No brake lights!, 1999 vfr800

Morning,

I have recently found that I no longer have brake lights, which isnt great.

At first both stopped working, then the rear brake worked, and now im back to both not working.

I started poking around last night and have a few questions, bear with me cause some might be daft and i just need to confirm for my own piece of mind,

1 - the brake lights should work with the ignition on but the engine not running?
2 - does anyone have a schematic?
3 - I've checked the bulbs and they seem ok, there are two and I cant believe both have gone.
4 - Checking with a meter last night I took both spades off the switch and I don't have 12v, the lead comes out the right hand switch gear and everything on there appears to be working ok. but the feed for the rear brake must be seperate?

Thanks in advance.....

 

1- yes
2 - loads available for free download in workshop manuals on internet.
3- When you say checked do you mean tested, as opposed to looked at?
4- I would check the fuse. Brake lights use the same fuse as the horn, indicators. Fuse C 10amp.
The black/ brown wire is the live wire to all mentioned above.
Green/yellow is the feed to the brake lights from both switches.

Also check you have bulbs in correct way as it has been known for some to put in wrong way.

 

I thought they should work, was a sanity check question.

My indicators definitely work ok,can't say I tried the horn.

The brake lights were working so I can't see the bulbs being in the wrong way round.

I did google for a schematic and got lots for random bikes, was hoping someone had one they knew was correct.

 

Nothing wrong with a sanity check.

If indicators are working then you should have power to the brake light connectors.

You can download the full service manual . http://vfrworld.com/forums/showthread.php/3161-Downloadable-Parts-Catalogs-and-Service-Manuals

 

Yeah i tired those links, they just drop out, I get connection timed out errors. - but have now found a copy.

Surely its weird to loose both? Looking through the schematic the only way i can loose brake lights but not indicators and horn would be to have a brak in the section ringned in green

 

Try here for the manual http://www.carlsalter.com/honda-service-manuals.asp

The rear brake light connector is just above the front pillion peg bracket bolt. Check and see there.

 

Do the UK bikes use different bulbs? The spade style bulbs can't be installed backwards. The contacts are wired in such away you can flip them 180 all day long in the connector and they work fine.

Are these bulbs tail light/brake light combo? At least they are in the US. They are dual filament. The running tail light is a lighter gauge filament that burns all day and is the first to go. I've never had one where the brake light filament was the one that toasted, it's always the running light filament. I've found these bulbs will go bad at almost exactly the same time too.

 

No same bulbs from what I can tell, checked the filaments in both and the look ok.

Why are my attachments so small? The section ringed in green, from the fuse box it either goes towards the signal relay and horn or it splits off to do the brakes, as I have indicators and assume horn. im suspecting I have a break there.

 

Have you checked for power at the rear brake connection?

Yes they could go there but have never heard of one going.

 

No, wont get a chance until im home later, trying to build up some ideas before I get home....

 

How did you "check" the filaments? Did you use your meter or do a visual inspection. if you just looked at them with your eyes, you need to realize these filaments will routinely just break on one end and otherwise still look intact. You need to hold them up and give a quick flick with a finger on your free hand. If there's a break the free end will be vibrating rapidly.

 

Had an interesting one this morning, the heated grips (which have been on the bike for years, and installed by previous owner) are linked off the front brake live and from somewhere else around the handle bars, turned them on to see if they still worked, check if the 12v was there, try and eliminate where my 12v is missing, came back to the bike 5 mins later to go to work and the grips are stone cold.
Rode off down the road thinking I might have a bigger issue than I first thought, first big junction, flicked the indicator on.......nothing! lost indicators, horn, and no brake lights....just how you want to ride to work. :-(

Unplugged the grips, checked the fuse, it had popped, replaced with the spare. indicators, horn and rear brake working again.....still no front brake light.....