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tail light doesn't work but brake light does


eastwest06
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sounds like the trigger wire is just backwards. Follow the wire from the tailight up towards the ignition. I'm sure somewhere you will see a splice. I imagine someone connected it to the wrong wire coming off ignition.

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Unfortunately, you'll find that the tail light uses only 3 wires, tail, brake, and ground. The ground runs to the ignition switch, where it decides whether you've selected on, off, or park. Tail light power in Park comes from a different wire and fuse (main 15 amp fuse). Normal running power for the tail light at the ignition switch comes from the near the Starter Switch wiring connector (brown with white wire), which in turn, picks it up from the fuse in the fuse box (light blue wire), at the 7 amp tail lamp fuse. The brown w/white wire probably connects to the light blue wire inside the headlight. Brake light is an entire different circuit.

So... your choices are, bad 7amp tail light fuse, bad connection at the Starter Switch connector (or other inside headlight), bad Ignition Switch, or either of the two wires is bad; either between fuse and starter switch (headlight wiring), or between starter switch (headlight wiring) and ignition switch. When I say bad, that's mostly a dirty connection you are looking for. Even the fuse contacts, should be nice and clean. That's often the first place to go bad. Or a broken or disconnected wire.

A quick voltage or resistance trace from the brown w/white wire at the ignition switch, to the contact of the 7amp fuse, will find the problem. You'll have to work around the wiring path till you find the bad spot.

Wiring diagram:

http://i531.photobucket.com/albums/dd356/Rebelstuff/wiring diagrams/wirechart.jpg

found at:

http://www.rebel250.com

If it sounds complicated, well, yes and no. If you or a friend have electrical experience and a VOM (Volt-Ohm Meter), it will be easy.

Edited by ReconRat
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My best guess is the 7 amp tail light fuse isn't working, or that light blue to brown/white wire is loose or disconnected or corroded (dirty) inside the headlight bucket.

Edited by ReconRat
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Hondajt: all the wires are connected properly from tip to tail. thanx for the tip tho.

ReconRat: first off, thank you for the detailed reply. second, i've checked all the wire connections and none of them are loose or corroded, which is somewhat amazing considering all the wires behind the headlight are exposed. third, the fuses are fine and so are their connection. that's what i know for sure.

i'm inclined to belive that the wires themselves are fine because they're all bunched togather and wrapped in plastic wire housing where they run thru the bike. i'm also inclined to believe, at this point, that my ignition switch is somewhat messed up, because the tail light doesn't always work when the key is in the park position, but if you turn it back towards the run position ever so slightly the tail light turns on. also i have a new symptom, my brake light isn't working anymore.

my next plan of action is to get an VOM and start testing wires to make sure they are actually getting power so i can hopefully determine where the problem is. i also might buy a new ignition switch.

Edited by eastwest06
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ok, if it's not obvious, then it's up to the volt-olm meter to find it. I have seen ignition switches go bad. You might try a shot or two of ignition switch lube/cleaner, and see if it gets better. But considering it's a tail light/brake light thing, I'd replace it for safety.

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ok guys, thanx for all your help, i now have all my lights working properly. the break light just needed some connections cleaned, and the tail light i just ended up wiring to the brights instead of having it wired to the ignition switch.

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ok guys, thanx for all your help, i now have all my lights working properly. the break light just needed some connections cleaned, and the tail light i just ended up wiring to the brights instead of having it wired to the ignition switch.

That's the best way, jury-rigged, just like everything on my bike.

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