Rear directional wiring route

[NNJ]

My rear right directional doesn't light up. Bulb checks out.
I've checked that the wires in light housing don't show 12v across them when signal flashes on. I believe the wires in the connector under the seat (can anyone confirm the correct wires) read 12v, so I can only assume that the wire from the seat to the housing has gone bad.

The harness appears to travel under fender with no obvious connector within easy access of the rear light. Any tips on access or should I plan to just run a new wire bypassing the fender?

[gleam]

If you're talking about a 1500 then yes, it runs under the fender. In the first picture you see where they come through the fender from the top side through holes with grommets. The ones to the right of the picture (rear of the bike) are the signal lights - notice how they split off into two runs. The one to the left of the picture is the rear brake light - it joins the left harness. The second picture shows how they continue along forward, held by the folded metal tabs. Then the two groups go topside again as shown in the third picture.

I would try to run them in these same routes. If you run them over the fender it won't look good, and if you run them under it somehow without the tabs they will be exposed to a lot more wear and maybe rub the tire.

The wires come out of the turn signal housings themselves. They terminate on the connectors in there, and are one continuous wire until the end that sticks out topside near the seat.

[DragonLady58]

If you notice some of us when we're talking suspension, and we say YOU DO NOT WANT TO BOTTOM OUT YOUR SUSPENSION!....those wires are why. Put too short a shock on the rear....yep, looks great....but those wires are in danger....
Just my 2 pecos....
I hate redoing those....

[NNJ]

Originally Posted by gleam

I would try to run them in these same routes. If you run them over the fender it won't look good, and if you run them under it somehow without the tabs they will be exposed to a lot more wear and maybe rub the tire.

I've tested with a spare wire running from the black/yellow wire at the seat connector to the bulb attachment. It seems this wire has gone bad... but based on your photos, it could also simply be the length of wire from the bullet connector on the lamp assembly to the bulb mount. To test that looks like I'll need to manage to pull the wire connectors out from the fender (out the grommet) and test that far end...

Really hoping to avoid having to pull the fender.. and then there figuring out how to do that... and this is a 2008 1600..

[cactusjack]

You shouldn't need to pull the fender. That's like cutting off your hand to bandage a finger. Jack the bike up and let the rear wheel hang, you should be able to get to the backside of the fender.

[VulcanE]

Isn't the black/yellow wire ground on the 1600s?
Like Scott said you can access the wires from underneath.

[NNJ]

Thanks all... Turned out the end of the black/yellow had pulled back so no ground at the bulb socket. Splicing on a extension solved without further disassembly.

[VulcanE]

Glad it was something simple, and an easy fix.