohmmeter.

It should show out of limits (OL) with the brakes released.
And zero ohms with the brakes applied.
Check each switch separately.

You don't want to ride without a brake light.

Circuit_Burner

unplug the two little black terminals at the front brake lever switch 1st, then follow the rear brake switch up to its plug and unplug it.
Lights? no lights?
based on this decision, connect only one switch at a time and test.
Its very unlikely both switches are bad at the same time.

Kymera

Thanks all for the input, at least now I have somewhere to start. And although I didn't specifically say it the bulbs in the tail are working.

Stevebis1

But you did say maybe the brake light is always on... Take the seat off, reach in and twist one of the sockets out of the tail light. Turn the ignition switch to on. Look at the bulb. Whats lit? One filiment or two?
Two? something is wrong. Start pursueing the idea that one brake switch is always on.
Only one? without a multi meter (get one - less than $4 at harbor freight) you will need a replacement bulb. Put it in. squeeze the brake. Nothing? You have bigger problems.
If it comes on buy a second bulb, install it and your set

Riff

The tail lights are on a separate circuit from the brake lights. IOW, if the fuse has blown for the brake light circuit, you will still have tail lights.

Do yourself a favour and check your fuse before anything else mentioned above. With the key in the ignition position try your horn. If you get nada, you've found your blown fuse. Only now you've got to figure out what took out the fuse, because it will probably happen again???

Kymera

Okay, got some good news. I have the rear brake working. Both bulbs were lit (no problem with fuse as horn worked). Disconnected the front and rear brake switches and borrowed a multimeter to test the leads. I got 11.9 - 12 on the readout for rear and back connectors and I figured that must be good.

So then I started by focusing on the spring connected to the rear brake lever. When I pushed on the lever the coil never moved. So even though I wasn't sure about doing this I started to turn the adjuster and all of a sudden both bulbs go super bright! So I took the time to tweak it and have the rear brake working properly.

However, the front is still not working. I couldn't see a way to adjust that one either. I am assuming there is an adjuster for that one? I see the brake lever adjuster but nothing else. Any ideas? And thanks for the help. Knowing it wasn't the fuses and how to test this was big help

Thanks

Wicky

Take a peek at the front brake switch, - an ickle black thing, located so the brake lever presses on it and it makes a click.

No adjustment - try cleaning it but if no joy part no. 35340-MM5-600

Hawkrider

Check connections first. If okay then replace the switch. It's one screw to remove it. They go bad after a while. There is a hole on the switch that is open to the elements, IIRC, so they get corroded after a bit, or a spider will build a home there. 35340-MM5-600 is the part number. It's $12.83 at Ronayers and $11.43 at ServiceHonda.