front brake light not working?

[Baz]

Hi guys, my brake light doesnt come on when I pull the brake lever but does when I apply the rear brake. I have tested the switch with a multimeter and get continuity when the lever is pulled so I dont think its the switch and I also have continuity if I put the multimeter probes into the switch connectors. What should I check next? I have run out of daylight and dont have lights in my garage so until the weekend I will have to remember to apply back brake whenever I use the front! I will be having a proper look on Saturday so any advice on where to start would be much appreciated.
Cheers.

[speedy231278]

If you are certain the switch works, try touching the connectors together or getting a piece of wire to bridge between them. If the light doesn't come on when you do, then there's definitely an issue with the wiring and not the switch. If so, I'd disconnect the switchgear and make sure there's connectivity between the two individual connectors for the switch and the the other end of each wire in the connector. You may find one of the wires has broken. If there's connectivity, then you may have a break further down, and things get very complicated from there!

If the light works when you bridge the connection, then despite seeming to be working, the switch is faulty.

[Baz]

Cheers mate, I'll try bridging the connectors tomorrow (I really need to get some lights in my garage). If that doesnt work then I'll start stripping stuff at the weekend.
Thanks.

[speedy231278]

The little connectors that go to the switch on the front brake and clutch levers are pretty flimsy feeling. I'd be willing to bet that if the switch isn't shot, one of them is.

[Baz]

When I linked out the switch the brake light still didnt work so its not the switch. I took the switchgear apart and although the brake light wires pass through it there isnt a point where there are bare wires so I cant test there? Next step is fairings off and trace back to the nearest plug and hopefully figure out which are the switch wires and test there. It cant be a fault on the light itself because the light works and the rear brake light works.

[lizard821000]

try cleaning external terminal with some wire wool . plus that the spade conector is attached, i did something similar and took me about 3 hours to work out the switch wire had just popped off lol

[Baz]

tried that! I'm having a look at the wiring diagrams in the manual to try and find the best testing points before stripping the bike. I am still not sure where to start?????

[speedy231278]

I'm not sure where the switchgear is plugged into the loom on an NC30. On the 35 it is under the fuel tank, infront of the airbox. I think that given the number of connectors that are located on the right side fairing bracket it'll probably be one of those. Whichever it is, it shouldn't be too hard to trace back. It's hard to tell from scans of the wiring diagram what colour wires you are after, as it looks like two may well be solid black on the switchgear side of the connector. All you really need to do is disconnect the switchgear, set the meter to the connectivity setting, and check each pin on the connector for connectivity between the connector for the loom and the connectors for the switch. If you don't get a positive result for both connectors, you know the fault lies in the switchgear wiring. If you do, then the fault lies further down the wiring loom, which I reckon is probably unlikely.... I still reckon you'll find one of the connectors for the switch has broken off the end of it's wire.

Also, as suggested above, make sure the connectors at the switch end are properly attached. Due to their nature, it can feel like you've connected them firmly when you haven't, and they can come adrift inside the protective cover without it coming away from the switch.

[Baz]

I exposed the wire before the switch connector and tested from there and still no continuity so it aint the connector. I also tested the rear brake switch to confirm the readings I should be getting. One side of the switch goes to fuse box/relay/clock cluster and that one has tested fine. The other goes from the front brake switch, links up with the rear brake switch and then to the rear light. This is the one that has a fault. Since the rear brake light works ok then there must be a break between the front switch and where the rear switch links in. There are no other connector blocks between them so I think I might just cut in another wire.

[speedy231278]

According to the wiring diagram, the front and rear light switch wires join very close to where the rear lights plug into the loom. That does of course assume the diagram puts the joins in a position similar to where the actual joint is... To me it wouldn't make sense to run two wires all the way to the tail of the bike just to join them together...