Motorcycle Front Brake Light Switch Repair | Honda Shadow ACE (VT750C)

My front brake lever stopped turning the brake light on, so I decided to bring you along to see how to troubleshoot and repair the issue. This should help anyone with a Honda repair this switch, I believe they all use the same one, and hopefully other makes use it as well.

[@henrywarnell7694]

Was ready to follow your excellent advice but first, squirted some silicone free aerosol (Metalflux) into the switch where the button is. Operated the brake lever repeatedly and left it for 5 minutes. Switch now working normally.

[@gumbyrocker]

Pinned this so that maybe people can save themselves the trouble of rebuilding it 😁

[@user-sr5md6cs9x]

It works thanks a lot

[@davidcondie1880]

I came across this video while looking online to order a new front brake switch so decided to give it a go. At first when I pulled the switch out I thought you couldn't work on it but after seeing what you did, I was able to open it up and clean the contacts. Like others have found, I just snapped it back together and the mounting screw holds everything together. Just saved the cost of a new switch.

[@gumbyrocker]

It's only a 10 bucks, but anything I can fix instead of buy is worth it to me 🙂 Glad this helped!

[@zolv]

Thank you! Your video has helped me fix my switch. I've just placed it back and it works again! Cheers!

[@gumbyrocker]

Excellent! So glad it helped!

[@mattmoyer1912]

Thanks for the video man! Just went through this with the help of your video on my 86' Honda Rebel 250. I did also had to clean off the contacts and used a wire wheel with some pliars to clean it off. I did lose a small component because the wheel spun so hard on it, but ended up using the switch components from a parts bike to pick up where i left off and got it working. Really appreciate the video.

[@keepmovn8039]

Just a tip: # pry open the switch housing carefully, to minimize damage when putting it back in. # if its corroded, clean the circuit with wd40 or contact cleaner. Rub the contacts and spring. # there is another contact in the middle. Its a lever, make sure it touches, in a close position. # make a hole for water with heated needle to wherever the water flow if the bike is on stand. The housing is not waterproof because the switch that goes in and out has no seal. So water will penetrate anyway. # re-shape the housing using lighter to heat and bend to proper position. # test the switch first (without the housing on) to your bike to make sure its working. # close the housing and seal it with power glue and contact adhesive. Power glue to stick the housing together (careful not to get it in contact with inside components/moving parts). Contacts adhesive to seal around the housing from water.

[@badcrcz]

Funny how a video like this seems like something only a few people will use, but it helped me diagnose a starting issue on a Chinese Kayo Fox 70 kids quad. It wouldn't start and I noticed the micro switches on the brake levers weren't operating. I disassembled the switches and couldn't tell how it was supposed to work because pieces were broken. Because I had multiple issues I wasn't sure if the switch was normally open or closed. After watching your video I knew I had to jumper the two wires going to the switch, which let me track down the other problems and I finally got it running.

[@gumbyrocker]

Glad it helped you! I am very surprised by how much this seems to have helped for such a tiny part.

[@RAULOJEDA-fl5bn]

Hi, I did it just as you said and removed the switch took it apart and used a pointed pick to remove the mushroom heads and was able to open and sand the contacts. I took one contact out the other I left it in and used the tip of the pointed pick and scraped the contact head. I put it back together and snaped the cover on. no need to add replacement screws as once you screw the switch back in it holds the contact very firmly in. it worked great. Thank you, you saved me some money.

[@gumbyrocker]

Well done! Not much money I'm afraid haha, for me it's just satisfying to have fixed something rather than replaced it, hope you feel the same!

[@RAULOJEDA-fl5bn]

no, you did because I was going to take it to the motorcycle shop you encourage me to try to fix it myself. And as you well know they are not cheap to fix anything. thank you again.

[@gumbyrocker]

Ah, then you really did save yourself! I'm so glad I had that effect!!

[@Powillticallyincorrect]

Thanks brother, just fixed my switch watching your video! Appreciate your time and wisdom. Ride safe brother 🙏🏽

[@gumbyrocker]

So glad to hear that! You stay safe out there as well bud!

[@paulharvey4159]

My brake light switch on my Yamaha Fazer had shit itself and pinged apart internally..and I couldn't work how it went back together..by studying your video I managed to clean it up and reassemble it it now works perfectly..thanks for that!

[@gumbyrocker]

Love to hear that! Stay safe.

[@RobertJohnson-it8df]

Worked liked a charm! Thanks for sharing! Like others this had been showing intermittent trouble and finally gave up the ghost. I isolated to the problem to this switch but couldn't figure out how to open it without destroying it. *note, if you are lucky and don't remove too much of the plastic "mushroom heads" this will pop back together with enough bite to hold.

[@gumbyrocker]

Glad it helped! Mine were too damaged during opening for me to leave them as is with any confidence. I pretty much knew as soon as I got it open how I wanted to modify it when I closed it, but probably better that you didn't damage yours as much as mine haha. Thanks for watching!

[@Themomomma]

Thanks a lot ! Mine was broken, we're sunday so no stores are open. I had to open it completely since it was already broken inside and i had to imagine how it was working ( the spring was gone from its place inside ). It was difficult but your video helped me a lot ! I cleaned all the parts, now it's working like before. I'll be able to ride this sunday haha. It's a Suzuki but i guess it's a universal part. Ride safe !

[@gumbyrocker]

Awesome to hear! Glad I could help you! Good to know it's something of a universal part too, I'll have to update the description/title. Cheers!

[@ukgardener973]

Thanks to you. I fixed my brake light 😉

[@gumbyrocker]

Nice job! Love to hear it!

[@MaeIstr0m]

Fixed mine too on my Transalp, many thanks !

[@gumbyrocker]

Excellent!

[@95jonas95]

Thank you so much! Just fixed mine.

[@gumbyrocker]

Excellent!

[@MySvestka]

Nice job! Thank You.

[@gumbyrocker]

Thank you! And you're welcome, glad it helped!

[@johnnyhilton3656]

Thank you. great help!!!

[@gumbyrocker]

You're very welcome!

[@1silvervespa]

Addvacdab of dielectric grease ...between the points ... Also on the Pilussh on connectors prevent corroison again .

[@gumbyrocker]

I did show putting dielectric grease on the contacts, and though I didn't show it, I also put it on the push connectors before securing them. Thank you though!

[@ildarmingazov2304]

Howzit buddy! I have the same problem with my Honda shadow. Thanks a bunch! PS: are you paint some thing gray and black? :)

[@gumbyrocker]

Glad it helped my friend, and no, my daughter was painting Me black and blue 😂

[@timothywright9781]

Thank you so much!

[@gumbyrocker]

Glad to have helped!

[@sashanealand8315]

Brilliant! thx

[@gumbyrocker]

Thank you! Glad it helped!

[@arthurwalters4760]

Both lever and foot brake doesn't light up the brake light. Thoughts?...

[@gumbyrocker]

In that case I would start at the brake light. Most likely the bulb is bad so check whether it works and ensure the connections in the tail light housing are secure while you've got it open. You can test the bulb with a 9V battery and two small lengths of wire. If replacing the bulb with a working one doesn't do the trick, work your way forward checking connections until you find the issue. You can probably find the wiring diagrams for your bike and year online if you don't already have one, it will be very helpful. It's unlikely that both your brake switches went bad simultaneously, but also not impossible, you can check the front brake switch like I explained in the video with a short length of wire, connecting those two wires that go to the switch and closing the brake light circuit. If that turns it on, both your switches have gone bad. Lastly, it doesn't sound like a fuse issue because I believe all the lights are on the same circuit and you haven't said that all your lights are out, but it wouldn't hurt to check the fuse box to confirm that none of them are bad. I hope you figure it out soon so you can get back to riding! Let me know what it was when you do, and feel free to ask more questions if needed.

[@brodytaggett3081]

My button works opposite for some reason, when the lever isn’t pulled in (button is pressed on) the light comes on and when I pull in the lever it goes off, like reverse, thoughts?

[@gumbyrocker]

After you worked on it or before? It sounds like perhaps while you were reassembling the switch you messed with the mechanism under the metal cover. Possible?

[@leonidezmartinezrivera5319]

Bueno

[@gumbyrocker]

Thanks!

[@vqfive]

You only cost like $4. I just bought 2 for 7.99 on ebay

[@gumbyrocker]

Yea, they're not expensive, I just like to fix anything that I can!

[@kennypool]

Nice fingernails. Thanks for the fix.

[@gumbyrocker]

Hah, thank you, and you're welcome, glad to share!

[@robertlutz3301]

Pretty nails

[@gumbyrocker]

Hah, thanks. Benefits of having a young daughter, I only regret that they were already a week old when I shot this 🤣

[@simonlovelock9554]

SIMONJOHN

[@simonlovelock9554]

just wanted to say thanks, great video mate, just fixed mine in almost same way, has been giving me intermittent function for a while, now all good, why they seal these things up, i guess they want you to buy new, is the same with most stuff now, but if there is a will there is usually a way, i am all for this sort of recycling, cheers from NZ.

[@gumbyrocker]

Glad it helped! It does seem like they could have made it easy on us and had the cover be removable. I'm just glad it worked out, it would have been a waste to throw it out and buy a new one.

[@norcal8718]

What's up with the nails dude?‽

[@gumbyrocker]

Haha, I hope that's not all you got from the video! That's what happens when you have a 5 year daughter 🤣

[@JohnPlissken]

That's a lot of trouble to go through when you could buy a new switch.

[@gumbyrocker]

Sure, I could have gotten two for 10 bucks and had a backup too, but instead I took the time to troubleshoot the problem and find a solution. I'd rather spend an evening learning something new and fixing something than buying a part. That's just me though