Help! No horn and brake light, fuse keeps popping!

[Mta1981]

Hey everyone,

I've seen a couple threads about this but no concrete answer. Does anyone know a common area to check for a bad connection/chafed wire that would cause this short? Gone through a few fuses already. It's the "signal" fuse that keeps popping and the turn signals and hazards work fine. Disconnected the horn and the fuse still popped. Gonna try more trouble shooting today to see if it's the front or rear brake switch. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Obviously a dead short in the harness, a hot line, grounding direct to the frame. To my knowledge there is NO one specific spot to look for.

Have you done or had done any NEW work to the bike???

I would start at the fuse box and start following the harness outward. The harness / wire will likely is going to be worn thru bare to the frame/steel. You'll also see some blackish arcing...

There's some things you can do that FI or Motogiro will direct you to check.

*I have in the past, on a past, 1980 Yamaha XS 650 had a short I could not find.

What I ended up doing was getting some spare fuses (it would pop as soon as the key was turned on). I eventually pulled the tank, put in a new fuse and could HEAR where it was literally shorting / grounding out at. Once in the area, found the shorted wire right on the "backbone" of the frame (some arcing and a worn thru wire). Taped her up with electrical tape, good to go. Took about 3-4 fuses to find it.

For the FZ, turn off the RED kill switch so the fuel pump doesn't turn on(noise), get the bike in a quiet area(closed garage) and then turn on what ever pops the fuse and listen. More ears would help.

 

[Mta1981]

Well I did install saddlebag support brackets last weekend, but I drilled through the rack for my Givi rear case. I'll have to check if I hit a harness with the drill or bolt. If nothing is there I'll do your tank removal method and run through some fuses. I'm about to head home from my girls house to my garage. Looks like I'll be riding with the hazards on again! Thanks for the tip!

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Well I did install saddlebag support brackets last weekend, but I drilled through the rack for my Givi rear case. I'll have to check if I hit a harness with the drill or bolt. If nothing is there I'll do your tank removal method and run through some fuses. I'm about to head home from my girls house to my garage. Looks like I'll be riding with the hazards on again! Thanks for the tip!

I believe all the tail light wires run from the rear left pod (just under/adjacent to the seat) to the rear tail light and directionals. I'd start there. Most likely, its there..

Even if you didn't hit a wire, if it got pinched inbetween the frame and your supports that will wear thru and short it.

**Years ago, my friend bought a new BMW and the tail light stopped working (not a day old, noticed it the next day). The Can Bus system told him the problem was up front. Got into a pissing match with him, he relented and let me start at the tail light, where the issue was. Took me maybe a minute to find his rear light harness PINCHED inbetween the sub-frame and something else FROM the FACTORY. Released it, taped it up for a temp fix, worked fine..

 

[trepetti]

Scott, the old LEO days must die hard. It's CAN BUS, not cannibus. [emoji1]. Can bus is a "common area network". Cannibus is a ..... You know. Lol.

 

[FinalImpact]

Scott, the old LEO days must die hard. It's CAN BUS, not cannibus. [emoji1]. Can bus is a "common area network". Cannibus is a ..... You know. Lol.

Brilliant! ^^


Ok - back on topic....

[MENTION=20886]Mta1981[/MENTION]
Important question ; WHEN does it pop?
1) when the key is on
2) when the horn or brake lever is activated

From the fuse to the Horn and brake switches is a brown wire. It's powered while the fuse is OK. If the fuse pops from KEY On (1), this wire is shorted.

If the fuse pops when a brake switch is activated (2), the search narrows to points after the switches. Look for and follow:
A) yellow wire from the brake light. Unplug it from Left Pod. Test.
B) Green with a yellow trace. Connects the two brake switches together. It connected to the rear brake switch bulb side.

Please do inspect the bulb and confirm its Installed correctly and not shorted. Remove it and test.

PS - To save on fuses do this:
Remove fuse that keeps popping. Insert a 12v test lamp or any 12v light bulb where the fuse WAS. The lamp will be OFF, until the short appears then it will light. Your brake lamp will bare glow its getting limited current through the test lamp.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Scott, the old LEO days must die hard. It's CAN BUS, not cannibus. [emoji1]. Can bus is a "common area network". Cannibus is a ..... You know. Lol.

LOL, I think I prefer the "Cannibus" system! The Can Bus system is a PIA too...

Fixed it too, check the reason for the edit.. I need a snack!


Ok back to the thread..:thumbup:

 

[patrickb37]

I had a similar problem on mine. Found that the PO had spliced one of the front turn signal wires (presumably while fixing the light after dropping the bike) and wrapped in electrical tape, which eventually came loose and caused a short.

 

[Motogiro]

I had a similar problem on mine. Found that the PO had spliced one of the front turn signal wires (presumably while fixing the light after dropping the bike) and wrapped in electrical tape, which eventually came loose and caused a short.

Patrick! Long time no see! Hey! you got a Street Triple?! Hook up with us!
PM me your email if you're not on SoCal Hoons mail!

 

[Mta1981]

[MENTION=15974]FinalImpact[/MENTION]

Well I've narrowed it down to the tail light harness/socket. The fuse would pop when the bike was shaken, no matter what was used, horn, front or rear brake switch. I disconnected the tail light harness, went through all the variables and the fuse never popped. Reconnected the rear tail light harness and shook it around while holding a brake lever and it popped. Question now is do I go OEM or wait a paycheck and get an integrated LED replacement? Thoughts........

[MENTION=6338]TownsendsFJR1300[/MENTION],
I did stay clear of all wiring when I installed the saddlebag support brackets!

 

[Motogiro]

[MENTION=15974]FinalImpact[/MENTION]

Well I've narrowed it down to the tail light harness/socket. The fuse would pop when the bike was shaken, no matter what was used, horn, front or rear brake switch. I disconnected the tail light harness, went through all the variables and the fuse never popped. Reconnected the rear tail light harness and shook it around while holding a brake lever and it popped. Question now is do I go OEM or wait a paycheck and get an integrated LED replacement? Thoughts........

[MENTION=6338]TownsendsFJR1300[/MENTION],
I did stay clear of all wiring when I installed the saddlebag support brackets!

Try pulling just the lamp out of the socket and see if it still pops the fuse. The short could be right at the socket or the lamp (rare) itself.

 

[FinalImpact]

[MENTION=15974]FinalImpact[/MENTION]

Well I've narrowed it down to the tail light harness/socket. The fuse would pop when the bike was shaken, no matter what was used, horn, front or rear brake switch. I disconnected the tail light harness, went through all the variables and the fuse never popped. Reconnected the rear tail light harness and shook it around while holding a brake lever and it popped. Question now is do I go OEM or wait a paycheck and get an integrated LED replacement? Thoughts........

[MENTION=6338]TownsendsFJR1300[/MENTION],
I did stay clear of all wiring when I installed the saddlebag support brackets!

So, The white connector here (rectangle) once unplugged its happy??
AND its happy until the brake is pressed? Again - a test lamp in place of the fuse will provide light vs blown fuses.

If that's the case, did you pull the bulb? Do you have an ohm meter?
With the bulb removed you could ohm the running lamp from bulb to connector. Repeat for brake side. Then verify with connector undone, that the brake to ground is OPEN (infinit ohms). If not pull the tail section and inspect the harness.

You can drop the grab handle bolts, pull a couple of small bolts and have the entire aft section off for inspection.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Getting closer!!!

As posted above, its rare that socket goes bad.

Make sure you follow that sub harness from the connector back making sure its clear of everything.



Tail lights on boat trailers that get submerged rust up and fail all the time..

 

[Mta1981]

yeah, its the socket. As rare as it is when i shake it at the base of the socket its lights out. all is happy with the sub-harness disconnected. Thank you all for the info and pics!!

 

[Mta1981]

[MENTION=2579]Motogiro[/MENTION], where are the flasher relays? Are those the ones on the left side of the bike like in the picture above? I want to get one of those relays that you've mentioned in other posts that fix the flashing rate, previous owner had LED front signals installed

 

[Motogiro]

[MENTION=2579]Motogiro[/MENTION], where are the flasher relays? Are those the ones on the left side of the bike like in the picture above? I want to get one of those relays that you've mentioned in other posts that fix the flashing rate, previous owner had LED front signals installed

[MENTION=20886]Mta1981[/MENTION]
Front of the bike in the fairing lower left side.

 

[FinalImpact]

[MENTION=15974]FinalImpact[/MENTION]

Well I've narrowed it down to the tail light harness/socket. The fuse would pop when the bike was shaken, no matter what was used, horn, front or rear brake switch. I disconnected the tail light harness, went through all the variables and the fuse never popped. Reconnected the rear tail light harness and shook it around while holding a brake lever and it popped. Question now is do I go OEM or wait a paycheck and get an integrated LED replacement? Thoughts........


I did stay clear of all wiring when I installed the saddlebag support brackets!

How goes the battle? Any updates?

 

[Mta1981]

Actually yeah [MENTION=15974]FinalImpact[/MENTION]. There was some piece of metal, how or from what I have no clue, but a small shard of metal that was in the bulb socket causing the short. I looked in the socket and could see marks from arcing at the terminal at the bottom. The part of the socket that pushes down and lets the bulb turn in place was jammed from this piece. I was able to remove it with pliers and all has been well for 2 weeks now.........I just ordered the integrated LED setup from motodynamics today, its too damn cool looking lol. I also bought LED replacements for the front and rear turn signals. Soon I wont have a single halogen bulb on the bike! HIDs up front FTW!!!