82 1100 maxim headlight warning light, headlight works fine

[Wouldstalk]

The final remaining electrical problem after restoring this 82XJ11' is that my headlight warning light is always on and the "head" LCD warning box is always on. The headlight itself works great, high and low beam with no issues. All other lights and electrical functions work, its just the headlight indicator :/

I've seen the headlamp indicator and high beam indicators on but at intermittent times when dealing with the headlight.

There is a headlamp, warning control and check button on the dash. Only the check button seems to be functioning. I Have no idea what the other two are even suppose to do. None are shown on any wiring diagram i've seen.

Ive opened the back end of the dash box, there is no corrosion or loose wiring that i can tell, but it is a big ole mess of wiring going to a covered computer board. Any insight would be adored!

http://imgur.com/GkcME

[crazy steve]

That's probably due to a problem with your reserve lighting unit. The XJ wiring is quite a bit different from the XS, if you're using a XS manual for wiring info you're pretty much wasting your time....

You can download the XJ factory manual for free from member CatatonicBug's home page, search for any thread by him and there's a link in his signature..

[Wouldstalk]

That's probably due to a problem with your reserve lighting unit. The XJ wiring is quite a bit different from the XS, if you're using a XS manual for wiring info you're pretty much wasting your time....

You can download the XJ factory manual for free from member CatatonicBug's home page, search for any thread by him and there's a link in his signature..

I have the XJ11 wiring diagram, it shows green/red and yellow/green coming from the reserve lighting going directly to the headlight one for high and one for low beam. They split off at the headlight 3 prong plug to go directly to the computer unit on the instrument cluster. Like i said the headlight and all lights work including other lighting systems that use the reserve lighting unit.

the wires are showing 12v and 4v and trade that voltage when the highbeam low beam switch is made. Does anyone know if this is suppose to be this way?

[Wouldstalk]

AH there is a part of the engine start button switch that connects to the headlamp meter light and high beam light on the master assembly, ill check that and report back tomorrow night.

Might have something to do with the fact the headlight is suppose to turn off when the start motor is going and i dont think it is.

[Wouldstalk]

Switched out throttle control with starter switch entirely as well as cleaned up the contacts for the headlight cut off during starting switch.

Headlight turns off during starting, headlights high and low work but im still getting a head error on the computer.

Any help on the matter? I really dont want to buy a new reserve lighting unit just to see if its the issue.

[Axel]

Iirc

IIRC the warning light glows faintly when things are ok . It becomes bright if there is a problem . The system will also turn on your low beam if high burns out and vise versa.

[crazy steve]

I haven't gotten into the wiring yet on my XJ, but looking at the diagram (and assuming it's right, which it may not be), it appears that both the reserve lighting unit and the 'computer' have something to do with controlling the headlight. One thing I would do is verify that the headlight is actually good; the low beam could be burned out and it would still appear to be working right as the RLU switches to the high beam if low is out and reduces voltage to the light to reduce output. If the 'head' indicator light is burned out, all would look good but you'd get the fault message. Otherwise, I'd say it could be a poor connection at either the RLU or the 'computer' or one of them has failed...

[Wouldstalk]

I hooked the headlight up to the battery with some alligator clips before i put it on the bike, each filament is working individually. Ill have to check through all the wiring again to see if i can find the problem. I cant imagine the computer has failed if the headlamp is the only error its throwing. I've seen all the errors appear at appropriate times (kickstand, battery etc)

It has to be a bad connection somewhere. Its not a big deal, the headlight functions as its suppose, its just annoying having the warning light blinking non-stop.

[natemoen]

Try bypassing the RLU and see if the error goes away.

[crazy steve]

Nate, it's a completely different set-up (if the wiring diagram is to be believed) from the XS and the RLU can't be bypassed....

[Axel]

more coming back

My computer threw up that HEAD error when I had a interrmitent contact right at the plug that goes on the bulb .

[natemoen]

Nate, it's a completely different set-up (if the wiring diagram is to be believed) from the XS and the RLU can't be bypassed....

Well that sucks!

[Wouldstalk]

My computer threw up that HEAD error when I had a interrmitent contact right at the plug that goes on the bulb .

The headlight bulb itself or the indicator bulb?

So the RLU is not bypassable on xj1100?

[crazy steve]

So the RLU is not bypassable on xj1100?

If the wiring diagram is right, not without some serious rewiring and you still might get a 'headlight' message.

Looking at the diagram, the way it appears to work is this: the high/low beam switch isn't directly connected to the lamp. Instead, the high/low side of the switch is hooked to the 'computer', with the other side going to the RLU. The headlight is connected to the RLU and the computer. Now, if I'm reading the somewhat limited diagnostic chart right, the computer reads the voltage on the two headlight filaments and sends that voltage through the high/low switch to the RLU and that electronically switches the headlamp (this is not the same RLU as used in the XS).

Now, the diagnostic chart does say that if the high beam indicator doesn't work, it's either poor connections to the light, a burned out light, or a failed RLU. It doesn't say if that would trigger a 'headlight' message on the display, but it doesn't say it wouldn't either.

So it looks like the things to check are the high beam indicator light and it's connections. One other thing that may or may not have any effect: check the headlight wattage. Stock is 55 watts on low, 60 watts on high. If a non-stock-wattage lamp is fitted, the RLU may not be getting the right 'signal' and that might possibly be the problem....

[Axel]

clarification

Sorry for the confusion , My intermittent connection was at the headlight bulb itself . The plug was a little loose . I cleaned up the contacts and bent the bulb pins slightly to make the plug fit tighter. My bike came with a sealed beam and I later converted to a headlight reflector with a halogen bulb .

I had a burned-out high beam indicator light for years with no troubles .
I finally changed all cluster lamps except signals to LEDs .