2021 RTL USB in the trunk not working. Any ideas? Troubleshooting?

[Steve669]

I had a 2021 RTL for about 6months now and I just noticed the USB ports in the trunk don’t work. Is there an easy way to troubleshoot before taking it to the dealer. They just take too long to figure anything out.

I checked the fuses, and I removed the trunk to see if it’s connected. Both ok.

 

[K80Shooter]

Did you check it with the bike running or the switch on?

 

[Steve669]

Did you check it with the bike running or the switch on?

I Checked with it running and in the on and off position. I replaced fuses just in case, but still nothing.

 

[Peteoz]

Just a bit more trouble shooting, Steve……have you checked to see if your trunk’s brake light is functioning?

Pete

 

[K80Shooter]

The main harness is under the passenger seat, you might want to make sure that it is plugged up good and has not came undone. It's at the back where the harness goes into the trunk.

 

[Peteoz]

The main harness is under the passenger seat, you might want to make sure that it is plugged up good and has not came undone. It's at the back where the harness goes into the trunk.

Yeah, I thought the same, K80, but Steve says in his first post that he removed the trunk to make sure the wiring was connected. It will be interesting to see if his trunk brake light comes on.

Pete

 

[K80Shooter]

Yeah, I thought the same, K80, but Steve says in his first post that he removed the trunk to make sure the wiring was connected. It will be interesting to see if his trunk brake light comes on.

Pete

Oops.... I didn't go back and reread the 1st post. Thanks.

I'll look at the electrical diagram and see what I may can come up with.

To the OP. Did you check to see if the socket had a ground? Sometimes that is a issue in place of no power. If you have a test light hook the clip to a good ground point and recheck, if nothing else fasten a wire to the negative post on the battery and then check. You can also check ground with an ohms meter.

 

[K80Shooter]

Ok all the trunk lights and rear lights are ran off of the same circuit as the USB, so like Pete asked, do you have brake light or any lights on the trunk or rear of the bike? Thats a starting point. For reference it's wire OG-20 also check the black wire for ground.

 

[Steve669]

Sorry guys for the late reply. Dealing with that COVID stuff.

-My brake lights on the trunk work.
-Removed the seat to further check connections and they are all connected.

I do get the message that the rear trunk is open and I can click the switch to make it go away, so I’m getting power to the trunk.

I just don’t have the inside trunk light and USB are not working.

I also did some readings with a multimeter. See pick below
This is from the connectors under the trunk. If I did this right, the pins that go to the Inside light and USB are not getting any juice (red circle). I get readings from the other pins (green)

I don’t know where to from there.

 

[Sagebrush]

I would disconnect that connector check for any bent pins and reconnect it. Often that fixes problems like this.

 

[Steve669]

the pins look good

 

[Jetfixer]

This might help...

 

[Peteoz]

This might help...


View attachment 194131

Hmmmmmm. So since BOTH the USB and the trunk light aren’t working, it looks like a break or disconnect where either the power or earth cable joins the trunk brake cluster cable? I am NOT an auto electrician……just my thoughts.

Pete

 

[Sagebrush]

Since both the ground and +12v are common to the USB, trunk Light and tail/brake lights and the tail/brake lights are working then the problem would seem to be in the harness. Is there a place to check for voltage at the trunk light? If not then I think you'll have to remove that harness and see if it can be repaired other wise a new harness is probably the fix. Its likely a broken wire, ground or +12v inside the wire insulation, tough to find. Wiggling that part of the harness to see if you can intermittently get the trunk light to work would confirm.

 

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

This is from the connectors under the trunk. If I did this right, the pins that go to the Inside light and USB are not getting any juice (red circle). I get readings from the other pins (green)

I don’t know where to from there.
View attachment 194130

Looking at the wiring diagram from Jetfixer I think the two pins with no reading are the leads that go to the top case switch. That is undoubtedly a low voltage signal connection, and may even be a digital signal that is intermittent. You need to check the voltage at the top case light connector and the USB connector. I suspect the wires are reversed on each one, hence neither one will work.

 

[Dudley]

The USB doesn't work is a very vague observation. What are you expecting from the USB? If it's anything more than charging your smart phone then this may be the problem. It will not connect your music to the speakers. No one has suggested trying to just charge your phone.

 

[pidjones]

So far the USB in the trunk of our '21 RTL has worked fine to power the old LG phone that I use for listening to MP3s. Powers up with the bike, so I have to remember to power up the bike at least weekly to recharge the phone battery.

 

[K80Shooter]

Sorry but I have been battling covid myself.

If you want to fix it you will have to start at the usb plug and work backwards till you find the break, be it either a ground or power issue. The orange wire coming out of the plug supplies power to the usb plug, light and brake lights. If one works without the other then there is a problem. These wires are so small that they are very easy to break.

My guess is that where the wire is spliced the 1st time is where the problem is.

Thanks to Jetfixer for posting the diagram while I was sick.

 

[Peteoz]

The USB doesn't work is a very vague observation. What are you expecting from the USB? If it's anything more than charging your smart phone then this may be the problem. It will not connect your music to the speakers. No one has suggested trying to just charge your phone.

Steve has said above that the inside light is also not working, Dudley, so there is more to it than just checking phone charging

Pete

 

[Jetfixer]

Looking at the wiring diagram from Jetfixer I think the two pins with no reading are the leads that go to the top case switch. That is undoubtedly a low voltage signal connection, and may even be a digital signal that is intermittent. You need to check the voltage at the top case light connector and the USB connector. I suspect the wires are reversed on each one, hence neither one will work.

You may very well be on to something here. Since almost every 2020 RT came from the factory with the gps harness wires reversed, it's very possible that the 12+ and GRD are reversed in the connector...