How do I operate my driving lights/headlight!
 

Ok, I feel really stupid asking this but I'm tired and confused.
I have spent a lot of time getting my driving lights and headlights working (at least I think they are working) and I have a couple of questions for you friendly people. What lights make up the driving lights and what should be the difference between the driving lights and position two on the switch? My main/dip on position three seems to work fine.
Finally, the foglight only comes on on main/dip (third position) is that correct?
I feel so stupid...

Sorry, I forgot to say the car is a 1992 240 estate.

Sounds about right

So, on pos 1 you should get side lights and 10% headlights (daytime running lights) operated through the DRL relay

On pos 2 you should get side lights and 100% headlights (dipped)

Your indicator stalk should give you flash when the lights are off or in pos 1, and should give you switched full beam when the lights are in pos 2

You should only get foglights when the headlights are on (pos 2)

Also, the DRL relay should operate when you run the starter - in other words with the ignition on and headlights on in pos 1 and/or pos 2, the lights should go off (I think) to give maximum voltage/ampage to the starter motor/ignition

In all positions of the switch you will get rear lights - what happens to these when you flash or run the starter, I don't know. I never checked!

That's what I reckon. Let us know what's happening

Nick

[QUOTE=Nicholas Lewin;2574197]Sounds about right

So, on pos 1 you should get side lights and 10% headlights (daytime running lights) operated through the DRL relay

On pos 2 you should get side lights and 100% headlights (dipped)
/QUOTE]

I don't think that's right but as discussions about this has shown previously, it depends on the year of the car!

Pos 1) Side light at 21W, on certain years (but wouldn't have thought a 1992), the passing lights are on very low. Driving light stalk is momentary.

Pos 2) Side lights at 5W, same as above for passing/driving ligths.

Pos 3) Side lights as 5W, passing ligths at 100% and driving light stalk toggles.

On a late 240, such as Volvo4jb1t's, the rotary light switch does the following:

Ignition off - no lights; Ignition on - DRLs - 5w side and dim-dip headlights at the leftmost setting.

Ignition off - sidelights (5w); Ignition on - DRLs as above in the centre setting.

Ignition off - sidelights (5w); Ignition on - headlamps on either dip or main depending on the setting on the headlamp relay.

Rear fog lamps are wired through the headlamps and work on both dip and main beams.

The latching relay is controlled by the indicator/headlamp stalk.

Thanks guys. I'll check tomorrow but I think that's pretty much what I've got in that order. This is my first 240 and my first car with datime running lights and it's MOT time.
Cheers for the information.

They stay on. The rear sidelights are low wattage compared with the headlights, so there would be no advantage in dowsing them to aid starting.
(The same as the front sidelights)

One difference between the Volvo and more modern DRL systems is that the rear sidelights are always on when the ignition is on, as are the 10% headlight DRLs. So a Volvo in motion in poor daylight with no lights deliberately turned on is nonetheless illuminated front and rear.

A modern car may have over-bright illumination from its lights that look like foglights, but still show no lights at the rear. The point of course of proper DRLs like the Volvo is to be visible to others. The existence of bright lights to the front often seems to cause drivers to forget about the need to be visible from behind.