tail light not working

[pinhead]

I just noticed my taillight is not working.  checked fuses and bulb that are ok.   No juice to bulb socket.  Checked fuse panel and ok.  Any ideas?

[rbm]

Bad connection in the 5-pin in-line connector at the back maybe (if you're still stock)?

[pinhead]

checked that connector and didn't help.  screwy  electrical system!

I tested tailight bulb and ok.  no juice to socket.  Then I check fuse panel again and all seemed ok.  but just in case i take a new 30 a fuse and replace each fuse down line to see if one may be bad but not visibly showing. with new bulb, dada my twilight s working.  I chalk it up to a undetectably bad fuse.  Get ready to put the tail light fixture back and now my brake light doesn't work! 

Went back to working on it the next day, and now both taillight and brake light work.  I think it is in the red light indicator that come on and stays on until you use both front and rear brakes.

[Laitch]

Went back to working on it the next day, and now both taillight and brake light work.  I think it is in the red light indicator that come on and stays on until you use both front and rear brakes.

That "red light indicator" is called a "rear light monitor".

After you went back to working on your brake light and it started working again, do you know what you did to make it work, or was it just like magic? Your fuses are good but the contacts they plug into may be dirty and that can cause intermittent failure.  Disconnect the battery and clean those fuse contacts with DeOxit or another electronic cleaner. In fact, get around to cleaning all your electrical connectors if you haven't done that already.

Congratulations on hanging in there and getting the lights working again.

[pinhead]

I did absolutely nothing.  They started working again.  I don't believe that this is the end of this issue for me. 

Previous to this event I had meticulously cleaned all electrical connections including the fuses indvidually so I don't believe it was anything to do with a bad connection.  The bulb inserts were clean and uncorroded.  I think it has something to do with the operation of that "rear light monitor".  Just another thing to act up and drive you crazy! who needs that thing anyway? 

[Laitch]

Just another thing to act up and drive you crazy! who needs that thing anyway?

Nobody, really. People got along without ABS, turn signals, and double lattes for eons; however, when I'm navigating through traffic in the rain and that light comes on, it tells me two things: 1) My bike's in greater danger from being rammed in the rear at a stop, and 2) I need to change that bulb so my bike's in less danger from being rammed at a stop. These are two states about which I would be unaware unless I was obsessive enough to check taillight function at every stop. That's no fun either.

When you write you "meticulously cleaned all electrical connections including the fuses" that included the terminal each fuse plugged into and the ground connections, right?

Is the bulb monitor lighting when the lights are out and not lighting when the lights are working after the initial function check?

[WayneDW]

When I had that problem the rear tire was rubbing on the wires running back there.  Might want to check that too.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I have a similar problem on my RS.  One of the turn signals stops working intermittently.  I have changed bulbs, cleaned the socket, bulb, and connectors and yet it still stops working even though the socket is perfectly clean and tight and the bulb is brand new.  Tap the signal lightly and it works for another month or so.

Go figure.