Searched the web on this and came up empty handed. Lots of 'other' stuff.....but nothing specifically about this subject that was applicable. I just purchased an '05 Ultra Classic with about 55K miles on it. Took it for it's first ride with me yesterday and came to the conclusion that the bike was in pretty damn good condition. The only problem I could find was that the neutral light doesn't work. When I got home I pulled the two wires off the neutral switch and 'jumpered' them with a small wire and light still didn't come on. I further tested the switch with an ohm meter and confirmed that, when in Neutral, there was continuity through the neutral switch. So, with that minor amount of diagnosis performed, I'm now at the next step of this, which I'm guessing to be pulling the faring apart and going after the bulb. As the bike is new2me I don't yet have a manual. I did find several YouTube videos that show how to take the front off the faring, but after that it was all about radios, speakers, instruments, etc. Nothing specific about any of the indicator bulbs or the neutral bulb. But, I'm hoping that if I get that far it will be pretty obvious as to what I need to do to get at the bulbs. However, I've become a firm believer that these forums can be priceless when it comes to information/help/advice, etc. So, thought I'd post this and see what comes of it. I may have missed something with my earlier tests.....which I already figured I did. I did NOT confirm that one of the two wires actually DID have continuity to ground. So, that could still be the problem.....and before I pull the faring apart I will go back and check that. But, if anyone can suggest anything else, as always, I'll greatly appreciate it. With that, Many Thanks!! Tom D.

 

The other wire should have power to it when the bike is turned on. Anything else not working, which might indicate a fuse, rather than the bulb or lack of continuity (bad connection in a plug or broken wire)?

 

btsom, thanks for the reply. No, nothing else is 'not' working.....everything seems fine other than the neutral light being 'inoperative'. I found a few wiring diagrams for 'touring' models, including both an '06 and an '00. Both those show a 2-pole switch at the transmission for the Neutral indicator lamp, but unlike your comment above, the wiring diagrams show that one of the two wires just goes to ground, while the other goes to the lamp. Looks to me like the lamp would be receiving power when the bike is on, but it only turns on when the neutral switch 'makes' ground. I suppose if the bulb is good you might be able to read 12 volts through it, depending on the resistance in both your volt meter and the bulb. But, as I see the wiring diagram, the circuit is a 'make ground' circuit vs a 12 volt feed circuit through the switch. Either way, I still have some more 'testing' to do at those switch wires before I tear the faring apart. But, I do think the switch itself is good!! Tom D.

 

From the "Instruments" fuse, power is fed thru an Orange wire to the "Neutral Light". The "Neutral Light" is grounded by a an wire that connects to one post of the :Neutral Switch" The "Neutral Switch" is grounded by a Black wire connected to the other post of the "Neutral Switch"

Wiring Diagrams are available from the HD Service Information Portal

https://serviceinfo.harley-davidson....5+wiring%27%22

 

14GP, That's pretty much how I saw it on the Diagrams I looked at previously. I've just been going through the diagrams you referenced me to, and the closest one I'm seeing is on page 113 and says it applies to all 2005 FLHR/I/CI models. It shows basically what I found on the '06 and '00 charts I looked at....where the Neutral Switch itself is a '2-terminal' unit with one connection going to a black wire to ground, and the other wire being a 'TAN' wire and it connects up to the Neutral Indicator Lamp on the dash. I didn't check the voltage supply side, but an Orange wire sounds about right. So, with me having jumpered across the two connections at the switch, if the switch was the problem and 'bad', if the rest of the circuit is good, then the light should have illuminated. It didn't!! So, either the frame ground connection, or 'black wire' is bad, the tan wire is 'open', the light is burned out, the socket is bad, or the positive feed is lost.......or so I figure! As I said, I didn't check continuity of the black wire to frame ground. That's my plan for tomorrow if weather permits. Rained all day today so I didn't have a chance to get to it. Supposed to rain again all day tomorrow.....so, who knows??? But, assuming the frame ground wire is good, my next check will be to simply check the bulb. As that entails removing the front of the faring, I guess I'll learn how to do that. I'll 'up-date' the thread as soon as I have any more info. Tom D.

 

I was looking at pages 71,72 & 74 for the FLT wiring. I think you should be able to check the bulb for continuity with an ohms meter at connector 21B, positions 7&8 (TN & O wires). See page 74.
I copied some pages from the 2006 Touring Electrical Diagnostic Manual …. should be the same as 2005 model

 

Well for some reason I can't get the pages to attach to my post.
The diag manual says check for power at connector 21A - Orange wire, & check for ground (with trans in neutral) on Tan wire. If no power check fuse or for broken wire.
If you have power & ground then replace bulb. It says bulbs are replaceable.

 

Thx 14GP! I think the connectors 21A & B are the two corresponding connectors that go to/from the while indicator lamps assembly on the inside of the faring. Not sure just where to find that connector, but shouldn't be too far from the lamp socket assembly itself if not actually part of it. As these bulbs rarely go bad, I guess one other question might be: 'Should I replace them all while I'm in there?' and another might be: Are there any other lights or 'services' that I ought to address while I have this faring off?' Like I said, the bike is totally 'new' to me....having owned it for less than a week now and only put about 50 miles on it so far (been raining like hell here in Baltimore!!). Honestly, I don't think I've EVER replaced one of these indicator lamps on any HD I've ever owned. My old XS650s from the '70s, yes! But, those bikes are nearly 50 years old, and I'm not sure but what 'bulb quality' might have improved a bit since then.... Anyway.....if it stops raining this morning or this evening....or tomorrow..... I'll get to it. Unfortunately it lives in a small covered trailer just barely big enough to ride it up in to and NOT big enough in which to actually do some work to the bike. So, it's 'outside'...or nada!

Tom

 

 

14GP, great info!! I really appreciate the help! I just wish that the damn weather was a bit better so I could back this thing out of the trailer and take apart the faring and see what I can find. At this point I'm hopeful that, if not that ground wire to the switch, it will be nothing more than a bulb. I'm rather sure that with the oil pressure light working as it appears it should, the Battery Voltage Supply (B+ as we call it in the 'electronics' business).... the 'orange' wire feed of 12 volts is in tact. So, I'm also hopeful that the tan wire.....the switch contact wire to ground.....hopefully that is not 'open' somewhere within the harness. I suppose that too can be checked with an ohm meter......but if it's 'open'....then I guess it will be 'harness repair' time, which is not fun. Anyway.... hopefully tomorrow am will permit me to have some 'dry' time to work on this.

Thanks again!! Tom