Electrical issue - lights stay on when ignition is off

I have an 2004 ST w/ABS which I commute with about 30 miles a day. It has been starting just fine. I rode to work Monday with no issues at all. This morning I turned on the ignition and the headlight and instrument panel did not light up. The only lights were the running lights and two lights (where the neutral light and F1 light are). I don't remember which lights came on there. I tried to start the bike and it would crank somewhat sluggish form normal. It would not run. I turned off the ignition and I noticed that the lights on my Givi box were still on as well as the amber running lights and tail light.

I did have a issue with the battery last February. It was low and needed to be charged which was done at BatterysPlus. They also checked the battery and told me I had 75% life left. The battery was able to take a full charge. I've been using a battery tender on the bike if I haven't ridden it for 3 days or so. Usually charges up (light on tender turns green) in less than an hour.

I disconnected everything from the battery except for the battery tender and plugged it in to see what would happen. Took the bus to work....

What concerns and puzzles me is that the lights stayed on when I turned the ignition off and removed the key.


Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Gary J.

One reason lights remain on when they shouldn't and won't light when they should is a bad or inefficient ground. The current finds it's way to ground back through a light circuit.

Over the years we have seen a collection of related weird lighting issues that often trace to the single green ground wire that connects all the ground wires (green on Hondas) in the front half of the bike to the main ground lug on the frame under the gas tank. All the instrument panel green wires collect in a yellow multiple pin connector near and behind the RH headlight then a single green wire runs from there to a 24 pin white connector located under the left middle cowl next to the frame and above the left cylinder head. Corrosion can form in the yellow connector or in the 24 pin connector which causes resistance which heats up the components causing more resistance, heat, etc until something doesn't work right or melts.

I had a similar issue several years ago and help in the forum directed me to check out the ground circuits I've mentioned and I solved and repaired my 05 electrical gremlins. If you forum search electrical issues or wonky grounds you will find threads from way back on this.

Good luck, we are here for you.

I have an 04 and had the exact issue. key off marker lights on and LH headlight on but very dim. Would crank but not start. It took 2 1/2 years and several members of this group to solve it. GROUND!! I frame grounded both sides of the large plug to on the left side and the bike would start and run but occasionally drop out dash lights or one or both headlights. The plug under the RH dash is a bugger to get to so I added a frame ground to the ground side of the horn and have not had a problem in over a year. Hope this helps.
Dave

I had the same problem, see post 24 in the link below.

There is a Yellow Ground Cap plastic connector that brings all the ground wires together behind the right headlight. I had one of the connections in there that melted part of the ground cap. I removed all of the ground wires at the ground cap and put eyelets on the wires, then used 2 brass bolts to join all the eyelets together.
There is a write up on here about attaching the eyelets, can't seem to find it.
Also routed a larger green wire to the bike frame from this bolted connection.
No problems since I did this back in 2011.

There was a re-call for this. Check and see if your bike had the re-call done to it.

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?97632-Power-stays-on-when-the-key-is-removed/page2

Thanks for the response...

I went out to work on this today. I have three ground wires going to the battery ground for different farkles. Thinking that perhaps one os these might be a culprit I tested each one individually. The bike worked normally with each one individually and when I added them together. Took a short ride to get gas and all seems to be good.

Should I trust this is resolved or look into it further? Thoughts....?

So the only think you did was remove and reattach three ground wires? Were their connections dirty or loose?

If so I'd say you're probably golden. If not that might imply that nothing you did had any effect. In that case you'd be wise to watch the situation carefully at the very least. I'm the lazy type and would cross my fingers and ride.

Try and flick your high beams on and see if you whole electrical systems cuts out. I put my high beams on at 60 miles an hour and everything cut out on me for a second. I turned the high beams off and everything went back to normal.
I still feel you should remove and at least check the 24 pin ground behind the right headlight just to be sure nothing is burnt in the plug.

Rode the bike to work today. All went just fine, no problems. High beam works just fine. I will check the 24 pin ground. The last thing I want is for the bike to act up away from home. The dependability of these bikes is a major reason I keep mine.

Here is what my ground cap plug looked like.
The plug here shown in post 64 is not the ground cap plug, it's the plug behind the left middle cowl, close to you left knee.
I took pictures, but I'll be damned if I can find them.

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?98008-Lights-stay-on-when-ignition-switch-in-Off-bike-won-t-start/page4

Here's a couple thread resources with pictures:

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?124335-Fixed-my-electrical-problem-(headlights-dash-lites-horn-turn-signals-windshield)

Of course this one:

https://www.st-owners.com/forums/showthread.php?98008-Lights-stay-on-when-ignition-switch-in-Off-bike-won-t-start/page3

I need to bring this back to life. This issue has returned....Aagh!!!!!

I had read through the links that were sent before. They were very helpful, thanks to all you who sent them.

What I've done so far...
1. I added a ground from where the horn is plugged in, to the frame.
2. I checked the continuity of the other grounds that terminate under the tank.
3. I replaced the lead acid battery with a lithium battery.
4. I checked all connections of the farkles to make sure they were good.

Since this work I have not had a problem with the bike, at all.... Until yesterday. The same problem has returned.

Here is what happened yesterday:
1. I parked the bike in the driveway. Normally it is in the garage. Left it there all day while working around the house.
2. Later that afternoon I went to put the bike back in the garage. The bike would not start. I turn off the ignition and the lights stay on. This is what was happening before.
3. When I turn the ignition on the neutral and oil light come one. No other dash (idiot) lights come on. I have to discount the battery to get the lights to turn off.

Since the last episode I've ridden daily and not had a problem. The battery seems to be strong, at least it is cranking the bike strongly.

Any help would be much appreciated.