Ex-500.com - The home of the Kawasaki EX500 / Ninja 500R banner

Brake light stuck on...

4K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  hollywood 
#1 ·
This will probably be all real obvious for the veterans but thought this may be useful for 500 newbies.

Got the blue '05 last November on a salvage title... damage to front right:
1) fairing chunk missing... to be ordered
2) Fairing frame a bit out of whack... used a vise & added some whack
3) brake grip bent... replaced
4) brake light always on

After work, snow melting fast, I decided to look at the front brake electrical switch presuming it was damaged from the crash into the truck in St Louis (previous owner story).
I removed the 2 allen head cap screws from the brake-clamp, then unscrewed the lock-washered phillips screw attaching the switch underneath the brake reservoir.
I unplugged the switch- Brake light stayed full on! ??
Tested the continuity (ohm meter from a 1970's Heathkit!). Worked fine... full open (infinite ohms = off, brake handle released position) & full closed (zero ohms = on, brake hadle pulled).

Put it all back together... brake light still stuck on. Hmmm... ???

All the damage had been to the front right.
Well... figured the rear brake had to have a switch too. (I know... obvious!)
So stepped on the footbrake a couple of times but the brake light stayed stuck on.
Reached down by hand yanking the pedal up-down-left-right... the brake light went off briefly then back on. Ohhh... aha!

Short version result... there's a 3" long, maybe 3/4" thick black plastic threaded switch, behind the frame just below where the right ankle would be. It has a little plunger tilting mostly down but a little forward. A hooked spring attaches the plunger to the brake pedal. The upper end of the switch has a plastic sheath covering where the wiring attaches, not far under the rear brake reservoir.

Near the plunger there a 1"x1" little metal tab welded to the frame. The tab has a [U] cutout where the switch fits in. The switch has a hex-shaped plastic bit that can be turned by hand to

1) lower the switch body... relaxing the pull on the plunger, which means that the brake light won't come on until you press the pedal down farther.

2) raise the switch body, tightening the pull on the plunger so the light comes on sooner.

My brake light was "stuck" on because the switch was too high, so the spring pulled the plunger enough to keep the brake light (almost) always on. YIPPEE... a no $$ adjustment fixed the problem.
 
See less See more
#4 ·
clever fix, i wouldve just hit my bike with a hammer until the break light was fixed.
 
#6 ·
FOG is right... for people who already know the brake system & how the wiring bike is rigged, it's really just a matter of doing basic checks through the system.

Hollywood- it's a lot simpler to see & do than to explain.
Still, for those of us who are new to these bikes... there are puzzles to solve.
But if it saves money & chasing down parts... well worth it. :)
 
#7 ·
FOG said:
I was going to chide the teach for making a big deal out of checking two switches, till AntiAndy chimed in and reminded me who the audience is.

FOG
whoops I thought this was a forum where anyone could express any opinion they wished, whether serious or as a joke.
this -AIN'T- hitler's Germany FOG, we don't all wear tall leather boots and march in unison.

If you cant tell when someone is making an obvious joke to people being serious, then you need to lighten up.
 
#8 ·
We all gotta recognize that there are a lot of members raised a lot of different ways....
Some were raised in humor-rich homes & w/ sarcastic buddies... others (not many) might've been raised to err on the side of showing respect for others. Even after you know them. ;)
 
#10 ·
FOG said:
You would think a guy trying to be funny , would recognize another's humor. Musta been too subtle.

FOG
bah, coverin ur tracks by calling it subtlety.
oh i see what ur up to FOG.
still the wordsmith.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top