RSTD Turn Signal Relay, Maybe...

[Telos]

Last week, I noticed that the dash-board turn signal indicator on my '05 RSTD was blinking awfully quickly. I remembered from cars I owned in the past that this might mean a burned out bulb doing something to the circuit (and might even be built into the system to alert the drive to a faulty bulb?). Sure enough, neither the REAR flashers or the rear running lights (same single element bulb) were not working . I checked both bulbs and they looked okay and passed a continuity test.

The interesting part of this is that the FRONT turn signals still work. I assumed the turn signal relay, a DENSO 066500-4120 FB257H, might be bad but if so how could the front signals and running lights still be working?

So my question to you all is this; does the fact that the front flashers/running lights still work mean that the relay is okay and that the problem with the rear lights must be something else? Perhaps a lose connection elsewhere?

Photo of the relay is attached.

Thanks for any collective wisdom.

[Flyinfool]

Check for power at the bulb socket and also check the grounds. The same flasher controls all of the lights so if some are out and some are working, it is either a bad bulb or bad wiring.

[Telos]

I posted that question so long ago, I forgot I'd sent it. The turn signals started working again shortly after without any intervention, so I just moved on. I figured it was a lose wire which I'd eventually track down. Lately, however, they are again not working.

 

As Flyinfool suggested, I had tested the socket and it has no current on either rear signal side.

 

Could the relay have two different circuits for the front and rear turn signals and, in this case, the front is working and the rear is not?

 

I notice now that the running light function of the rear turn signal lights is also not working. I think that suggests a faulty ground connection rather than the flasher relay. So I'll have to trace where the signals are connected to ground. I have a feeling it's inside the rear fender.

 

Any other comments/suggestions are appreciated.

[GeorgeS]

Check under the Licence plate mount. there are a bunch of pull apart connectors,

in there. Might be a loose , or dirty, or corroded connection.

[TDbiker]

Keep in mind while troubleshooting this problem that a stock 2005 RSTD (and other years as well) do not have rear running lights. The rear turn signals are "dark" until you hit the turn signal switch. If your rear turn signals are also running lights, then there must be a run-turn-brake controller installed. If you have one of these, I'd check those connections. I've had a similar issue to the one you describe, and that's where I found my trouble.

 

Good luck!

 

Glenn

[Telos]

TDbiker, I think you put your finger on it.

 

My bike has two added run-turn-brake light controllers. Both were already installed when I bought the bike in 2010. Both are from Signal Dynamics. The "Tri-Star XP" unit makes the turn signal lights into brake and running lights. The "Back-Stop" module causes the brake lights to flash 3 times when the brakes are applied. I'm glad to have both since they promote some degree of added visibility and safety (although I wish they were brighter LED's). Both are neatly mounted under the driver's seat just aft of the battery. See the attached photo.

 

So the problem, exactly as you suggested, was in the connections to these controllers. In the bottom right of the photo, you can see the blue wire taps used to connect these units to the original wiring. One of them was not making good contact. Problem solved for now, but if it comes back, I'll have to replace the taps.

 

Thanks.

 

John

[Flyinfool]

Those blue taps are junk. Do yourself a favor and remove them now and solder all of the connections. You would hate to find that the brake light one went bad after you got rear ended cuz the cage did not know you were stopping. Correctly working lights are critical to your safety.

There are MANY threads on here condemning those blue taps.

[dacheedah]

solder and heat shrink are your friends

[Telos]

Those blue taps are junk. Do yourself a favor and remove them now and solder all of the connections. You would hate to find that the brake light one went bad after you got rear ended cuz the cage did not know you were stopping. Correctly working lights are critical to your safety.

There are MANY threads on here condemning those blue taps.

 

Ive added soldering those connections to the to-do list, although if I get rear-ended by a car, I doubt there would be enough left to determine that the lights failed.

 

I agree entirely with you about the importance of lights, front and rear. I added an HID headlight lamp on the front. I'd like to add a bright LED array to the break light, but this seems complex with the BackStop and turn signal modules. I'd have to replace at least the BackStop module with one that works with LEDs.

 

Thanks again for your comments.