Headlights out on 2002

Discussion in '6th Generation 2002-2013' started by RBC, Nov 21, 2009.

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  1. Cyborg

    Cyborg New Member

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    SHIT! No, that is a voltage overload and burnout! Stop riding your bike NOW and have it hauled to your Honda shop!
     
  2. RBC

    RBC New Member

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    OK there is a couple hundreths of a volt from what my relatively cheapo DVM says. How many volts are we looking for?
     
  3. Cyborg

    Cyborg New Member

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    Do your connectors look a little like this?
     

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  4. RBC

    RBC New Member

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    OK, now I'm scared. I will try to post a photo of the scortched boots that I am referring to. Please comment on these photos. I'm hope my modulating headlights don't have anything to do with this! The bike has 37K, and I got the modulators at about 20. I do live in Redding CA, so it does get very hot here in the summer but the bike has never overheated.
     
  5. RBC

    RBC New Member

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    Cyborg, it is the boot I am referring to. The red plug stoshmonster was referring to does look discolored somewhat, but nothing like the photo you post. All the connectors on that red plug do work (have no resistance). I'm heading back out there and will check the other plug with the 'burnt' boot to see if it has a scortched appearance, and take a photo or two.
     
  6. Cyborg

    Cyborg New Member

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    Are you talking about a boot like in the first pic? It's the boot for the front sub harness and the second pic, while blurred, is of the original fried main harness. Please note most of the boots show some sign of damage, all electrical burnout caused.
     

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  7. jasonsmith

    jasonsmith Member

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    Was your electrical harness warranty work ever done?
     
  8. Cyborg

    Cyborg New Member

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    Mine? Yes, about a year and a half after my burnout. I'm VERY concerned RBC's has not...
     
  9. RBC

    RBC New Member

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    Yes, I've had the wiring harness recall work done. Here is a photo of the 2 boots that have the heat spots I am referring to. I'm thinking its from the heater hose and the radiator, the plugs themselves look fine to me. What about the voltage on the blue wire?
     

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  10. RBC

    RBC New Member

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    I'm guessing it is a relay somewhere. Here's why: suddenly the lights worked a couple weeks ago when this first happened - except the lower right (weird) and it repeated working even after shutting the key on & off. I thought everything was ok, but when I went to start the bike the headlights died and they've been dead ever since. Is this helpful?
     
  11. jasonsmith

    jasonsmith Member

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    RBC if there's anymore diagnostic info like that lets hear it now rather than later. What you just described sounds more like a short than a relay to me. There is only one low beam relay and one high beam relay. If the relay went poof I would suspect that both lights would have went out and not just one. The relays could be popped now however.

    I'm getting a feeling that your kinda jumping around with this one. If you want to fix it yourself, start at one end and move to the other. I know you wanna sell the bike so your hearts not in it but it's the only way to get er done.

    I have to ask again... is your headlight fuse okay and how do you know it is?

    Gonna leave the blue wire to stoshmonster.
     
  12. RBC

    RBC New Member

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    Sorry I wasn't clear, both hi and low beam are gone, and I see each has their own relay on the wiring diagram and photos in the service manual. How could each go out at the exact same time, or is it that if one goes out all lights don't work? Why did it happen right after washing the bike? Like I said earlier, I've double checked all the connections, and I've disconnected the modulators from the circuit, I have power to the fuse box and short circuited the fuse (with a screw driver) and no lights appear + the fuse checked ok. I do have ground in the green ground wire, so it is a power problem after the fuse box. Must be the starter relay unless one headlight relay causes all lights to go out is my theory now. Does anyone know? Listen, I am a good VFR owner and have taken great care of this bike - and yeah I'm selling it after 37K reluctantly. You can't keep them forever and get new bikes! I am very glad to get help solving this problem, and sorry about not mentioning the intermittance that I experienced.
     
  13. RBC

    RBC New Member

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    ok Cyborg - my burnt marks on my boots are much worse that your photos but look the same essentially! Only one differencethough, I don't have a melted connector like you posted (at least that I can see). Waiting to see what stoshmonster has to say.
     
  14. stoshmonster

    stoshmonster New Member

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    Burnt plug connectors and cover boots are never a good thing.

    Okay RBC you've indicated that there's no power at all on the Blue wire with the White stripe on either side of the Red plug connector. That's good to know.

    Now I need you to test for power on the Brown wire with the Blue stripe on both sides of the Red plug connector. This is the power wire that comes directly from the fuse.

    If you have power on the Brown wire with the Blue stripe on both sides of the Red plug connector,and no power at all on the Blue wire with the White stripe on either side of the Red plug connector,the problem is in your starter switch. Since you indicated that the problem started after you washed your bike,take the right handset apart and see if you've got any water in the starter switch. Water conducts electricity just like copper wire does.

    The power that's being supplied by the Blue wire with the White stripe is the signal voltage to both the high and low beam relays. That one wire powers both headlight relays. That signal voltage closes the switch inside the headlight relays and allows supply voltage to flow across the relay and power up your headlights. Without the signal voltage that's supplied by the Blue wire with the White stripe,none of your headlights will light up RBC.
     
  15. jasonsmith

    jasonsmith Member

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    Stosh what wiring diagram you using? The Br/Bu wire coming from the fuse on mine shows as being fuse "E" (Indicator, Meter...) Mine is showing a Bl/R (Black/Red) headed from the headlight fuse to the relays.
     
  16. RBC

    RBC New Member

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    10-4 stoshmonster, I will report back with my findings - probably tomorrow. I'm hopeful you've found the problem!

    In retrospect, I don't think modulators are such a good idea for the electrical system. While I do think they are safer, I did notice my running lights flickered in intensity along with the headlights - and the little voice in the back of my head was telling me that's not a good thing.
     
  17. Cyborg

    Cyborg New Member

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    :confused: Mine's post recall (Nov 2007) and shows black/yellow coming off the 20amp, which has it's own direct tap off the RR, to the high beam relay and black/red from the connector to the low beam relay.
     

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  18. stoshmonster

    stoshmonster New Member

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    You are absolutely correct Jason,the Black wire with the Red stripe is the "supply" voltage to the headlight relays. That "supply" voltage is ready and waiting at the headlight relays to supply power to the headlights,but it can't do anything until the Blue wire with the White stripe supplies the "signal" voltage to turn the relay on. Look closely at your electrical schematic,you'll see that the "signal' and "supply" voltages to the headlight relays come from two different fuses. E fuse is for "signal" voltage,which routes up to the starter switch on the Brown wire with the Blue stripe,routes through the starter switch,and exits on the Blue wire with the White stripe. F fuse is for "supply" voltage,which runs directly to the headlight relays on the Black wire with the Red stripe.

    Think of the headlight relay as being a light switch in your house. There's power on one side of the light switch,but it can't get across to the other side of the switch to turn the light on until you flip the switch on with your finger. In the case of the headlight relay on the bike,the Black wire with the Red stripe represents the power waiting on a light switch,and the Blue wire with the White stripe represents your finger flipping the light switch on. Until the headlight relay receives the "signal' to turn on,the "supply" power will just wait there and do nothing. Once the "signal" is received to turn the relay on,the "supply" voltage now makes it's merry way to the headlight bulbs and the headlights turn on.
     
  19. jasonsmith

    jasonsmith Member

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    wow... [head go boom]

    thanks stosh, I'll take a peak when I figure out what ya just said. :wink:
     
  20. stoshmonster

    stoshmonster New Member

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    LOL! Sorry about that Jason. :redface:
     
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