[MikeInWA]

I have a what appears to be a short somewhere but I'm not sure where to start looking. Here's what happened...

Started the bike this morning to go to work and noticed that I had no gauge lights, FI light didn't come on, fuel, temperature, tach., and speedo not working. Rode to work anyway (yeah, probably shouldn't have) and then discovered that I had no running lights, either.

Checked the fuses and found #5 (15 amp TAIL) was blown. Replaced with spare, turned on ignition... instant poof.

On the way home I noticed that the odometer wasn't advancing. Also noticed that the AVC feature of the stereo wasn't working. Brake lights, headlights (hi & lo) and turn signals all work, BUT the turn signals no longer self-cancel.

So... what could possibly be the cause of this? I'm thinking it might be the Tail Relay under the seat, but not sure and I haven't taken the seat off yet to look.

Any other possibilities? Thanks for any help.

Mike

 

[techdude2000]

Not sure what is causing the fuse to blow, but I would disconnect the battery for about a minute and see what works after the reconnect. :?

 

[MikeInWA]

Disconnected/reconnected the battery as suggested. Nothing changed.

Swapped the TAIL relay with one of the other relays and nothing changed.

Still blows fuse #5 as soon as ignition is turned on.

Any other ideas?

Fred Harmon, you seem to be the do-it-yourself Guru in these matters... any suggestions?

 

[rottendog]

What has been added to the bike? Start there. Trailer plug, LED connections,
pull the rear fender section and look for rubbed wires. After that get out the service manual.

 

[MotorcycleBoy]

It sounds like you need to start looking at the items that fuse #5 protects.

 

[Globetrotter]

I have a what appears to be a short somewhere but I'm not sure where to start looking. Here's what happened...

Started the bike this morning to go to work and noticed that I had no gauge lights, FI light didn't come on, fuel, temperature, tach., and speedo not working. Rode to work anyway (yeah, probably shouldn't have) and then discovered that I had no running lights, either.

Checked the fuses and found #5 (15 amp TAIL) was blown. Replaced with spare, turned on ignition... instant poof.

On the way home I noticed that the odometer wasn't advancing. Also noticed that the AVC feature of the stereo wasn't working. Brake lights, headlights (hi & lo) and turn signals all work, BUT the turn signals no longer self-cancel.

So... what could possibly be the cause of this? I'm thinking it might be the Tail Relay under the seat, but not sure and I haven't taken the seat off yet to look.

Any other possibilities? Thanks for any help.

Mike

Have you recently added "risers" to the handle bars.

Things that this fuse looks after are:
LH controls
Speed sensor
Fog light switch
Gauges
All rear lights

Hope this helps

 

[MikeInWA]

Have you recently added "risers" to the handle bars.

Things that this fuse looks after are:
LH controls
Speed sensor
Fog light switch
Gauges
All rear lights

Hope this helps

Risers were added some time ago. Everything was working when I parked the bike in the garage Wednesday afternoon. Thursday morning is when I noticed the trouble.

I removed the rear center panel to check for rubbing wires and haven't found any.

Fog lights & switch are working normally. All the rear lights light up when I use the brakes, but not otherwise (no running lights).

Thanks for the ideas. I'll keep looking.

Mike

 

[techdude2000]

Have you recently added "risers" to the handle bars.

Things that this fuse looks after are:
LH controls
Speed sensor
Fog light switch
Gauges
All rear lights

Hope this helps

Risers were added some time ago. Everything was working when I parked the bike in the garage Wednesday afternoon. Thursday morning is when I noticed the trouble.

I removed the rear center panel to check for rubbing wires and haven't found any.

Fog lights & switch are working normally. All the rear lights light up when I use the brakes, but not otherwise (no running lights).

Thanks for the ideas. I'll keep looking.

Mike

Mike, I don't understand how your fog lights can be working with that fuse blown. Something must be cross wired. The fog lights should be getting their 12V from fuse #5 on a white/yellow wire through the tail relay and to the foglight switch on a brown/white wire. :?

 

[Globetrotter]

As you added risers some time back, check under the LH handle bar. Remove the plate and check the wires as something may have rubbed through a wire

 

[MikeInWA]

Mike, I don't understand how your fog lights can be working with that fuse blown. Something must be cross wired. The fog lights should be getting their 12V from fuse #5 on a white/yellow wire through the tail relay and to the foglight switch on a brown/white wire. :?

My mistake. They aren't working

Something else I'll have to check into.

I'm not a mechanic. I hate working on my bike. But I hate paying $80-something per hour for labor at the dealer even more. So if it isn't a warranty issue, I have to do it myself. Until I win the lottery, that is! :lol:

 

[WarBirdBob]

Had a similar problem and it was the fog light wiring shorted at the light
TR

 

[BlkPirate]

I have a what appears to be a short somewhere but I'm not sure where to start looking. Here's what happened...

Started the bike this morning to go to work and noticed that I had no gauge lights, FI light didn't come on, fuel, temperature, tach., and speedo not working. Rode to work anyway (yeah, probably shouldn't have) and then discovered that I had no running lights, either.

Checked the fuses and found #5 (15 amp TAIL) was blown. Replaced with spare, turned on ignition... instant poof.

On the way home I noticed that the odometer wasn't advancing. Also noticed that the AVC feature of the stereo wasn't working. Brake lights, headlights (hi & lo) and turn signals all work, BUT the turn signals no longer self-cancel.

So... what could possibly be the cause of this? I'm thinking it might be the Tail Relay under the seat, but not sure and I haven't taken the seat off yet to look.

Any other possibilities? Thanks for any help.

Mike

Mike,

What year is your bike?...on the 2006 GL1800 fuse #5 is Front ABS...

 

[J-mac]

Electrical problems are not that tough to troubleshoot. Get a Voltmeter with audible continuity function. Start at the tail/running lights, find a good ground and move from one hot wire to another. with all switches "open" ( off ) you should not have continuity, as soon as you get continuity, thats your short. Trace THAT wire untill you find the problem.

It will help to have the schematic from the service manual, that way you will be able to check entire circuits from the relays, to narrow down the search.

Personally, If I were you I would start with the handle bar risers, worn wires can take weeks to rub through.

good luck, Dead shorts shouldn't be that tough to find. it will just be time consuming, and take a lot of patients.

 

[Mike Moran]

Connect a 12V bulb inline where your blown fuse is at, when you make the light go out your short is cleared, sure does save blowing another fuse.

 

[techdude2000]

As you added risers some time back, check under the LH handle bar. Remove the plate and check the wires as something may have rubbed through a wire

Ditto, This is the most likely place for pinched wires and shorts.

 

[MikeInWA]

The risers were added over 2 years ago. But I'll check.


If I don't decide to shove a rag in the gas tank and light a match instead.

 

[Jon]

Did I miss which year your bike is??

Take the troubleshooting in manageable steps:

• Unplug the connector at the fog light switch connector - check for ground at the downstream fuse terminal
  If it's still there, unplug the 14P White connector that feeds the tail & license plate lights (I think this connector is under the seat - I'd have to grab my ETM to verify) - if the ground is still there move on to the next system
  My bet is on a short in the wiring that feeds the turn signal switch - there is a 14P blue connector under the RH pocket, you can disconnect that connector and test again.
  

I'm guessing that you eventually developed a short in the wire that provides the power for that switch.

(There may be differences between your bike and the diagram I was using online)

 

[MikeInWA]

It's an '03

Thanks Jon. I might try working on it this weekend. My interest level is hovering somewhere around zero right now.

 

[MikeInWA]

Keeping fingers crossed

I think I may have found the problem.

It appears that when I took the bike in for the alternator drive gear problem, the mechanic didn't get the speed sensor connector plugged all the way back together after putting the engine back in the bike.

After checking just about everything else, I traced the wires for the speed sensor and the connector practically came apart before I touched it. I'm guessing that it wasn't plugged in all the way and vibration caused it to loosen to the point of making poor contact.

I left it unplugged and checked the fuse... it didn't blow. Cool! Plugged it back in all the way, checked the fuse... didn't blow and I had my lights back! WAY COOL!!

Now I just have to get everything buttoned back together and take it for a test ride to see if the turn signals will self cancel again like they should.

Thank you to all that offered suggestions! Here's hoping that the problem is truly solved.

 

[J-mac]

when you finally find the problem.........isn't that the greatest feeling :lol:

I have had electrical problems on furnaces, especially the GE Smart Valve ( which BTW, is one of the biggest POS ever ) and they just make you shake your fist at the ( insert the name of whatever your working on here ) and say "what were those engineers thinking"

I hope this solves your problem