Brake lights driving me mad!!

**bugjuice** · 25th July 2006, 20:12

this is so bloody stupid now.
The ZX6 brake lights won't light from the brake lever.

Originally, neither foot or lever would make them light up. After hours of tracing back from the tail lights, I found a bad connection at the back of the bike. Fixed that, and the foot brake made the brake lights come on. But not the lever.

More tracing round the front of the bike, and bridging the brake switch wires, and still nothing. I've got a test light that I grounded and poked every connector in every plug I could find behind the dash. The test light came on a few times (and made the dash go out then touching another made the dash come back on?!?!?!) but at no point when the test light was on, was the brake lights on. So all the plugs seem to appear ok at the dash.

From the dash, the loom goes under the tank and seat, then out the back. Next is to take the tank and seat off again I guess, but all that is just wires, and hopefully just two none broken wires.

I guess I've said it myself that it could be a broken wire, but is there anything I'm missing??? The fuse is ok, the wiring is really simple according to the bike manual, and no other circuits are off. SO WTF IS IT?!?!?!?

This is the only damn thing stopping me from calling Texmo to get the bloody thing a CoF..

**Motu** · 25th July 2006, 21:04

You don't need both levers working the brake lamp - it just has to come on when the brakes are applied,it doesn't specify which one.I quite like to be able to choose when my brake light works....

You just have to find power to the switch,I doubt if it comes from the dash - confusing yourself there,keep it simple stupid.The wiring should be colour coded,but in practice the Japanese use a system unknown to the Western mind.If you can't get power to the switch - produce some....run a wire from a convienient switched fused location to the front switch wire.There is always a way.

**bugjuice** · 25th July 2006, 21:11

that was going to be the last and next resort - to tap a new wire from the lever to the brake pedal and 'piggy back' it.. which is probably going to be a lot of hassle.

The wire colours are both black from the switch. Then 4 inches down, it turns into brown/white and blue/white dashed. Then it goes into a big bundle of black tape.

But I like your technicality

**Ixion** · 25th July 2006, 21:14

Your friend in these matters is a long length of wire with an alligator clip on each end. One clip on battery (non earth) - we know the earth from the bulb is OK, cos the rear pedal lights it.

Look around the lever. There should be a couple of wires (probably wrapped up as one) coming from it.Touch the clip on your wire to each of those two. One should light the lamp. If not, the wire from the lever to the lamp is broken. If it does light, the fee dto the switch is no good. Take the clip off the battery and connect the two clips across the ends of the lever wires. If the lamp now comes on the switch is NFG. If not, you need to trace back the feed to the switch. AND REPLACE THE FUSE. Yes, I know you checked it.Replace it anyway. I have lost count of the times when replacing a fuse has made a fault disappear. Even when the fuse had been checked. Absolutely. For certain.

**bugjuice** · 25th July 2006, 21:19

the brake light fuse is the same circuit as the dash lights. The dash lights go out, then the fuse is dead.

And yup, I connected the test lamp to the battery and the other end to one of the two wires from the switch, and neither lit up. But, firstly I'm now doubting if I tested it after I found the previous fault (so the test was no good) and I only connected the test lamp to the negative. Thought it was safer than connecting it to the positive and blowing heaps of stuff.. Might redo that test and see.. The switch is brand new tho.. But yeah, I know even new things can be faulty

**Motu** · 25th July 2006, 21:26

Originally Posted by bugjuice

The wire colours are both black from the switch. Then 4 inches down, it turns into brown/white and blue/white dashed.

Ah,so......the oriental mind - inscrutable.

To us Vulcans...illogical.

**bugjuice** · 25th July 2006, 21:29

forgot to mention, the switch of colour is in a black sheath too.. they aren't smart for a reason

**imdying** · 25th July 2006, 21:39

Originally Posted by Motu

You don't need both levers working the brake lamp - it just has to come on when the brakes are applied,it doesn't specify which one.I quite like to be able to choose when my brake light works....

I thought it was when either brake was applied?

http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/pub...hting-v2-3.pdf

Lighting 4-10 Stop Lamps

Performance
8. A required stop lamp must operate when a service
brake is applied.

How do they define 'service brake'? That's the normal running brakes, as opposed to the parking brake right?

**Phenoix** · 25th July 2006, 22:20

Use a proper multi meter instead of test lamp.
That way you can check due to excess resistance ie corrosion.
I have a spare meter if you want, and might have a bit of spare time on Sunday if you want a hand.

**Cajun** · 26th July 2006, 08:12

those switches can shit themselfs BJ. Should be cheap to pick up another one

**sAsLEX** · 26th July 2006, 14:04

Originally Posted by Cajun

those switches can shit themselfs BJ. Should be cheap to pick up another one

or fill it with CO cONtact cleaner and they generally get a few more months out of them

**Cajun** · 26th July 2006, 14:23

Originally Posted by sAsLEX

or fill it with CO cONtact cleaner and they generally get a few more months out of them

well i would rather replace it, i wouldn't want it dieing on me later stage and not noticing it and getting some ass rear ending me cause my brake light didn't come on

**sAsLEX** · 26th July 2006, 14:26

Originally Posted by Cajun

well i would rather replace it, i wouldn't want it dieing on me later stage and not noticing it and getting some ass rear ending me cause my brake light didn't come on

Should be keeping an eye on everything around you, and riding to one side of the lane so hopefully they plow next to you! I also nearly always split when coming up to stationary traffic to avoid being the meat in the cage sandwhich! Have ridden through a shower of glass and indicators as people have read ended things next to me, quite humerous really.

Plus you always have the rear brake pedal to light them up as well.

**imdying** · 26th July 2006, 17:58

Originally Posted by Cajun

those switches can shit themselfs BJ. Should be cheap to pick up another one

The switch he has is new, and to double check, he has bridged the connectors which would rule out the switch anyway.

**bugjuice** · 26th July 2006, 18:30

thanx imdying, just about to say that..

not worked on it yet, going for a swim to relax me, then back on it tonight. So I'd like some good ideas please..

I've pretty much come to terms with having to reroute new wires to the brake pedal switch..