Help! No Brake Lights

[snolvr]

I have a 2002 Mxz 500 and recently realized I don't have a brake light anymore. It seems that although the brakes work fine, the brake indicator light on the dash as well as the brake light itself stopped working since the last time I rode. I checked the bulb in back and it looks fine. Does anyone have any ideas of where I should check first. I read somewhere on here that it may be a bad switch, but where is it located and how would I go about testing it. I would appreciate any information you may have for this problem. Thank you.

[Good2Go]

try a new bulb maybe the filament for the brake light burnt out, is the rear light on anyways before u hit the brake?

[snolvr]

Yes, I do have tail lights, I just don't have a brake light. But like I said, the bulb in the back looks fine with both filaments still intact.

[LadyK]

Try a different bulb #1157. If that doesnt work it is the brake switch. Also your low oil idiot light will not work as well so keep in mind to check your oil level.

[paul yarek]

i see LadyK has been out in the shop gathering experience.

[BIGCC]

The switch is located in the brake lever assembly. Just look for the wire coming from behind the brake lever near the mount. This has happened to me before when I washed my sled and then went riding. The switch froze and I didn't have brake lights. Now when I wash my sled I put a plastic bag over the brake lever assembly. If you remove the brake lever you can unscrew the brake light switch. Hope this helps.

[JasonF]

I just ordered a new switch for mine and have to put it in tomorrow. If you take the brake lever off you can see a white spring loaded prong that is released when you hit the brake. What I did first was to pull the rubber sleeve back that covers the switch, I then unpluged both wires and touched them together with the sled running, the taillight and the dash light both worked so I know it is in the switch. The first time the switch quit working it was because the white prong was not fully opening so I just trimmed a little off the end and put it back together. This worked for a week and then it quit again, this time the switch won't work at all, I even soaked it in electrical cleaner, so I just order a new one. unfortunately as usual the smallest parts are the most expensive($33), for a part that is only .5" x 1.5" long. Strange part is that my dealer said in 20 years he had never sold that part, and just a day earlier someone ordered the same part as me.