[lennynj]

My rear brake and signal lights went out. I found this when using the brake and the turn signal indicator lights on the dashboard display both lit up.
there is nothing in the manual about this. Has this happened to anyone else and what did you do to correct this. I checked the fuses and they are good.

Thanks
Len

 

[HiYoCheeto]

First thing to look at, have you changed or added anything recently? If so, go back and check your work.

If not, start looking at fuses and relays. What's working and not working? Use the process of elimination to narrow it down.

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

It sounds like a ground has gone bad. It is usually the one under the seat in the 14 pin connector. The 14 pin connector is for rear lighting and other things. Usually, excessive resistance between a couple of pins begins to melt them together. You'll probably have a hard time seporating the connecter because of it. Most will repair the damaged by cutting the damaged wires at the connector and adding another connector for the 1, 2, or 3 wires that began to melt together. The damaged wires are usually green with a tracer.

 

[techdude2000]

Welcome to the board. Yep, the ground in C15 under your seat, here is a picture of Waldo's jumper around the bad connection. Make sure you are looking at the right connector, C14 is under there but it only has 12 wires in it, C15 has 14 wires and is the one you want.

 

[CJS]

My rear brake and signal lights went out. I found this when using the brake and the turn signal indicator lights on the dashboard display both lit up.
there is nothing in the manual about this. Has this happened to anyone else and what did you do to correct this. I checked the fuses and they are good.

Thanks
Len

This is proving to be a rather common problem. There have been several previously reported instances of this problem, including on my 2004. As GoldwingGreg said it is the connector under the seat near the trunk. I think it i C-15. I took mine apart and sprayed/cleaned it with the spray Electrical Connection Cleaner/Lubricant from Radio Shack. That solved the problem and it has been working just fine for the last 2 years.

 

[techdude2000]

This is proving to be a rather common problem. There have been several previously reported instances of this problem, including on my 2004. As GoldwingGreg said it is the connector under the seat near the trunk. I think it i C-15. I took mine apart and sprayed/cleaned it with the spray Electrical Connection Cleaner/Lubricant from Radio Shack. That solved the problem and it has been working just fine for the last 2 years.

It always will be, Honda used the cheapest chassis connectors they could find and they have that one wire carrying near it's maximum current capability. You should keep an eye on yours, dirty contacts can be a problem but the tightness of the connector pin's joint and load is the issue. Another thing that adds to this issue is the addition of anything electrical to the rear of the bike that uses this same ground circuit.

 

[UNCLEJOHN]

I got an 05 so your saying its just ground that goes bad n bypass it ?

 

[GoldWingrGreg]

Not all that many have problems. Why do some? It is probably do to some sort of manufacturing issue or afermarket accessories overloading a not so perfect ground circuit. If it were my bike, I would wait for a problem.

 

[techdude2000]

The next time I have my seat off I'll take some pictures of how to fix this the best way. I ran a dedicated ground wire from the lights side of the connector down to the G2 ground at the reverse cables. This ground wire is nearly overloaded from the factory and will have an issue sooner or later.

 

[techdude2000]

I got an 05 so your saying its just ground that goes bad n bypass it ?

Yes, a better fix is to run a ground wire to the G2 ground for it, but this takes alot more time and effort than just bypassing the connector. This is a disease started by GM years ago. Poorly fitting pins in the connectors and too much load on a single wire.:roll:

One major factor in this issue is how often or how long you sit with your brakes on. The brake lights, tail lights, and turn signals all use this same ground wire. When you put on your brakes waiting to turn with a signal on, there's a bunch of lights on behind you all grounding through that one wire... now add a trailer controller/convertor, saddlebag trim lights, and any extra brake lights that don't use the ground in C14.

On the 01-05 bikes, there's 6 21W brake lights, 6 5W tail lights, 2 21W turn signal lights, plus the 5W license plate bulb, as well as the trunk lock assembly and all the bag's latching switches using that one ground wire. That's at least 161 watts back there while you're applying your brakes. That's almost 12 amps with the alternator at 13.5 volts all running through that one wire. This isn't even counting the flashing turn signal surging an extra 1.5 amps everytime it flashes.

 

[Flyboyron]

Same thing happened on my 05. Someone here told me the same thing, and when I pulled the seat and turned the key on the lights were not working. When I wiggled the connector, the lights worked. I did have the connection replaced under warranty so that was good and no problems with that since.....I've had other problems, but at least not with that.

 

[techdude2000]

Same thing happened on my 05. Someone here told me the same thing, and when I pulled the seat and turned the key on the lights were not working. When I wiggled the connector, the lights worked. I did have the connection replaced under warranty so that was good and no problems with that since.....I've had other problems, but at least not with that.

Did they replace the connectors or just jumper the bad connection?

 

[pshivers]

I had the same problem coming back from Wing Ding in Nashville in 2006 when my Wing was only 1 year old. Took a while to find the actual problem as not many had run into it back then. As already mentioned it is the ground connector in C15 under the seat the burns the ends off the metal contacts and makes for a intermittent ground connection.

This was my "Quick Fix" I made on the road, worked like a charm and gave me no further problems on my return trip across the country.

When I got home I bypassed the ground connection thru the connector altogether cutting, splicing. soldering and shrink wrapping the two sides together for the ground, adding a quick disconnect very similar to what was previously pictured from Waldo.

 

[Jim Jackson]

This is proving to be a rather common problem. There have been several previously reported instances of this problem, including on my 2004. As GoldwingGreg said it is the connector under the seat near the trunk. I think it i C-15. I took mine apart and sprayed/cleaned it with the spray Electrical Connection Cleaner/Lubricant from Radio Shack. That solved the problem and it has been working just fine for the last 2 years.

:yes1: Well Gents, last night I encountered this similar issue with the rear lights and signal lights on dash and brake lights on my 2005 GL1800. From the pictures above of the C-15 and location of it, I dove into it this afternoon and pulled it apart. Didn't see anything that was burned or rusty, but I sprayed the heck out of the connectors with QC Electronic Cleaner and dern if all the issues melted away. Everything is back to normal. Thinking about jumping the connector as mentioned above, but might wait until the next issue. Question......would it be better to pack that connector with grafite grease before I button her up? I'm not an electrical person so I'm just asking. Thanks for all the info in this thread...........it certainly helped me find the issue..........thanks for everyone's post on the subject.

 

[jimwinger]

Question......would it be better to pack that connector with grafite grease before I button her up? I'm not an electrical person so I'm just asking.

Jim: you may get differing opinions on this but my opinion (I am a retired electrical engineer with 30 ++ years in the aerospace/NASA world) is no, that's not better. These connectors are not designed to be filled with ANYTHING. I would recommend you do exactly what you did (use contact cleaner to clean out any existing crud). Then I would mate/demate the connector a few times to help the pins wipe themselves clean, then mate the two halves completely and forget it.

Good luck.

 

[Corventure]

I had the same problem with my 2005 about 3 years ago. I selected to just clean and re-connect the plug a few times. This worked for a while until finally when I was in Sturgis and I had the same ground problem for the 3rd time. I finally added the jumper wite and have not had a problem since. I agree that there is a lot of standard equipment using this single ground wire and connector.
I vote... go with a jumper wire and forget about it!

Corventure Dave

 

[techdude2000]

:yes1: Well Gents, last night I encountered this similar issue with the rear lights and signal lights on dash and brake lights on my 2005 GL1800. From the pictures above of the C-15 and location of it, I dove into it this afternoon and pulled it apart. Didn't see anything that was burned or rusty, but I sprayed the heck out of the connectors with QC Electronic Cleaner and dern if all the issues melted away. Everything is back to normal. Thinking about jumping the connector as mentioned above, but might wait until the next issue. Question......would it be better to pack that connector with grafite grease before I button her up? I'm not an electrical person so I'm just asking. Thanks for all the info in this thread...........it certainly helped me find the issue..........thanks for everyone's post on the subject.

Usually it will start to heat the pins for the solid green ground wire and melt the surrounding connector material, at that point you won't have any options but to jumper around it. I wouldn't put anything in it as well, nothing can make the pins fit tighter and that's the only thing that can help them before the meltdown/disconnection. A early jumper will reroute the load off of the undersized pins and keep them from getting to the melting point.

 

[Jim Jackson]

Usually it will start to heat the pins for the solid green ground wire and melt the surrounding connector material, at that point you won't have any options but to jumper around it. I wouldn't put anything in it as well, nothing can make the pins fit tighter and that's the only thing that can help them before the meltdown/disconnection. A early jumper will reroute the load off of the undersized pins and keep them from getting to the melting point.

:yes1:I just finished putting a jumper (Green-wire) around the connector. After all I've read, that seems to be the logical thing to do and so for running the bike for about 10 minutes and constantly braking with foot and hand along with signals everything is normal. I'll do it again in the morning before I button it up...........then I'll take it for a ride and see how it goes. Since I'm not an electrical person, I appreciate the input.

 

[aevermann]

C15

Thank you so much for saving us many more hours of looking for bad wires! These forums are great. Just bought a 2001 Goldwing 1800 Trike & had this issue-sprayed it with cleaner & issue gone! I am going to do the jump trick so I don't have to worry any more. Pictures of C15 were very helpful too!

 

[XX]

I just got this issue, tried the jumper and no luck ohmed out good found to battery and still no love
Anything else to look for