Bet that sounded nice! ;op
ST1300 Headlight Problem
- Thread starter tco2634
- Start date
Re: Headlight Problem
After checking fuses, replacing headlight bulbs ( that was a lot of fun), I saw your post. Sprayed contact cleaner in the starter switch, and voila, the headlight works again. I only wish I read your post before others suggesting a more drastic problem. Thank you!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!.....Dropped my ST1300 (lightly) today trying to turn too hard and going too slow pulling into a parking spot. After picking it up and doing my business at the store, all seemed well until I was at a stop light behind a vehicle and something didn't look right. Didn't see my headlights in the reflection. After flipping high beams on and off and no joy, I freaked out a little. With turn signals and running lights still working, I went ahead and continued to work. I was running through everything in my mind. Fuse....ground....did I actually break something?.... Then, I jumped on the site, looked around and found this thread. Crossed my fingers and went out and checked the starter switch....sure enough. Whew! I'll be picking up some contact cleaner today or tomorrow to fix it and maybe pull it apart this weekend, if I need to. Thanks to all who kept me from ripping everything apart searching for issue. :bow1:
- Joined
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- 8057
Nice simple fix is always better then having to rip apart the bike.
I recently had a problem where my headlights would go off and on intermittently. I was a bit puzzled because everything else electrical worked fine ... the issue affected only the low beams and high beams. Since they don't share a common relay, I ruled that out as a possible source. Then I wondered about having a faulty ground until I found this thread. Yes, Sir! Threads like this make my annual $$$ contribution all wothwhile. Flooded the starter button from inside the housing with Radio Shack contact cleaner and watched brown liquid drain out. Thanks, everyone! <Ken>
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That brown stuff was the factory installed dielectric grease that lubricates and protects the switch contacts. Without it the problem will return and likely be worse. To finish the job take the switch pod halfs apart and relube the various switch mechanisms. It will be good for many thousands of miles to come.
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- Nov 20, 2005
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- 5901
On the 2010, I just cleaned out the turn signal switch and re-grease it with die-electric grease. Seems to be working fine.
One note on the headlights/starter switch. On our trip to the SouthWest this last September, the switch's nylon bracket/holder broke on Justin's (my old '05) and we had to do a field fix. When the bike started, the headlights wouldn't come on. The way I found out the problem was I took the switch apart and then pushed down on the electrical part and the headlights came on as long as I was pushing down. Justins fix was to melt two holes in the switch case, run a wire tie up around the actual switch and hold it in place. It worked great for the 4 days we needed it to.
One note on the headlights/starter switch. On our trip to the SouthWest this last September, the switch's nylon bracket/holder broke on Justin's (my old '05) and we had to do a field fix. When the bike started, the headlights wouldn't come on. The way I found out the problem was I took the switch apart and then pushed down on the electrical part and the headlights came on as long as I was pushing down. Justins fix was to melt two holes in the switch case, run a wire tie up around the actual switch and hold it in place. It worked great for the 4 days we needed it to.
Re: Headlight Problem
The above having been said, WD-40 does market an electrical contact cleaner spray that I would use in a heartbeat if I ever find some. I don't recall having seen it at any local auto parts stores, but the website states that it's available at Grainger. I haven't yet looked for it at Home Depot or Lowe's or any hardware store.
I have used WD-40 multi-purpose spray in the past on electrical components before I learned here that is a no-no, in spite of what the can label indicates, and it has never caused a problem that I'm aware of. However, in view of all the posts I've seen here banning its use on electrical stuff, I now use it only out of desperation if I don't have any specific electrical contact cleaner in the garage, such as CRC. If you DO use it on something electrical in a pinch, a word of warning: obviously, you want to unplug the appliance before spraying anything on an electrical switch or any component. You also need to allow several minutes for the solvent to evaporate before applying power to the device. DAMHIK!
The above having been said, WD-40 does market an electrical contact cleaner spray that I would use in a heartbeat if I ever find some. I don't recall having seen it at any local auto parts stores, but the website states that it's available at Grainger. I haven't yet looked for it at Home Depot or Lowe's or any hardware store.
I want to thank you for this posting, Yes, I had the same problem and of course it happens in the middle of the night
Your posting helped me after I had checked fuses/ relays etc Such a simple problem to fix once you have found it. Thank you again you made my day! 
There are several posts regarding a sticky/dirty starter switch being responsible for lights out. Maybe one could be a sticky or one made specifically to be a sticky.
Even long time members get tripped up by Honda's Prince of Darkness. And it's an easy fix compared to a vehicle with 'lectrics by Lucas.
While a spray contact cleaner/lube gives an immediate fix it might be better to open up and clean then lube with a grease. Anybody solely use a spray with long term success?
Even long time members get tripped up by Honda's Prince of Darkness. And it's an easy fix compared to a vehicle with 'lectrics by Lucas.
While a spray contact cleaner/lube gives an immediate fix it might be better to open up and clean then lube with a grease. Anybody solely use a spray with long term success?
Re: Headlight Problem
+1
WD40 does make an electrical contact cleaner that's safe for plastic, look for it in an aoto parts store.
+1
WD40 does make an electrical contact cleaner that's safe for plastic, look for it in an aoto parts store.
Just had this problem on mine - a Euro spec bike. Riding down the road at 70mph then suddenly not having lights wasn't much fun. Being a Euro bike, it has the three position headlight switch (normal, latch towards the front of the bike for high beam, or push and hold towards the back of the bike for an intermittent "pass" high beam). What confused me as I looked into this was that pressing the switch into the "pass" position would give high beam (but not together with low beam as it normally would). Latching into high beam, or leaving in low beam was equally dark. I therefore assumed that there was something wrong with that switch.
It turns out that the "pass" circuit on the Euro bikes doesn't draw it's power through the starter switch, but from a separate feed from the power relay. This can be seen by hitting the kill switch, then trying to start the bike. The headlights turn off, but if you press pass the high beam comes on even with the starter pressed.
Quite useful to have a separate backup circuit.
It turns out that the "pass" circuit on the Euro bikes doesn't draw it's power through the starter switch, but from a separate feed from the power relay. This can be seen by hitting the kill switch, then trying to start the bike. The headlights turn off, but if you press pass the high beam comes on even with the starter pressed.
Quite useful to have a separate backup circuit.
moddy
the mod
I can see there's no need to apologize for continuing to post on this old thread but I don't see how I can go without mentioning I found information in this forum once again that saved me time, money and frustration. I found my headlights out, having just placed 2 F2 LEDs a month ago.
I also found both headlamp fuses intact and about .2 volts at the connections for the headlights. Being electrically savvy enough to wire a bypass from the battery tender straight to the LED revealed it worked. Getting on this forum and finding this thread, I turn the key on, hit the kill switch and cycled the starter button and watched the headlights flicker. I now know to clean the starter button contacts, thanks everyone.
I also found both headlamp fuses intact and about .2 volts at the connections for the headlights. Being electrically savvy enough to wire a bypass from the battery tender straight to the LED revealed it worked. Getting on this forum and finding this thread, I turn the key on, hit the kill switch and cycled the starter button and watched the headlights flicker. I now know to clean the starter button contacts, thanks everyone.
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I am reading the comments and agree the starter is a suspect as it does interrupt the headlights - did you just shoot cleaner in where the starter button/switch is or did you disassemble the unit? If so, can you tell me just what you did? My headlights were fine, then one day I put the high beams on (I like to ride with them in the daytime on back roads) and no blue indicator lamp. I pulled over and sure enough, the headlights were out. Started the bike and they came back on. Hmmm. This happened a few times but now the lights are out period. As for the ignition switch, it's buried pretty deep - I shot contact cleaner into the key slot but am not convinced that the contacts are in that part of the housing. I am liking the starter switch as a culprit - hate taking the bike to Honda because their service people, in general, are not good troubleshooters and they charge by the hour. Peter
OK I held a rag under the start switch/button and shot contact cleaner in the gap created when I pressed it in. I exercised the switch several times - at first no headlights. I repeated the process and now they come on with the ignition every time. Thank you, thank you, thank you.