Running light and license plate light not working....

[RockyMoto]

So, tonight I was out after dark at an event and when I went to go home, I discovered my running light/taillight and license plate light were not working...brake light works fine. Isn't the taillight LED? I haven't had a chance to check anything out yet, but will do it tomorrow. Any ideas? Fuse? Anybody had this happen to them? Just looking for ideas and perhaps a direction to check first. It's a 2 year old '09 with close to 34,000 miles on it.

[Capn Kirk]

It is not going to be a fuse if your brake light is working. Start at the connector under the passenger seat.

[SA6TubThumper]

+1 Capn. On my '09, out of the tail light, black wire is ground, blue with red stripe is regular brake light, red is running light.

[RockyMoto]

Well, RL was on next morning when I went to ride down to my buddies shop to look at it....
I took the seat off and everything looked to be in order...all the wires and connections looked "normal." I unconnected and reconnected everything I could just in case something was loose, but it appeared nothing was. Some of the wires right by the rear light connection were kind of bound/kinked up behind the little flexible metal bracket that holds them in place, so I sort of loosened up the bundle and rearranged them. It's been working fine since that one night. I hate that...wish I would have found something obviously wrong that I could fix....
Time will tell I guess.

[Ashex]

If there was a kink in the wire that you straightened out there's a good chance there's a break in the wire at/near that spot. I would either replace the section or (better choice) replace the entire length as it can only get worse.

[Mdbaughman2]

I have the same problem! On my bike it turns out to be the Ignition switch. i just wiggle the key back and forth when in the on position (or while riding) and it will come on.

Anyone know if the switch can be removed from the lock cylinder, and disassembled for cleaning, re-lubing and re-bending of the contacts inside the switch?

[RockyMoto]

Originally Posted by Mdbaughman2

I have the same problem! On my bike it turns out to be the Ignition switch. i just wiggle the key back and forth when in the on position (or while riding) and it will come on.

Anyone know if the switch can be removed from the lock cylinder, and disassembled for cleaning, re-lubing and re-bending of the contacts inside the switch?

YES!!!

I read your reply and waited for mine to do it (not come on again) and it did just that yesterday...I wiggled my key in the ignition switch and it came on! I never in this lifetime would have guessed it was the ignition switch! I am just glad to find the part that is causing the problem so I can fix, repair or replace it...what a relief! Before that I was chasing ghosts.

I haven't had the chance yet to inspect it closely, but there looks to be a hard rubber or plastic cover on the bottom of the ignition switch and I am going to try and remove that if possible and see what I find for a start. I have the extended warranty (hopefully you do too), so at worst Kawasaki will be installing a new one!

[neilgn]

I too had the same problem and it was the ignition switch. If I wiggle it, then it's fine.

[invader]

There have been a few reports of such ignition switch problems.

Originally Posted by Mdbaughman2

I have the same problem! On my bike it turns out to be the Ignition switch. i just wiggle the key back and forth when in the on position (or while riding) and it will come on.

Anyone know if the switch can be removed from the lock cylinder, and disassembled for cleaning, re-lubing and re-bending of the contacts inside the switch?

Switch section screwed on bottom of key barrel can be opened to clean and re-lube the balls and contacts.

http://www.vn750.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2433