Headlight Problems

We were out riding the other night and both of my headlilghts went out on my 00 R1. I decided to head home and after about a mile they both came back on. The next morning I started the bike and again had no headlights. I drove out to our local stunt spot, with some tools in the truck, and we tried everything but were unable to solve the problem. -We changed out the relay in the nose, with a known good one -We checked the fuse it was good and getting power -We checked for power at the connector before the relay in the nose and it was geting power -we checked the bulbs and they were fine I did a couple wheelies and low and behold the lights came back on. Obviously, I have something loose somewhere, and it is only a matter of time before I have no lights again. Does anyone have any suggestions on where or what to look for? Has anyone has similar problems and if so what did you do to solve it? Thanks!!:bow

Anyone...................

Hey Yamahog, I had this happen before too. Right after coming back from Daytona. What happened to me was one of those nice Ocean Rains got some nasty salt water in my High beam switch on the handlebar and corroded up the contacts. I took it apart, sanded the contacts and re-assembled it with some di-electric grease.

Thanks I will give it a try. Did your bike have no lights at all like mine had?

I had the exact same symptoms, bumps and such would make them come on and off, and they were stuck on brights regardless of the switch position. Try banging on the switch or just taking it a part and looking things over. Its a pretty short job to take it a part. This was all on an 02 but I doubt there is much difference in the lighting harness. The only other thing I could think and the one you dont want would be the infamous melted lighting harness, but I dont have any personal experience with that issue.

Oh, I do have an experience with headlights going off with the rest of the front panel and a sound of shorted contact. The connector under the left removable panel on the front, had a burned pin - and the pin was disconnecting sometimes.

my bikes doing that right now to and mine seems to be the relay from when I was experimenting with it. Yamaha wants 100 bucks for a relay, KISS MY WHITE A$$!

I had sworn mine was the relay and screwing around with the volt meter really had us (me and 3 other R2 riders) believing this was the cause, but after changing it out with one from another bike, my relay worked fine in the other bike, and his did not work in my bike :)

:corn need to get some people like shane or someone on here did you try that high beam switch and see if any corrosion we thought it might be in there somehow.

I am going to look into the switch this evening as well as the connector on the left side as well. I am open for any other suggestions as well....

Ok, switch looks good, with the exception of the little ball that sits atop the little spring. It is permantly lost along with a million other tid bits on my garage floor. :( I also went through all of the connectors on the left side and everything looked good, no burnt wires, pins etc. I also did not know exactly what connector or pin to look for, so that could play a role. The lights are currently on and I drove the bike around the neighborhood, but I know it is just a matter of time before they go out again. Any other ideas..........................

User problem :lol I Just had to throw that one in there. Just ride your pocket bike on the street. problem solved :lol

How did I know you were going to show up here tonight. Since you know so damn much, why don't you help me! I had a "test light", but I through it away after I got the new fluke meter.

do you have the service manual for your bike?

Originally posted by kwcomp Hey Yamahog, I had this happen before too. Right after coming back from Daytona. What happened to me was one of those nice Ocean Rains got some nasty salt water in my High beam switch on the handlebar and corroded up the contacts. I took it apart, sanded the contacts and re-assembled it with some di-electric grease. :iamwithst the problrm lies within your highbeam switch. i told you that at the stunt spot

Originally posted by motopsyko32 :iamwithst the problrm lies within your highbeam switch. i told you that at the stunt spot Even though he is a raging alcoholic looking for that next bottle of gin, the man may have a point on the switch.

I took the high / low beam switch apart and it is like brand new in there, with the factory grease still intact, and no wear on either side of the switch.

If the contacts are a light to dark brown then they are not getting good connection. Mine werent green or anything like that, just a dark brown color and that was all it took to screw that switch up. I sanded them till they were bright coppper and greased them.

The grease was still intact and the contacts were bright copper, with a tiny scuff from the switch engagement, but no real wear or changing in color. Frankly it looked brand new in there.

:dunno :confused: I guess that leaves you at a loose wire or connector somewhere. Have you had any luck getting the problem to occur while jiggling the wire harness and connectors in different places?

I was a jiggling fool last night and I could not recreate the problem. I'll keep at it.

Jiggle not only the front harness but all the way to the fuse box. Something is loose/grounding and it is taking a hard jiggle (like coming down from a wheelie) to create the problem.

I had thi s problem and it ended up being the light switch. I bought a cheap replacement on ebay for like 20 bucks. at first I thought it was the fuse or realay or bulbs, but then a mechanic told me those switches have a P.O.S. housing and they mess up. you switch parts may look fine, but the contacts just arent connecting or something is burned and you just dont see it looking at it. Anything other than this I wouldnt know. This is my 2 cents. :riding

i stand firm on the problem being the switch

here's a thought.... get the switch and take a hammer to it and then if the lights dont ever come back on you can say its the switch! change it!! :crash :thumbup

Yep,if it would be a live wire grounding somewhere,the fuse would blow. I"d go with or the switch,or a defect connector somewhere too. The thing is next time they go out(and the problem occurs),check if the rear lights,flashers and tach cluster works (check all).

Everything except the headlights work when the condition occurs, I have checked this. Also the fuse does not blow. Does anyone specifically know where the headlight pins are in and in which connector. This information would allow me to trace wiring and check pins without having to tear up all of the factory wiring casing.

dude replace the ****ing switch. you want me to buy it for you?

Wiring diagrams from Yamaha arent worth crap... Your only way is to follow each wires to the connectors...

The connector I mentioned is a very wide white connector on the left side under the cover. 28-pin, if I remember correct. 2 rows of connections. If you have one of the wires loose there, it can disconnect the entire front side (gauges, lights, everything).

but his problem is only headlights not guage cluster

But the headlight connector is within the main connector that Jack mentioned, therefore I will look for the pin for the headlights within that connector and make sure the pins are fine.

but he said if that pin is bad all your front lights (guage and blinkers) wouldnt work

In looking at it yesterday it appears as if each component has it own pin. Also, the next time that problem occurs, I will pull the switch off of the wifes R6 and test it, but the problem has to happen again. With my luck it will be out at night.

yeah but just flip the highbeams at night

when the headlights go out I have not lights whatsoever. I can flip the switch until my hand falls off and it doesn't help.

replace the bike

More and more its sound like the switch. Also, just because fuses not blowing up does not mean there is not a shortage :yesnod

Originally posted by motopsyko32 replace the bike :iamwithst Moto has a good point, sounds like its time for an 04 :crash

Its gotta be the switch!!! replace the switch or replace the bike!! :yesnod :riding When my switch went out the only things that would work were the high beams.... and that was sometimes... dude im tellin u u can get the switch cheap online..

switch first.. if you have changed wiring anywhere throughout the bike.. and did not properly connect the wires down.. signals/grounds/ect they could be crossing.. hard work.. it might not solve your problem.. but it could possibly rule out something..

I will replace the switch and see what happens.

bah!

let us know what happens!!!

hey yamahog have u fixed it yet?? it's been like 2 weeks...

Locally I was told about not having the relay properly secured causing issues. I could not easily get to the the spot in the nose that it secures to, so I zip tied it to the the front fairing stay and all has been good. I think the relay bouncing around was the problem, hence the problem when doing wheelies.

good to hear it worked out! :thumbup ride on and be careful :riding