Vulcan 900 - brake light issue..

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Varrus999

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Posted on the Vulcan forum but I thought I'd reach out to the vast knowledge here..

The brake light on my Vulcan doesn't work, whether I hit the front or rear brakes. I changed the dual filiment bulb, didn't help. Someone told me they had a similar problem in their car and used a screwdriver to adjust the socket a bit so the light fits tighter, there is really no spring to adjust on the bike but I did try holding the light in tighter and wiggling it a big (with a clean rag) while pressing the brake lever and it didn't help. I tried tracking the wire, there is a connection under the tank but I can't see it and can't figure out how to remove the tank - I can lift it a bit but the instrument cluster gets in the way and I can't figure out how to remove that!!

Wondering if anyone has experienced something similar, what could be the cause? Oh - I checked the fuses to. So it's not the bulb or the fuse. I do notice that if I press the rear brake, when I release it there is a very slight flicker in the bulb - only when I release it...it doesn't get any brighter of flicker at all when I press it down...

Thoughts? and THANKS!
 
Please get a service manual for your bike if you want to track an electrical issue. The manual will have all the wires - where they start, where they end, color of wires. It's a fairly simple circuit for brake light. If your fuses and lamps are good, then you may have a broken wire / a short somewhere.
 
Sounds like a easy fix. Gotta test a few things out / eliminate components...are the switches working properly? Is it the bulb socket issue?

Just find someone who is versed in electrics. Personally I love tacking such issues...
 
Simple answer
buy a $10 test meter from Cdn Tire or go to CDN Tire and ask them to test the socket.
If no power you will have to take it apart. It could simply be the plug underneath is loose or has dirt between it.
 
Get a test lamp as well from CDN tire. They have a bulb in them a sharp needle point at one end of the handle and a wire with a clip at the other. Product number #25-1061-0 cost is $12. I've had mine for over 30 years and use it regularly to test bulbs and circuits.

Clip the wire to the license plate bracket, then put the sharp pointy bit to the contact button at the bottom of the light bulb holder. Grab the brake lever.
It the test lamp lights up then you have power to the fixture and probably have a bad ground from the light fixture. If it doesn't light up then power isn't getting to the bulb. Now all you have to do is trace the wires back under the fender.

My bet is on a bad ground connection.
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