weird headlight behavior

I have a 2007 swing and about 2 years ago, the headlight started not coming back on after it started. If I pressed lightly on the starter button, it would then come on. So I got in the habit of leaving my high beam on so I could see the blue light on the dashboard and know my headlights were on.

Two days ago, the headlights stopped coming on completely, and the fuse is fine. Does anyone have any ideas what is going on here? Maybe there's a relay that is sticking?

thanks,
patti

EDIT: Found the problem. There are three pins coming off the starter switch (inside the handle shroud) - one of them broke off. I guess that's how the bike knows that it can turn the headlights back on after starting. Now, how am I going to fix that in 10 minutes?? Where's a good place to get a new switch?

The low beam relay could have a bad connection or light bulb connection . You will have to take some bits off for testing. A good time to some mods like 12 plug better bulbs xtra lights ,horn. 214 AF.

I do need a better horn! What's all that other stuf?

A 12 volt power cigaret socket to operate other stuff like GPS, MP3 ,charger,everything power supply,for lights,stronger light bulbs for night riding,a Givi 214 airflow windscreen,the best on the market for wind protection,and Hot grips for cold days on the road . Satellite Radio .

I was coming home the other night and flipped the switch to my high beam and my headlights went out. I stopped and flipped them back and forth for a moment and then it came back on. I had tried it one more time and they again went out. When they came back on I decided not to mess with it until I got closer to home. When I tried it again I had the same result. One more time and no issues, both lights stayed on. Anyone have any ideas before I bring it to the dealer to have them look at it and give up the bike for a week or more. I am a novice so telling me to check the wiring and do this and do that will be like algebra to a 1st grader.

yahooie wrote:

I was coming home the other night and flipped the switch to my high beam and my headlights went out.  I stopped and flipped them back and forth for a moment and then it came back on. I had tried it one more time and they again went out. I am a novice so telling me to check the wiring and do this and do that will be like algebra to a 1st grader.

Well, I'd tell you to exchange the horn & headlight relay behind the front fairing and see if the problem goes away. But then headlight operation is based on electrickery. So given your last sentence, you better make that service appointment and visit the loan officer at your local bank.

Tim

yahooie wrote:

I was coming home the other night and flipped the switch to my high beam and my headlights went out.  I stopped and flipped them back and forth for a moment and then it came back on. I had tried it one more time and they again went out.  When they came back on I decided not to mess with it until I got closer to home.  When I tried it again I had the same result.  One more time and no issues, both lights stayed on.

Before you  start throwing too much money at the job, try squirting some contact cleaner, WD40 or the like, on the switch. Work the switch back and forward a few times - maybe you've got some dirt  on the contacts stopping them working properly. Worked for me when the kill switch started playing silly buggers!

Yes, I'd say give the WD40 a go first too. Its one for the preventive maintenance list, a squirt once a while wont do the switches any harm.

The light went off and I pressed the starter and voila, the lights came back on. Any ideas? I do have a service contract for another year so if it isn't a cheap fix its back to the dealer she goes.

Doesn't the starter cut power to the lights? When released, the sudden return of voltage could be enough to "jump" any dirty contact/"dry joint", or kick a stuck relay.

Follow the advice above. Clean all switches and contacts on the lighting circuit.

A four year old bike with 4K miles in West Palm Beach, Florida. It probably is some problem with the switches and hopefully the use of contact cleaner will clear it up. Then again, if you paid for a service contract, why not use it? You don't want to lose your lights and run over one of those Florida logs.

Now that is a coincidence, I have been having the same problem with my 07 Bike. Sometimes on starting up the headlight is not on but if i flick the starter switch it comes on. I have sprayed WD40 on it. I'm a bit reluctant to open the switch as it has the throttle cables running from it. I hope someone can solve this problem, it's more annoying than anything else at this time of year. I have 30,000 mls up now. 

Hi Yo wrote:

 A four year old bike with 4K miles in West Palm Beach, Florida. It probably is some problem with the switches and hopefully the use of contact cleaner will clear it up. Then again, if you paid for a service contract, why not use it? You don't want to lose your lights and run over one of those Florida logs.

4 year old bike now with 18456 miles on it. Dont remember how to update my info or just too plain lazy to do it. LOL

Old Limey wrote:

Now that is a coincidence, I have been having the same problem with my 07 Bike. Sometimes on starting up the headlight is not on but if i flick the starter switch it comes on. I have sprayed WD40 on it. I'm a bit reluctant to open the switch as it has the throttle cables running from it. I hope someone can solve this problem, it's more annoying than anything else at this time of year. I have 30,000 mls up now. 

You don't need to open up the switch. If you spray WD40 over and around the switch, it will trickle down inside. Then just operate the switch a good few times to spread the fluid over the contacts. Don't forget to wipe off the excess!
I'm at about 42,000 miles now, and all the switches work OK. As Rarch says, preventative maintainance works!

Graham.

So even if it isn't on at startup or shuts off while riding the WD40 on or in the highbeam switch may cure the issue?

It may do. As I said, it worked for me. Got to be worth a try - nothing to lose, and perhaps a lot to gain.

Graham

Thanks for the input. Will try it when I get home tonight. Dont have the stuff here at work. I do have an appointment at the bike shop on Thursday morning. Hopefully the WD40 will do the trick so I can ride and not have to go back to driving a car.

I have sprayed WD 40 on it, when i switch on the headlight is on. When i operate the starter switch it goes out but a flick of the switch brings it on again. I'll keep on with the WD40, as i said more annoying than anything else. Perhaps the Gremlins will get fed up and move on. 

I also was having an issue with the light going out when pressing the starter switch and also when I switched on the high beams. I sprayed WD40 on both switches and it seems to be working fine today. I can switch back and forth between the high beam and low and no issues so far. Thanks to everyone for the input. I am wondering if maybe the battery might be running a little low??? I dont check this often. The bike is a 2009 and I dont know if it has ever been changed out. I bought the bike last July with 3900 miles on it and I have put about 15k on it this past year.

yahooie wrote:

>>I also was having an issue with the light going out when pressing the starter switch.<<

The headlight is supposed to switch off when you hit the start switch. That way you have the maximum amount of battery power available to the starter motor & ignition system.

That feature is also useful for flashing other riders and, if you have an HID headlight, scaring the b'jesus out of the slow poke in front of you when overtaking him.

Tim

Ahh, I see. That makes sense. Thanks for the feedback

Yahooie, if your doing that kind of mileage in a year, i wouldn't worry about the battery. I think you are keeping it charged okay, just by using it. 

Allrighty then. Thanks to everyone for the feedback

pattim wrote:

I have a 2007 swing and about 2 years ago, the headlight started not coming back on after it started.  If I pressed lightly on the starter button, it would then come on.  So I got in the habit of leaving my high beam on so I could see the blue light on the dashboard and know my headlights were on.  

Two days ago, the headlights stopped coming on completely, and the fuse is fine.  Does anyone have any ideas what is going on here?  Maybe there's a relay that is sticking?

thanks,
patti

EDIT:  Found the problem.  There are three pins coming off the starter switch (inside the handle shroud) - one of them broke off.  I guess that's how the bike knows that it can turn the headlights back on after starting.  Now, how am I going to fix that in 10 minutes??  Where's a good place to get a new switch?

 I have an 07, and 3 of my buddies have Swings from 03 to 09.  In two years, the four of us have had this problem 6 times.  Makes me think this is a design flaw.  But here is  how to fix the problem until it happens again.  Remove the two phillips head screws from the bottom of the switch cover.  They are different lengths, so pay attention which hole they each came out of.  Pull the top off.  You will see that when you push the starter button, a piece of plastic moves to activate the switch.  Apparently dirt, grime, whatever gets into the mechanism and keeps the sliding piece of plastic from moving freely.  I sprayed contact cleaner into that area and pushed the switch multiple times.  I then blew it out with compressed air.  Install the cover and you should be good to go....until the next time.

I don't know how I missed this thread, but I'm glad I found it now with the excellent search system this site offers! I have been having this same problem for over a year now but as I have got so used to checking that my headlight is on after starting and then repressing the starter until it is, I just accepted it as an annoying little glitch to keep an eye on! I also occasionally douse the switch with contact cleaner but it never seems to solve the problem for very long. Anyway, thanks to the previous posting on this topic, I will now dismantle the starter switch and clean it out ................... It's sort of comforting to know that what I thought was a weird and specific problem relating to my bike, is in fact quite common!

I solved the problem by replacing the starter switch the last time it failed.
No problems in the last five months.  No fun riding home at night with no headlights.

I  too, have had a simalar problem.

I dont know why, but for some reason, my high beam will not come on right now.
I used the switch back and forth but that does not work.
Two years ago, while having he problem, I also took the switch appart and applyed electrical contact paste  and it worked quit well, but not perfict.
The problem returned two days ago. Low beam but no Hi beam.
I will try and clean the contacts with WD-40 and then blow the contacts clean and see what happens this week and then report on the inprovement. Or not.
I have an 08 with only 42,000 miles

johnd wrote:

I  too, have had a simalar problem.

I dont know why, but for some reason, my high beam will not come on right now.
I used the switch back and forth but that does not work.
Two years ago, while having he problem, I also took the switch appart and applyed electrical contact paste  and it worked quit well, but not perfict.
The problem returned two days ago. Low beam but no Hi beam.
I will try and clean the contacts with WD-40 and then blow the contacts clean and see what happens this week and then report on the inprovement. Or not.
I have an 08 with only 42,000 miles

I would guess you need a new bulb for your high beam. If it was in the switch I think both high and low lights would be out.

You'll do better with a contact cleaner/lubricant than WD40. WD is a water dispersant and pretty well evaporates over a bit of time. Contact cleaner is designed to remove corrosion and leave behind a dielectric coating. If the starter switch headlight contacts act up it will affect both high and low beam, if only one is affected it's a strong indication the switch is packing up. Might be time to replace the switch if a spritz of contact cleaner doesn't help.