tail light and number plate light not working

[pjguzzi]

hi 

 

i have a weird one with my 06 v11 cafe sport. i dont have a tail light or number plate light. all other lights are working brake lights front park light the whole lot. i was out on it today and the tail light worked for a bit then was gone.

 

anyone give me an idea where to look.

[docc]

The contacts for the bulb deep inside the fixture are notorious for flattening out and loosing contact with the bulb. Reshape them and make sure the bulbs are both good.

 

Otherwise, the wiring can get pinched up under the tail section. It's a bit of a pisser to get to, but worth the time to groom and lightly zip-tie out of harm's way.

[pjguzzi]

i have checked all that already. the wires are fine. as is the connection at the back of the bulb. i am seeing 3-6 volts at the bulb

[docc]

The tail lamp's only getting 3-6 volts? I'd  expose all the connections between the tail section and the fender assembly; not hard just fiddly. Look for a pinch in loom.

 

All those bullet connectors in that area are like the two nefarious "bullet connectors" for the dicey clutch switch. They all benefit from a clean and crimp.

[Kiwi_Roy]

The tail light and the park light are fed from a separate contact on the ignition switch. Take a look at Walterg's "Help with Ignition Switch Repair thread" in case it's a broken wire there.

After the switch the feed goes to fuse 6 & 7 I believe, check for 12 Volts there. If you have less than 12 Volts.

It could be just a dirty ignition switch, try flicking it a few times, yours is due to be cleaned if you haven't yet. 2 small Phillips screws behind the block let it drop off and it unplugs under the tank.

 

Checking for Voltage at the tail light make sure you have a good connection to the main chassis, check for voltage on the light ground wire it will show Voltage if the wires broken or disconnected.