Headlights and bulbs
 

Hi

I was wondering if someone could help, as I’m not really sure how to find out the information. I’ve searched around but drawing a lot of blanks.

I have an ex police v70, 2013. This has the bi-xenon headlights (just had to swap the d1s bulbs) as drivers side failed, which has led me to realise there may be something funny going on with my headlights.

To start with I switched on the headlights and left them on, firstly I was coming from a car with auto lights and tended to forget, secondly the car had the DRLs deactivated by the police, so went with headlights on. That was until I replaced a bulb and realised how expensive they are.

So the next couple of days, I drove with the lights turned off. In busy traffic around town I’d leave gaps and flash people to let them pull out or cut across. But on more than one occasion they looked blankly and didn’t move.

Turns out my headlights don't flash, unless I have them turned on.

I can’t work out what’s meant to happen when, and without know what's meant to happen I'm struggling to sort it.

With lights off, when I ‘flash’ them, nothing happens. (I’m aware the xenon bulbs won’t flash as they don’t like the quick on/off)

Side lights on works fine. Dim middle bulb and orange outer bulbs come on. Again, flash does nothing.

Headlights on, xenon bulbs come on. Flashing or using high beam moves the flap inside the bulb, this works. But no other bulbs come on. (Not sure if high beam is supposed to get another bulb or not)

I’ve swapped the H7 bulbs, which are inboard of the xenon bulbs. Still nothing.

Am I missing something? Which bulbs do what?

Being Ex-police there’s a bunch of extra wires and joins inside the headlights, just no idea which bits should be working when.

Thanks

Rich

Now there's a query....

Not sure about the modifications on ex-Police cars but on the Bi-Xenon headlamps on all models there is a HID burner (discharge lamp) and halogen lamp. The HID lamp works for both main beam and dipped, the only difference is a mechanical baffle that moves out of the way. The halogen bulb works on main beam only - the reason for this is that some HID bulbs can take 4-5 seconds to strike up and reach full light output - not good if you want to "flash" someone in daylight - so the halogen lamps are there for signalling purposes and to supplement the light output as from the HID as well.

Firstly - when you "flash" with the headlamps off do you get the blue main beam symbol on the dashboard?

My guess is that maybe the halogen lamps have been disconnected as they were part of the "flish flash" system that comes on with the blues and two's ?

Of course they should always flash regardless of the position of the headlight switch.

When reading and diagnosing, keep in mind police spec cars do have a different wiring loom - VIDA may be your friend here.

Hello Rich,

It very much sounds like the high beams are inop because they were tapped into for the alternating flash.

I have a 2012 S80 Authorities, the alternating flash feed is actually taken from just behind the headlamp connector on mine, all very much dependant on who did the conversion. I’m sure you’ve checked, but take the headlamps out and inspect the wiring. Being auto and ‘13’, I assume your car may well be a WX13 reg vehicle from Devon & Cornwall?

If you know which force the vehicle came from you could try and make contact with the transport manager who runs the vehicle workshops to find out what adjustments were made that would affect the headlight flash.

That's my thought - I suspect that the authorities equipment may have been removed in a hurry and the original lighting not re-instated correctly.

It’s my experience from Kent Police that they are actually very careful in removing kit installed in the vehicles prior to disposal but we have to also remember that Volvo cars used by the police come built as emergency vehicles from the factory as Volvo are actually one of the very view manufacturers that produce a fit for purpose model.
Of course, it may well be that your vehicle was used in a covert role and so may be a standard model bought through a dealership with blues and reds being fitted in house.
I won’t go in to too much detail but I used to run a covert V70 with all the bells and whistles fitted but to the untrained eye you would never know... until you switched the Christmas tree lights on!

Thanks everyone, so, this was a marked car, AE13, ex demonstrator then became an ARV for Chiltern, so beds, cambs, herts or Thames Valley.

There are a lot of wires and bit left over when it was decommissioned, even found a bunch of cables under the boot panel, and a couple of the flashing LEDs left in the rear lights, which I'm pretty sure shouldn't be.

Unfortunately it doesn't look like a good job was done on my car, and I have a bit of a lemon. The final service didn't include timing belt as it should, and they'd fitted a secondhand Vauxhall battery, I found this out after the RAC were called out, and they said the terminals were the wrong size and battery has a bad cell. There are a lot of wires, badly fitted or incorrect trim panels, Think screws into the foot plates on the doors, lots of missing clips on B pillar trims, very rattly boot bits. And when you press the petrol cap release and the side panel of the dashboard falls off, you don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Anyway, back to the lights, there are additional wires into the headlights, which I'm guessing were the power to make the lights flash. It looked as if there are still the same wires inside the headlights, just extra joins. As I now know these H7 bulbs should work, and should come on with the high beam and flashing as well, I will set to work and see if I can fix this.

Ah ok, I know the car in question, it’s silver?

It was with TVP, and as you rightly say it was a Volvo UK demo, then TVP.

Once you connect the wires at the headlight end, you’ll have high beam again.

The LED flashing lights to the rear are, Whelen vertex units, without the inline flasher unit, they won’t work, hence why they are left in. You’ll also see in your mirror housing indicator unit, 3 ‘dots’ which are blue leds, as part of the front lighting.

Your car was decommed by the auction house, not TVP, hence why it wasn’t done particularly well. The ones done by TVP themselves, are done to a good standard.

Wow, yes, I guess you know the car then. Just checked the service print out and it was Thames Valley Police, you're right

Decommed by the auction house makes sense, because it does seem like a shoddy job. It's a shame as I did like the idea of having a car with a bit of a story, but with so many issues, it's a bit tainted.

Tomorrow, I'm going to try and fix the lights, I'll let you guys know how it goes.

Rich

I think I might have worked this out.

Looks like they've cut the white wire leading from the bulb holder and joined it to a yellow wire

https://db3pap004files.storage.live....309&height=412

Then I can follow this added wire (yellow) out to the extra plug that's been installed to connect to the flashing unit presumably.

https://db3pap004files.storage.live....309&height=412

I can the trace the other wire from the plug, blue wire, it joins up with this white wire that goes back to the incoming plug. I presume this is the original white wire. I'm guessing there's only one white wire that's been cut

https://db3pap004files.storage.live....309&height=412

So... If I break the joins, remove the extra cables, and rejoin the white wires, I think I should have good headlights again.

I'll post back with how it's gone

p.s. when you said the rear lights won't be able to flash as I'd need the flasher units to make it work. Erm... I think they may have left these behind as well, and just disconnected them.

https://db3pap004files.storage.live....232&height=309

Now, if only I could work out how to stop the wobble at 50-60, the coolant pressurising and oil disappearing, then stop the CEM module cutting out and make the 2nd turbo work every time, I may have a decent working car again