Brake light

Hi folks. I hope there are no stupid questions but I'm stumped. I turned on my xj650 and let it run for a bit and have noticed my brake light stays on without either the hand or foot break being depressed.
This can't be normal. Do I have a short circuit somewhere?????
Any advice I sure appreciate.
Thanks.

 

Loosen-up the tension on the Spring that Pulls-down the Rear Brake Switch.

Set it to where the Brake Light comes ON with Pressure to the Pedal, ... but slightly before the Brakes are actually applied.

(Hole the Barrel of the Switch. Rotate the Hex Part. You can see the Tension change as you move the Hex Part.)

 

The rear brake light switch being out of adjustment is the most common cause;

Beyond that, a failure or short of some sort in the front switch (located in the lever perch) could also be the culprit, provided the lever is returning fully.

 

try lifting up on the rear brake pedal. or pushing out on the front brake handle. if either one of those shuts the light off. you know which one is the problem.

you could also try disconnecting the wires at each switch if they are accessible.

 

While it is indeed probably the brake switch, while you are troubleshooting check for damage to the wire running back from the tailight to the wiring harness connector near the battery, especially where the wire is routed under the seat support bracket. Mine was worn bare to copper where the insulation chafed against the sharp-edged seat bracket. The paint on the bracket seemed to be the only barrier against a short circuit.

 

I just put in a brand new battery so that sounds pretty logical. I wonder if indeed the seat bracket shorted something out after removing it and latching it again. Thanks guys. I'll update this evening after tinkering. You folks are the best!