Rear Signal Lights Out

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samurai_larry
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2013 9:09 am
I ride: 93 metalic silver and air force blue Vulcan EN500A
Location: Ashland, Montana

Rear Signal Lights Out

Postby samurai_larry » Thu Jun 06, 2013 4:26 pm

My 93 EN500A rear signal lights are out. I checked the wiring, bulbs, and fuses - all okay. Tail light works but signal lights no go? Ordered replacement junction box - unable to test old one but ordered replacement to see if problem. Front signals work great? Any ideas??

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AKrider
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 12:21 am
I ride: '93 Vulcan 500, '06 Honda Rebel, '81 CX 500
Location: Two Rivers, Alaska

Re: Rear Signal Lights Out

Postby AKrider » Sat Jun 08, 2013 4:03 pm

I think it is unlikely that the junction box, the relay, or the switch are the problem as they are shared with the front signals. (This is just my inclination based on a look at the wiring diagram and work I have done on my '93.) Do they blink with the front ones, if so then they are working normally as they are not tail lights, (see near the bottom of the headlight not working post).

If they don't blink then I suspect there is some sort of wiring issue, or perhaps the contacts in the sockets are corroded. Check under the seat at the rear where the stub harness connects to the main harness for voltage from the main harness when the turn signals are on, gray is right and green is left. If this is OK and the associated black/yellow connectors show a good ground, (less than 1 ohm to ground), you are definitely looking at a problem with the stub harness, sockets or lamps. If you don't see voltage at the harness wires, Yikes! Try a temporary jumper from either front signal or the pilot box turn lights to the stub harness under the seat and see if this gets them going. If this works you may end up running new wires rather than sifting through the main harness to find the problem.

Good luck and keep us posted on how it works out.
We are what we repeatedly do, excellence is a habit.

samurai_larry
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2013 9:09 am
I ride: 93 metalic silver and air force blue Vulcan EN500A
Location: Ashland, Montana

Re: Rear Signal Lights Out

Postby samurai_larry » Sat Jun 08, 2013 10:39 pm

Lights do not blink (front or rear). front come on but rear are totally out (tail light is on though). Checked voltage on all wires. Blue (which apparently runs to front brake switch according to my wiring diagram) does not seem to show any voltage (it appears to go to tail light?), all other wires seem to have voltage (will double check them tomorrow - got to dark to double check tonight) but lights still do not come on? On my right rear, I have an extra wire (dark blue that does not attach to anything?)) but gy and bk/Y are all connected properly. This is a really strange one?

User avatar
AKrider
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2011 12:21 am
I ride: '93 Vulcan 500, '06 Honda Rebel, '81 CX 500
Location: Two Rivers, Alaska

Re: Rear Signal Lights Out

Postby AKrider » Sun Jun 09, 2013 12:07 am

Front lights are supposed to come on as running lights and blink as well, the rear lights only blink, they do not come on otherwise. The only tail light that these bikes have is the tail/brake light.

Sounds like someone put a front light stalk on the right rear to replace a broken one in the past, if this is the case just remember to use a front bulb on the right rear to make the proper connection, in fact this could be the problem if a regular tail lamp got jammed in the socket you could be shorting the turn signals out through the lamp socket, try pulling the right rear lamp out and see if the turn signals work. If that works try pulling a front bulb out and putting it in the right rear, if that works buy another front bulb GE 1157, I think the rears are GE 1156.

Blue wire should only show voltage when either brake is actuated so if your brake light works that tells us that all is correct for the tail light and the junction box is indeed providing power to the brake and turn signal lights. Try your horn, if this works your j box is OK, also turn on the ignition but don't start the engine, your oil pressure light is powered by the same wire from the J box.

If all your other wires have voltage, are we talking interrupted voltage when the turn signals are turned on? The relay is working but the lights aren't flashing? If this is the case you are probably looking at a bad ground. If you have voltage all the time, check out the turn signal switch or the relay, a high resistance connection will show voltage on a meter but won't let enough current flow to actually light up anything.

This really sounds like a fun one, I wish you could ride up my driveway in Two Rivers AK in the morning so I could get my hands on it. Also you won't have to worry about it getting very dark around here until Late August.

Good luck keep us posted.
We are what we repeatedly do, excellence is a habit.

samurai_larry
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jun 06, 2013 9:09 am
I ride: 93 metalic silver and air force blue Vulcan EN500A
Location: Ashland, Montana

Re: Rear Signal Lights Out

Postby samurai_larry » Sun Jun 09, 2013 2:14 pm

Thanks for all the good advice, will check out today. Lived in Nome AK for two years (2007-2008 and 2009-2010) so understand the dark vs. light issue.

LT


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