Harley Davidson Rear Brake Light Switch

[@chrisn.3153]

1st time HD owner here. Thanks to your short and to the point instructional video I was able to confirm the rear brake switch was bad with the paperclip trick. I swapped out for a new OEM HD rear brake switch...surprisingly it was only $24. 1 down, 1 to go. My front brake switch is worn too (stays compressed) and has a lot of play on the lever. Anyway the OEM front one from HD was only $22.

[@philliptoti277]

That might have been a Harley recall. I have a 2011 Ultra Classic Limited and when I had my rear tire replaced by HD they ran my Vin number. Low and behold, the switch was changed out for free due to it melting and failing. My didn’t fail thankfully but they changed it before it did.

[@roadkingrider6532]

When you have to do again, put a tie down around your rear brake pedal…depressing it. Then change it out. You won’t have to bleed the brakes. At least I haven’t had to, last two times I did it.

[@RG-ut4zb]

Thanks for posting this video. Don't know much about fixing motorcycles - but had the same problem and this helped me diagnose and fix.

[@normanfields6371]

08 Harley Electra glide mine doing the same thing Great video thanks for sharing now I know how to diagnose and replace and thanks for the part number 👍

[@safeeffective385]

When I tried this paperclip check method today, the clip turned red and started sparking... thought was going to catch on fire. Would that indicate a short somewhere else?

[@planetqliving]

Thank you. Straight to the point!

[@t.pearso3228]

thats a Kick ass paint job 👍

[@fredbumgarner1363]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge

[@Cassady_420]

I've got 12v on both leads?? Short to ground or relay?

[@benmartinez3675]

Great video, very helpful. Thank you.

[@brickbreaker9581]

Good video man!!

[@cheapjoker3321]

Thank you.

[@lokogurka]

Good video!! So that switch it’s a car one or it’s made for bikes ???

[@mstrdem]

Question for you, did you have to bleed the line afterwards?

[@cheapjoker3321]

I did bleed the brake line. I was due to change my brake fluid anyways when I discovered I had an issue with my brake switch, so it kind of worked out. I have read somewhere on a forum that you maybe able to swap out the brake light switch without bleeding your brakes, but I have not done that. Can't remember what forum I saw that on.

[@dennisbartenbach]

Hey Joker. Dennis here, new rider, new Harley owner. I just bought a 2015 Dyna FXDL Lowrider and the brake light was on for a few days and now works intermittingly. By on I mean just like the running light, illuminated non stop. Now it just doesn't illuminate. If I remove the tail light socket and reposition it the brake light works for a few minutes and then goes back to not working. The running lights are fine but now no brake light and at first it wouldn't go out. No wires are loose that I can see, does this sound like the brake light switch? Thank you for your great channel and apologies if my question is not clear. The code displayed reads b2161...

[@cheapjoker3321]

With it sometimes working then not I don't think it is the brake light switch, but again I am no expert. I found this info when searching for the b2161 code. Not sure if this helps. www.harley-davidsonforums.com/threads/brake-light-fix.373888/

[@dennisbartenbach]

@@cheapjoker3321 Thank you very much...

[@paulbodman3335]

hi joker my 2021 softail standard brake lights allways on

[@cheapjoker3321]

Check this forum out. www.hdforums.com/how-tos/a/harley-davidson-touring-why-is-my-brake-light-staying-on-413912

[@DenIs-IsDen]

Thnk you!👍🏻

[@m.b4524]

Thanks bud

[@Beemers325is]

Where did you get the lights

[@cheapjoker3321]

Lights were already installed on the bike when I purchased it. I am making the assumption that the fenders were manufactured by Bad Dad.

[@98chicagobears]

hey joker my bike is new so do I still have to bleed out my brake fluid or can I just change the switch with the same fluid will it squirt out or will it just be all right.

[@cheapjoker3321]

I think it would squirt out, but I think some people on the internet have said they were able to quickly change it out and were able to get a new switch installed. When I changed mine I had majority of the fluid drained, so I didn’t have fluid squirting out when removing my old switch. For me, I would think that if you tried you would end up letting air into the line. If you are going to try you may want to search the forums and get better advice from someone who has done it that way.

[@cheapjoker3321]

I know it doesn’t answer your question but maybe someone will chime in who has attempted to changing out the switch without draining all the brake fluid first. Good question.

[@Jeff82556]

A switch is ELECTRICAL not HYDRAULIC!!! I suggest staying away from both. (as a DIY project) KZbin videos are not a wise substitute for people with no experience with certain tasks.

[@cheapjoker3321]

@@Jeff82556 I get that the switch is electric. Can you share in reference to Gino's question, since it sounds like you have knowledge in this field.

[@Jeff82556]

@@cheapjoker3321 Sure, I'll try to answer where it makes sense. Gino's question "will I have to bleed the system or just change the switch with the same fluid?". (shortened version) Gino is assuming that brake fluid and the switch are somehow interlinked or connected in some way. (will it squirt out?) They are not interlinked in any fashion. These are 2 independent (hydraulic & electrical) systems which are related to brakes but are physically separate entities. They don't connect to each other or control each other although some switches monitor pressure, like brake fluid or a gas gauge. 1. brake fluid runs throughout the master cylinder, brake lines, calipers, etc and can be bled by loosening bleeder nuts. (a person puts pressure on the brake pedal while other person loosens the bleeder nut which allows brake fluid (and trapped air) to escape the lines. (nothing electrical here) 2. A brake switch is an electrical connection which ONLY sends a signal instructing the brake light to illuminate when pressing the brake pedal. (nothing hydraulic here) That's all it does! Imagine what would happen if you sent an electrical charge to brake fluid! (brake fluid is flammable and burns like vegetable oil) Oh and you asked me.... Why is the replacement stoplight switch titled "Hydraulic Stoplight Switch"? Good question, Cheap Joker. Calling it "hydraulic" (meaning brakes) is more understandable than simply calling it a stoplight switch. They want the description of hydraulic so that people won't confuse it as being perhaps a turn signal switch, or an ABS switch, or a brake light switch, etc. Hydraulic is just a general prefix, no different than using a word like aircraft which could mean plane, helicopter, drone, rocket, etc. I hope anything I said made sense to you. In summary, you cannot mix or combine electrical & hydraulic together as one.

[@samalfakir5463]

Does the S551 switch fit any Harley ?? answer will be appreciated

[@cheapjoker3321]

Don’t know if it fits all Harley’s. I believe I had obtained that information from a forum but can’t recall if it was for all models.

[@bigdaddy69662]

My brake light comes on when I step on the pedal all the way down only, not when I barely start to press on pedal.. Does that mean my brake switch is goin out ?

[@cheapjoker3321]

Hector Ortega I don’t know on that. Since the switch has your brake line associated with it I would try checking your brake fluid level just to make sure you are good since it relies on the pressure. I didn’t experience the symptoms you described but again I only realized it after my rear brake light wasn’t working at all.

[@Jeff82556]

@@cheapjoker3321 has nothing to do with the freakin' brake fluid level .... geezee!!! The brake switch like most all others on the planet are ELECTRICAL not HYDRAULIC.

[@cheapjoker3321]

@@Jeff82556 then can you educate me on why the replacement stop light switch that fits this bike is titled Hydraulic Stoplight Switch if your saying it isn’t a Hydraulic Switch.

[@alfordu]

I put them paper clip in and the brake lights still didn't come on whats next?

[@cheapjoker3321]

Was one of the wires show hot?

[@Fam200532]

I inserted paper clip into each plug. Lights will not turn on. What should I do next

[@cheapjoker3321]

Willie Black check to see if you have a hot wire. One of those wires should be a hot wire. If you don’t have a hot wire check wire connections and if you have a broken wire.

[@Fam200532]

Cheap Joker no voltmeter but I do have a light tester. Both plugs light up. So I just need a new switch right

[@cheapjoker3321]

Willie Black using the paper clip into the plugs (by passing switch) and the brake light, lights up with ignition on tells you most likely your brake light switch has a problem. Now if your light is not lightning with the paper clip inserted into the two wires (by passing switch) there may be issue somewhere in the wiring. That is why you want to verify you have one wire hot. Click on the link in description of of this video from fix my hog. That video goes in depth little more about procedures using light tester to determine that one of wires only is hot (not both). Also check the terminals on the brake switch for corrosion. Before swapping out switch I would make sure that the by pass (paper clip) Illuminates the brake light. Also when using your front brakes, does that illuminate your brake light? Just a check to make sure it’s not a faulty bulb. The whole by pass with the paper clip is to show that your wiring is ok to illuminate the bulb thus pointing you to the brake light switch being the problem. Might also want to check fuses.

[@Fam200532]

Probably gonna have to take this to the harley dealership. Test light works on one of the connectors. When I insert paper clip, brake lights will not come on. I even put the tester on the paper clip while it was inside of the connector. The tester light doesn’t come on

[@cheapjoker3321]

Willie Black since the light isn’t illuminating with paper clip I would think it would have something to do with wiring (maybe going to brake light) and not the brake light switch. Let us know what you find out though. I am interested in finding out what might be wrong.

[@angi2365]

my problem when the bike runs after 20 30 mins, my brake stays on

[@guglielmodicarlo4139]

buddy , clean your bike,, Jes ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,