Trouble with headlights and the near unusable electrical diagram!

1999 Honda VFR800

After putting back everything after paint I noticed my headlights don't work (don't know if its unrelated or not).

Found out that the headlight switch isn't getting power. If i send power to the headlight switch all is good. My problem is that the diagram doesn't make sense.



What I don't understand is why the headlight switch gets power from the engine stop switch. And also how does the engine start stop switch work because I thought that it would interrupt power for the starter solenoid, not power the headlight switch. The bike runs and everything else is working the way its supposed to.


In the diagram everything yellow has power and the orange wire is the wire that is in question.

 

My guess is this cuts power to the headlights so you don't run down the battery with the engine off.

 

Is that schematic from Honda or is it a haynes/chilton version. Reason I ask is because I've seen the haynes/chilton schematics be completly wrong. There has to be more going thru the stop
Switch than what is shown here because it has to kill power to the computer/ignition. I dont know how the fifth gen works. My sixth gen, the headlights don't run thru the stop switch. Maybe somebody with a fifth gen can verify that headlights go out with stop swith off? Work the stop switch on off several times to see if the headlights come on as it may be a faulty switch or dirty contacts.

 

According to the info that I have that's because you're using the wrong wiring diagram John.

If both your high and low beam head lights don't work it's most likely that you have a "signal" power issue to your head light relays,which is a very common problem with these bikes that's relatively easy to fix.

"Signal" power for the head light relays enters the start switch on the Brown wire with a Blue stripe and exits the start switch on the Blue wire with a White Stripe. That Blue wire with a White stripe then travels all the way to your head light dimmer switch and supplies the "signal" power to turn on either your high beam or low beam relay depending upon which position you have the dimmer switch set in.

The usual culprits for no "signal" power to the head light dimmer switch on the 5th gen. bikes are a blown fuse or corroded electrical contacts inside the start switch.
First check to make sure that the fuse that supplies power on that Brown wire with a Blue stripe is good. If it is than take your start switch apart and clean up the electrical contacts inside the switch. Be careful not to lose any of the tiny springs,screws,etc that are inside the start switch. Let me know what you find.

 

Thanks Stoshmonster

Yeah I dont have signal coming into the headlight switch. I sent power to the switch and it started working. Thanks for the diagram it should help a lot. What book are you getting that from? Ill be able to get out there tuesday and check it out.

 

I got that wiring diagram out of a 5th gen. Haynes service manual John.




Unless Honda makes major revisions to their wiring harnesses (like they did to the recalled dash wiring harness on the early model 6th gen. bikes) I've found these Haynes manual wiring diagrams to be fairly accurate for the VFR800's.

Here's a pic of the full wiring diagram for your '99.

 

I took apart the start switch and cleaned the contacts; headlights still weren't working. I jumped the brown wire with a blue stripe and the blue wire with a white stripe and installed a 20 amp fuse for safety. Its working for now but I might end up getting a new start switch down the line. Thanks stoshmonster I appreciate it.

 

No probs my friend,happy to help if I can.