"stuck" turn signal indicator

[bakayara]

Question... Just purchased a 97 VR750 and the dash indicator for the right turn signal is always on... the bulbs seem OK when flasher used, what does this indicate?

[crustyrider]

Originally Posted by bakayara

Question... Just purchased a 97 VR750 and the dash indicator for the right turn signal is always on... the bulbs seem OK when flasher used, what does this indicate?

you may have a bulb installed "wrong" not sure what the later model bikes have for dash bulbs but thats what it could possibly be....

[NorcalBoy]

Somehow the indicator bulb circuit is still 12v hot, even though the switch is off at the switchgear. I could not find a wiring schematic in the wiki, so I'm not sure how the circuit is completed to light the bulb on the dash. My suspicion is in the wiring for that circuit.

[karazy]

It sounds like it is shorted to the marker light power. As usual, start with the switch and start checking the connectors. Happy hunting.

[squirrelman]

Stock or aftermarket signals??

Aftermarket Taiwan-made signals are very low quality, poor soldering, worst materials, can easily short or cross wires.

[bakayara]

Originally Posted by squirrelman

Stock or aftermarket signals??

Near as I can tell, the bike is totally stock

[RVFR]

so what I'm hearing is the turns signals work like they are suppose to? and the indicator dash bulb stays on, or does it flash when you use the signals? check both bulbs, front one could be in wrong as it's also doubles as a running light. Has this bike seen a lot of wet conditions? When I took off the tail faring once and forget to plug in the wire harness to the taillight the dash signal would stay on. so this tells me something is not connected or broke or out or all of the later

[v4pwr]

i'm agreeing w/ crustyrider. looked in wiring diagram and if the bulb and/ or socket is bad it will illuminate the signal indicator. basically what is happening is if its a bulb or socket shorting the "park" filament of the bulb will feed power back through yhe turn signal wire which will illumate the indicator, like u have. hope it helps

[squirrelman]

unplug front and rear signals separately to locate the bad socket.....dash light will go out.

[bakayara]

K, thanx.. I'll be back home tomorrow (stupid job, gets in the way of riding) and check it then

[Lgn001]

If any of the bulbs are supposed to be a dual filament (2 contacts on the bottom) and somebody has put in a single filament bulb (one contact), it could cause the problem, as it could short the two wiring contacts together when the bulb is inserted.

I have no idea if VFR's use dual filament bulbs, but I have seen the same sort of problem on various automobiles.

[bakayara]

Back...

(had to go up to New York for some legal stuff)

Interestingly, took it out for first night ride night before yesterday and noticed that the right side dash lights were out (Gas/Temp and half the Tach) When replaced the bulbs they don't light, but the 'stuck' turn signal light dims way down... some electrical issue there to track down *sigh*

First I'll have to deal with the new issue from last night, but since it's unrelated and I want a couple of opinions, I'll start a new thread... ;)

[VT Viffer]

The front turn signals in the 1994-97 bikes double as running lights. They require a dual filament bulb (1157, IIRC).

If an 1156 single filament bulb is forced in, it will still blink as normal, but the dash indicator will be haywire.

The dash illumination bulbs are identical to a 5W 194 bulb, but are actually less wattage (2.3W, IIRC), and are not nearly as easy to find. A 5W 194 will work fine, my concern would be with heat as you are more than doubling the wattage through that circuit.

I think that you have some serious disassembly (side fairings, top fairing, etc) ahead of you (to get the dash out for inspection) if replacing the running lights does not fix your problem.