intermittant rear light fault

[Finbarr]

Hi there - an 03 1150GS and every 5th time (or so) I put the key in the ignition and turn on, the rear light fails to light up. No amount of banging, tapping or cable wriggling will bring it back.

But if I switch off and a few seconds later switch on again, it's fine. Again, banging, tapping, poking and prodding cables and fittings does nothing to cause it to fail again. It seems once it's on, it will stay that way until one random key turn later it decides not to.

Anybody seen this before or have some ideas about where to look?
Bulb and connectors seem fine.

Kind regards,
Fin.

 

[sockpuppet]

Have you tried changing the bulb?

Where are you tapping?
.
Is there power at the bulb holder, at the fuse?

Servo brakes by any chance?

 

[Finbarr]

Yes - I swapped out the bulb when I first noticed this.
Power doesn't get to the bulb socket when the problem occurs.

I haven't checked the fuse, but pretty much assumed (yeah I know) that fuse is either good or dead. I'll check this in the morning - which fuse is it?

Tapping the rear light cluster, wiggled the ignition cables and others around there, haven't taken the tank off and had a really good poke around yet- that's probably next.

Yup - servo brakes. Oh, and heated grips.

 

[Stewart H]

Just had a similar fault on mine, it turned out to be the ignition switch, I have removed all stuff from the keyring and lubricated the switch, so far so good. check that you are losing the front sidelight at the same time, I was losing the entire sidelight circuit, spotted because my other accs that are using the sidelight circit as a relay switching feed also did not work.

Stewart

 

[Finbarr]

Ah, now that is interesting - a wobble of the key in the ignition makes the rear light flicker very occaisionally, but not actually go out. The main headlight is unaffected though - is that on a seperate circuit? I'll have to check the front sidelight...

I WD40'd the ignition barrel a couple of weeks ago, so you could well be on to something there!

 

[Dazlove]

Rear Bulb Probs

Hi

I have an 02 1150 GS and have always had an unreliable rear light. On more than one occasion I have either been flashed by motorists (!) or had other bikers ride along side pointing and flashing their own brake lights.

I think that it is just a poor design of the rear light socket and due to the vibrations that they are subject to, they fail.

I also have a BMW car and suffer the same rear light problems with that!

My solution is to use the Nippy Norman light buddies fitted to the rear indicators as additional rear lights. They are easy to fit and wire, and being LED they are more resilient. Then, if the rear light works you have three reds to rear and if not then you still have two.

Even when working the 1150 doesn't have the brightest rear light in the world, so I think any upgrade would be worthwhile.

Regards

Dazlove

 

[High-Tower]

I had a similar problem with my 1150GSA. Tracked it down to the ignition wiring loom, ie. the wires that come out of the bottom of the ignition barrel. It commonly causes intermittent starting problems (which have been flagged up on here many times), though the ignition wires on mine were fine. It's caused by the wiring being cable tied to the frame near the headstock and the constant flexing of the cable as the bars turn eventually causes a break in one of the wires. Quarter of an hour with a soldering iron sorted it.

I guess it only applies if you have automatic on headlights, not a light switch but I'm not sure.

Might be worth a look.

 

[Finbarr]

Many thanks for all the helpful replies - I have tracked this down to the ignition barrel. I gave the thing a quick squirt of WD40 a couple of weeks ago as the key was becoming stiff to turn - that's when the problem began.

I've just squirted a fair old dollop of WD40 using the fine red tube you get with each can right down into the key housing and gave it a thorough washout - then a blast with the air compressor and a bit more WD40. The problem has gone.

A colleague at work suggested the first squirt disloged some dirt which (apparently) can interfere with the ball bearing contacts in the bottom of the barrel where the electrikery gets connected.

Anyway, problem solved - although I like the idea of the additional rear lights as a backup solution. Might well give that a try.

Once again - many thanks.
Fin.

 

[waterloo700]

I'd still bet your ignition switch wiring loom is on its way out. Tossers often report them hanging on by a thread (literally) for months - not worth the risk cause its going to let go one day - in the fast lane no doubt!

Buy another (£50 ish) - kep the old one as a spare.

 

[waterloo700]

Thinking again - dangerous thing for me.

The key bit just turns an electrical switch at the bottom of the barrel. +ve in (red) switch on - green goes +ve (engine runs) and the two grey wires are linked. Purple is blanked off.

One of your grey grey/blue wires is cracked - key and barrel have switched the switch OK so the engine runs but you still have a fault on your light circuit.

And yes I've recently had all this to sort out on mine!

 

[Finbarr]

Cheers Waterloo,
I had my ignition barrell replaced a couple of years ago when theives screwdrivered it. Sawbridgeworth BMW replaced it and didn't cable tie the wiring when complete - but I take your point - I'll have a look at the wiring tomorrow.

Kind regards,
Fin.

 

[Welshman]

Check your earths I had an issue with my indicators still don't know why

 

[ELIMINATOR]

WD-40 in an ignition switch. I was told by a BMW mechanic years ago that this is not a good idea. he said to use silicone spray.

the ignition switch on my Yamaha Diversion occassionally gave me grief, i blasted it with brake cleaner, let it evaporate off, then sprayed it with silicone spray.

as a point of interest, i have a baglux tank bag on the divvy, and the rotating locks to hols the tank bag were stiff. WD-40 worked briefly, but silicons spray lasted a damn site longer in keeping them easy moving.

 

[niko]

WD-40 in an ignition switch. I was told by a BMW mechanic years ago that this is not a good idea. he said to use silicone spray.

the ignition switch on my Yamaha Diversion occassionally gave me grief, i blasted it with brake cleaner, let it evaporate off, then sprayed it with silicone spray.

as a point of interest, i have a baglux tank bag on the divvy, and the rotating locks to hols the tank bag were stiff. WD-40 worked briefly, but silicons spray lasted a damn site longer in keeping them easy moving.

silicon oil should not be used in areas of metal to metal movement
it used to be recommended lube on rifle bolts until it was found it actually wore the metal and it turned into a grinding paste it work well in areas of non movement
graphite is the better product for locks

 

[Stewart H]

Thinking again - dangerous thing for me.

The key bit just turns an electrical switch at the bottom of the barrel. +ve in (red) switch on - green goes +ve (engine runs) and the two grey wires are linked. Purple is blanked off.

One of your grey grey/blue wires is cracked - key and barrel have switched the switch OK so the engine runs but you still have a fault on your light circuit.

And yes I've recently had all this to sort out on mine!

I can now make my intermittent parking and tail ight come and go by touching the wires coming out of the ignition switch, looks like soldering iron and heatshrink time.

Stewart