License plate light short

[Jay Pee]

I am having a problem with this one and finally broke down to ask for help. I have a short on the license plate light socket. I can disconnect the cable on the muffler side at the quick disconnect, and the short is no longer at the light socket. From there I follow the cable to under the seat, and it goes in a big bundle with other wires towards the front of the bike I assume. Question is, where else can I check for this short? All other lights and functions are working when the lamp is removed and the bike is running. Lamp installed I get the normal, limp mode, fuse blown, all errors on the screen.. Any ideas??
Thanks in advance!!
2011 RS-S

 

[NancysToy]

It is usually a result of the wire coming loose under the rear fender. It contacts the tire and becomes damaged.

 

[bill pitman]

Orange wires...

I am having a problem with this one and finally broke down to ask for help. I have a short on the license plate light socket. I can disconnect the cable on the muffler side at the quick disconnect, and the short is no longer at the light socket. From there I follow the cable to under the seat, and it goes in a big bundle with other wires towards the front of the bike I assume. Question is, where else can I check for this short? All other lights and functions are working when the lamp is removed and the bike is running. Lamp installed I get the normal, limp mode, fuse blown, all errors on the screen.. Any ideas??
Thanks in advance!!
2011 RS-S

Ok, you disconnected at the "quick connect" (orange wire= hot side) and the short is not at the bulb socket any longer, correct? Is the short still upstream of the bulb socket, other side of the quick connect? If no, the bulb socket or wires running within the fender are bad.
There is another quick connect ( black wires)for the ground side of the license plate light. That should not be the problem.
Fuse 7 supplies 12vdc to: DESS module(power supplied before ignition switch), marker lights, license plate light, tail lights, and brake lights,thru the brake switch, & into the VCM module. All orange wires on the output side of the ignition switch.
Let us know what you find,
Bill

 

[Jay Pee]

Thats what I thought, that was the first one that I checked.. That one is checking out fine, visual and with a meter..

 

[Jay Pee]

Thanks Bill,
That gives me a path to go down, and yes when I disconnect from the quick connector, the short is no longer at the socket, and yes still up stream..
I will dive back into it tonight after work.

 

[bill pitman]

Thanks Bill,
That gives me a path to go down, and yes when I disconnect from the quick connector, the short is no longer at the socket, and yes still up stream..
I will dive back into it tonight after work.

If the short is upstream, you still should be blowing F7 and have no lights I mentioned above.
pull license plate bulb out and carefully check for 12vdc, or with Spyder off, pull F7 fuse , remove bulb, and check with ohmmeter center contact to ground, it should be open.

 

[Jay Pee]

Problem solved.....
The problem was found to be a damaged line inside of the bundle that leads from under the seat towards the front of the bike. Took some time to find out the problem, but problem resolved. Thanks for all the help!

 

[bill pitman]

Problem solved.....
The problem was found to be a damaged line inside of the bundle that leads from under the seat towards the front of the bike. Took some time to find out the problem, but problem resolved. Thanks for all the help!

Good job!
What color wire(s)was/were the damaged one?

Bill