Light switch issue?

Joined
Aug 8, 2015
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471
Location
CT USA
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07 ST1300
This morning..cold cold morning. I was warming the bike while donning my gear. Noticed my headlights were off. All other light's normal. Fiddled with the dimmer switch a bit and they started working. What's this about I wonder?
 
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Jul 16, 2017
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Toronto, Canada
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2001 ST1100
Had the same problem when it got cold .... tried some contact cleaner .... I think its the ignition switch ??

Gord
 

wjbertrand

Ventura Highway
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Squirt out both the high/low and starter button switches with some plastic safe contact cleaner. Probably not the ignition switch itself if everything else was working.
 
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JimGregory
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Aug 8, 2015
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471
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CT USA
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07 ST1300
On the way home in the dark it acted up again. Switch the high/low beams a bit and they work again. Not fun when the lights go out in the dark. Haven't tried the starter button.
So what is a plastic safe contact cleaner? I have some stuff here I think. I must start to disassemble all switches!
 
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JimGregory
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Aug 8, 2015
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471
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CT USA
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07 ST1300
pulled switches apart and hosed down with Deoxit. It removed all mushiness in everything including turn signals. Slow drying though and I may need a touch of silicone spray to re-lube things.
I used deoxit because I had it. CRC may work better. Surely cheaper.
 

dduelin

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace
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A long term fix is to take the switches apart and clean the contacts then reapply a dielectric grease. The switches are precisely made and no springs or balls fly out as each little screw is removed. Honestly I think the switches will last forever in these things if cleaned and lubed every so often.
 
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JimGregory
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Aug 8, 2015
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471
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CT USA
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07 ST1300
Seems to me that the actual contacts were OK but the lubrication in the switches thickened in the cold resulting in sluggish operation. I will today work some silicone lube into them to replace the flushed out hardened lube.
I can now feel all the detents and such that were gone before flushing. My turn signal switch is now crisp and easy to turn off. Before, shutting them off was difficult and hit or miss.
I am sure there is more then 1 thing that goes wrong with these depending on the situation, and I agree a disassemble and thorough clean and relube is likely best.
 

ST Gui

240Robert
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I can now feel all the detents and such that were gone before flushing. My turn signal switch is now crisp and easy to turn off. Before, shutting them off was difficult and hit or miss.
Are your headlights operating normally now?
 
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JimGregory
Joined
Aug 8, 2015
Messages
471
Location
CT USA
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07 ST1300
Are your headlights operating normally now?
I hope so. Gonna be dark on the ride home.
This morning after the squirting I could not get them to fail. However it's about 30f warmer then yesterday morning.
True test is riding at night in the very cold. Can't wait!
 

ST Gui

240Robert
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Fingers crossed for ya! Cleaning out some of the sludge should be a good start. My ST buddy had the same problem and to get to work through the week he just squirted some contact cleaner into the open switch housing. He was heartened when I told him I had it on good authority that no small bits would fly out when he opened it. That fixed his problem.
 
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