Brake light not working By mefisto666 (Read 1,035 times)

[mefisto666]

Hi all,

I was looking up how to fix a non-working brake light and I stumble upon this great site.

I have a Znen model ZN150T-E which only has a rear brake light that does not turn on at all, and sadly is not working. I bought new bulbs but that didn't fix the problem, so I'm guessing it must be something else.

I'm new to the scooter world, so any help is appreciated.

Thanks

[alleyoop]

Welcome mefisto666,
Let me ask this when you squeeze the Brakes to start the scoot does it start even though the brake lights do not come on?

If so then check the wires from the socket by the bulb and trace it back. The way it operates is the brake wire runs back and SPLITS sending juice to SOLENOID and juice to the Bulbs. So it may be that where it splits it is disconnected. Also check your ground wire from the socket make sure it is also connected to ground.
Alleyoop

[JR]

Welcome to the forum. Alley told you correctly on all counts and if the scooter does start correctly with the brake handle pushed then your problem is as he said, bad socket or a bad ground or even a broke wire on either side.

Also I want to be sure you are talking about the brake lights? It seems in your post that you may be refering to the tail lights? If so then let us know for sure.

JR

[mefisto666]

Hello,

Thank you for your advice. The scooter does start witht he brake squeexed in, and I'm not sure the difference between the tail light and the brake light. The rear only has the two turn signals and the red ligh which is on while you ride and gets brighter when you brake. i would imagine they are both in the same, thus the two filaments in the bulb. I will trace the cable and see where it leads.

Thank you

[JR]

Ok you are correct in two filaments in one bulb just like on a auto in fact they are standard 1157 bulbs.

The brake light circuit is a yellow/green wire and of course a green ground. The tail light circuit is generally a brown wire sharing the same green ground wire with the brake light.

When you press the brake handle you send 12 Vdc down the green/yellow wire to the brake light bulbs and to one side of the stater relay. When you press the start button you send the ground side to the starter relay.

So now that we know the scooter starts with the brake handle pressed we now know we are getting voltage through green/yellow wire to at least the starter relay, now the question is are we getting it on down to the brake light bulbs?

Time to trace out the wires from the bulbs back toward the front and as we said be sure to check the ground wire.

JR

[tvnacman]

the wires sometimes come loose in the socket , or the electrical connector in the harness that feed that area .

John

[mefisto666]

So, to get this right. The problem is the ground (brown) cable. I tried traching the cable but it is a pain since I have to take apart the fairings. I will try following it all the way later and let you know what I find. but from the looks of it, it seems the brown wire might have come loose at some point.

[wheezy]

Given this is s dual-filament bulb, one must lose both 12v sources for the bulb to not work at all.

Are the dashlights working? That same 12v feeds the brown side for running lights. We know the starter relay works, so chances are the brake lights have a good feed as well.

That would lead to a broken ground. JR, does this share the same green wire as the turn signals? It would seem that if the ground is broken further from the tail light connector that the turn signals also would not work.

I think we may need a cheap 12v tester from the parts store to be sure of both of our 12v sources.

[alleyoop]

The Brown wire feeds the RUNNING LIGHTS, so it appears there is a disconnect of the BROWN WIRE either by the socket or further up the line. On my trike I have TWO seperate lights for brakeing and running and on one socket the running light was out but the brake light would work when squeezed. Found that the BROWN wire had pulled out from the socket. Pulled it off and soldered it back on and haven't had a problem since.
Alleyoop