Intermittent Headlight Failure

[Pat Pickens]

Neither headlight on my '07 GS will come on at times when the bike is started. I get the LAMPF error. Other times the lights come on normally. The failure seems random. The lights may or may not come on with a restart. No recent changes have been made to the electrical system. The bike always starts right up so the battery seems good. Both bulbs light (when the failure is not occuring) so they appear OK. Anybody seen this one?

I was wondering how the GS delays lighting the headlights until after the bike starts. If I knew that maybe that might point to a cause to the intermittent failure.

Thanks. -Pat

[marc]

Lighting power comes directly from the ZFE. The circuits are "flashed" at key on to check for continuity. Full power to the low beam is isn't applied until after the engine starts. It's all done in the ZFE.

The ZFE supplies power to the lamp even when the lamp is burned out. If you are not measuring 12-14 v at the lamp socket check the connector that feeds the headlamp housing. If that connector is OK and you still don't have voltage I'd suspect a wiring problem. I'm assuming the ZFE will cut power to the headlamp circuit if it detected excessive current draw, e.g. a short.

[Pat Pickens]

Thanks Marc. I'll check out the wiring and plugs. -Pat

[love/hate it]

I have had a few recent experiences on my '07 R1200GS which sound similar to yours Pat. Both headlights would fail at the same time, and then come back into service at the same time. Have you been able to find the cause/solution. Thanks.
Steve

[TomDac]

Had the same issue with my bike too.

Behind the headlight cluster, on the left hand side, there is a plug that powers the headlight. Wiggle that and see if the light comes on. If it does, that's the issue... and it's a pretty common one... Turn off the bike, pull that plug (there's a metal clip you'll need to remove first) and you'll see the 3 female connectors. with an icepick or something similar, carefully bend each side of each of the 3 female connectors and then plug it back in and secure the retaining clip and you should be good to go.

[love/hate it]

Thanks TomDac...that's what I like, a no cost, quick and easy fix. I wonder how long my dealer would would have needed to figure out the problem at $99.00 per hour labor rate. I have gone ahead with the fix but won't be able to test it for a few months. Winter has now settled in on Canada's east coast.
Steve