Cooked Headlamp Harness

[EricV]

I just got a call from my dealer and the wiring harness is on back order. Projected delivery is 10 October. My left light is out and the connector has melted to the point that the plastic is stuck to the bulb. The right side shows no signs of melting but goes in and out randomly.
I leave for a 500 mile trip tomorrow so hope the left side is more on than off. I am planning on doing a saddle sore 1000 on my return but will have to reschedule if its not working.

Bummer on the back order. Might be worth a call to the dealer asking if it's ok for you to cut the plugs off, save them for sending back to Yamaha, but install some new connectors from the auto parts store so you don't have to worry about intermittent lighting during your riding. You might be able to get lucky at a NAPA store or AutoZone and score some generic H7 connectors. Just crimp them on with solderless connectors so you can ride. That's better than having all your light go dark mid corner at night!

 

[Obrianmcc]

While I would agree that there appears to be indication of heat affected wires in that photo, perhaps I missed if OBrianmcc mentioned if the bulb was actually burned out or not. Bulbs do die.

In my case, in ceramic connectors are an insulator at the connection. With no surrounding connector of any type, the heat from the bulb will be transferred more to the wires, I would think, than with some form of connector. IF the heat from the bulb is the issue, strait brass connectors might be worse than the oem connector in this case.

It's an interesting problem really. I've run much higher wattage halogen bulbs in sealed aux lights and never seen a melted plastic connector. I've seen melted wire insulation on too small of a gauge of wire for the draw. That was one of the early suspicions about this issue. And may still be true.

Yes, the bulb was burned.... My dealer replaced the bulb after inspecting the discolored wiring and the new bulb does work.

I received notice that new harnesses are back ordered until mid Dec as well.

 

[tlucky]

I noticed yesterday in a reflection off a window that I had a light out on the left. I get back to work and look from the front and both lights were on. WTF. I get home after work and notice the right light is out now but the left is working. Pulled the access covers and I can see that the plugs on both bulbs look crispy. My right light is still out after my 25 mile ride to work this morning.

I bought a new 2013 in July and now have 4,100 miles on it. I love the bike but I'm very disappointed that this seems to be such a widespread problem and that the replacement parts fail also.

I've owned Japanese bikes for 40 years and the only bike I've had electrical issues with was my Yamaha XS Eleven I bought new in 1979. It had an intermittent ignition problem where it would only run on 2 cylinders occasionally.

Now I'm reading that the harnesses on back ordered. I hope that's because they're fixing the problem.

 

[snakebitten]

I noticed yesterday in a reflection off a window that I had a light out on the left. I get back to work and look from the front and both lights were on. WTF. I get home after work and notice the right light is out now but the left is working. Pulled the access covers and I can see that the plugs on both bulbs look crispy. My right light is still out after my 25 mile ride to work this morning.

I bought a new 2013 in July and now have 4,100 miles on it. I love the bike but I'm very disappointed that this seems to be such a widespread problem and that the replacement parts fail also.

I've owned Japanese bikes for 40 years and the only bike I've had electrical issues with was my Yamaha XS Eleven I bought new in 1979. It had an intermittent ignition problem where it would only run on 2 cylinders occasionally.

Now I'm reading that the harnesses on back ordered. I hope that's because they're fixing the problem.

Don't let it fluster you too much.

Lots of us have done the filing, cleaning, tightening, and greasing and had no further issue.
And the fellas that switched to ceramic connectors have pretty much put the issue behind them.

I wish it wasn't a problem at all. But it's not a joy killer.

 

[longride]

Don't let it fluster you too much.

Lots of us have done the filing, cleaning, tightening, and greasing and had no further issue.
And the fellas that switched to ceramic connectors have pretty much put the issue behind them.

I wish it wasn't a problem at all. But it's not a joy killer.

Ain't that the truth! My last BMW had the dreaded 'rear main seal leak'. At least 20 hours of work to replace a $1.00 o-ring. If my only issue is some fried connectors, I'll be just fine with that. ALL bikes have some kind of issues. Nothing is 100% trouble free.

 

[tlucky]

I noticed at lunch today that both lights are working again. Lol.

Good thing I don't normally ride at night.....

 

[Don in Lodi]

I've been running with the right cover off for a few weeks. All it takes is to touch the harness and the bulb lights back up. Gonna fix it, just procrastinating is all.

 

[Mark R.]

Well, add my name to the cooked headlight harness list. I almost never ride at night, but the other evening I took a short ride, and had intermittent headlight action.

When I got the bike this February, I had been reading the forum and filed down the headlight connectors and added dielectric grease right away. I checked the connectors yesterday, and both are melting. I am going to do what EricV did, and solder on some ceramic connectors, and replace both bulbs at the same time, so any corrosion from the old bulbs is eliminated.

 

[greg the pole]

errrrmmm...

freshly blogged this morning: http://thetenerist.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/tenere-headlight-issue-clarification/

 

[dcstrom]

Me too! In Bolivia, 36,000 miles into this trip and 47,000 miles on the bike. First electrical problem, unless you count 2 dead headlight bulbs. That's what I was hoping for this time, but no, left headlight connector is crispy and black.

Not sure I'm up for making a new harness (given where I am) a la Greg the Pole's writeup

http://thetenerist.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/tenere-headlight-issue-clarification/

and not sure I can get ceramic connectors. I'm assuming I can get plastic ones. So for a temporary fix till I can get a new harness made... or find some ceramic connectors.. is it ok just to cut off the connectors and replace with new plastic?

Trevor

 

[greg the pole]

you can cut them off, but i'm betting the wire is burned back at least 2-3 inches, and the problem will continue.
depending on location, it's best to get it home, or to a recommened tenere spanner, and fix it properly

 

[simmons1]

I cut mine off and spliced in new lugs and everything has been great.

Sent from my Droid
Please excuse any typos

 

[Mark R.]

errrrmmm...

freshly blogged this morning: http://thetenerist.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/tenere-headlight-issue-clarification/

Too complicated for me.

 

[Don in Lodi]

errrrmmm...

freshly blogged this morning: http://thetenerist.wordpress.com/2013/10/01/tenere-headlight-issue-clarification/

Do you up the gauge wire at all?

 

[greg the pole]

16/2 Stranded.
should take the load without issue, since the distance is very short.
I think 14 gauge would be overkill

 

[EricV]

16/2 Stranded.
should take the load without issue, since the distance is very short.
I think 14 gauge would be overkill

So 12 Ga. then, for extra low resistance...

The ceramic connectors came with pretty heavy gauge wire on them, probably 12 or 14 Ga. Not that the short amount of heavier gauge wire would be significant, just an observation.

 

[Mark R.]

So 12 Ga. then, for extra low resistance...

The ceramic connectors came with pretty heavy gauge wire on them, probably 12 or 14 Ga. Not that the short amount of heavier gauge wire would be significant, just an observation.

Eric, glad you chimed in here. Are your ceramic connectors still doing well? I was going to solder some on to the harness wires after clipping off the old connectors, like you have done.

Mark R.

 

[greg the pole]

So 12 Ga. then, for extra low resistance...

The ceramic connectors came with pretty heavy gauge wire on them, probably 12 or 14 Ga. Not that the short amount of heavier gauge wire would be significant, just an observation.

to be truly on the safe side, some 2/0 copper should do nicely. ::015::

 

[bob dirt]

This issue was bugging me so I went proactive and installed the ceramic connectors before any wires started to overheat. I used solder connectors. They are butt crimps with solder inside that are heated with a heat gun and also has shrink tube attached.
This is why I joined up here was to stay ahead of breakdowns.

 

[pqsqac]

This issue was bugging me so I went proactive and installed the ceramic connectors before any wires started to overheat. I used solder connectors. They are butt crimps with solder inside that are heated with a heat gun and also has shrink tube attached.
This is why I joined up here was to stay ahead of breakdowns.

Where did you find your connectors if you don't mind?

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