Harley Davidson Headlight Problem

Question I have a 2011 Road King Classic. Recently I began to notice at night a Harley-Davidson headlight problem and passing lamps would blink off and back on occasionally. The Harley Davidson headlight problems worsened and looking at the service manual, I decided the headlight relay must be bad. When I pulled the headlight relay, I noticed some corrosion on the connectors on the relay itself. I ordered a new relay, cleaned the connectors in the fuse box and installed the new relay. That didn’t fix the problem. Now, the headlight does not always come on when I turn the ignition switch on. If I turn the handle bars side to side, the headlight and passing lamps will come on. I took the cover off the fuse box and put my finger on the headlight relay, when I turn the ignition switch on, I can feel the relay click. I’m now thinking that there must be a loose connector or ground wire inside the headlight nacelle, any guidance would be appreciated.

Answer Joe, throw a towel over your front fender and remove your head light bucket. Inspect your head light, head light plug, and harness. Make sure your connections can be secure and are without corrosion. While your nacelle is open, try to get a look at your passing lamp switch and it’s harness. If you do not see anything obvious, plug your headlight in while it hangs loose. Turn on your ignition switch and tug on the related wiring harness. If you can not get the light to go out, move up to your left side switch housing. Tug and poke around that harness while you trace it down into the nacelle. Play with your hi/low switch and your passing lamp switch. If you had a dead short you would be blowing a fuse. This sounds more like a bad connection or a bad switch. Thanks for the question. Let us know how you make out.


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Hogger Follow-Up

I did as you suggested and found a pin/socket combination that had overheated. I also found a non-factory wire in the nacelle that was apparently connected to the back of the headlight plug at one time. There is a shiny spot on the handlebars that indicates a clamp for an accessory mount, maybe a GPS, so I’m guessing someone powered the accessory off the headlight plug. The pin/socket that was damaged was for a yellow wire, same as the wire on the headlight plug. I bought this bike from the local Harley dealer, it was from the “executive fleet”. The oil in the trans and crankcase was clean, the primary was nasty. You’d think those guys would take better care of their bikes! Anyway, I’ve replaced tires and battery and now $34 for a connector, I bought the bike for $4500 less than a new one, so I’m still way ahead.

Thanks for your reply!

Joe R

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79 Responses to “Harley Davidson Headlight Problem”

  1. Toby Leger

    I have a 03 road glide. I bought a replacement headlight setup from Eagle Lights. I plug in the Y harness to both lights and plug to single headlight plug and the lights do not come on. Unplug the Y and separately plug in a head light and it lights them up. It will light up both lights plugging them one at a time, put the Y harness back to each headlight and plug it doesn’t do anything.. Any help would be greatly appreciated Thanks🤘🏻

  2. Jonathan Coltman

    My 2006 HD Dyna Wide Glide the left hand side indicaters has stoped working the fuses have been replaced .

  3. Eric Moore

    I have a Harley Road King. When I turn on the ignition (low beam on) it blows a fuse, every time. Side/fog lights are out also. Turn on the ignition with high beams on, fuse doesn't blow and side/fog lights are still out. Any ideas? Need help !! Can't ride !! I'm dying here !! Any help would be appreciated. Thanks ahead of time.

  4. Ron Becker

    The running lights are ground to the lamp bucket. I cut the ground wire lose from the bucket and made it long enough tp plug into a connector that has a frame ground. No flicker in my running lights.

  5. Moose

    I lost headlight on 06 fatboy bulb fuses etc are ok thinking maybe the headlight relay? Also my brake light stopped working. My wife took a baseball bat to it a few years ago and smashed all the lights and rear blinkers off replaced everything except fog lights on front and rear blinkers but pretty much just cut wire's and capped off and everything else worked until now any suggestions would be appreciated

  6. seth furgason

    I have a 2008 heritage softtail and ive replaced my headlight three times and the low beam will burn out within 20 min of riding and my high beam will last an hour or so. last headlight i bought actually was smoking inside the casing.

  7. brian butler

    have problem with headlight it jumps from low to high beam every time i switch it back any help most welcome

  8. rich stumpfoll

    are the fog lamps supposed to go off when you switch on the high beam on a 2014 flstn softail deluxe

  9. Robert Shearl

    I've got a 2002 1200C. Ican get only the high beam to work. No voltage on low beam at the headlight. I've checked the switch and I have power on both high and low there with one wire having continuous voltage. Under the tank there is a harness connector to the headlight and there I'm only getting 1 continuous hot wire and my high beam wire is hot when switch to high. Where could I be losing my low beam power at? Is there a relay? I can't find it!

  10. Tim Andrew

    just bought a 2014 roadking police... cant find the high beam switch