Self leveling lights.

[Filmer Paradise]

Hi folks.

I have a '08 V50 2l Diesel. I've been having problems with the headlights which I have mostly resolved.

One small issue remains however.

When I start the car the driver's side headlamp raises and lowers into position as it should. The left one does nothing.

Is this normal? Is it a problem? If it is can I fix it easily?

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[SwissXC90]

Likely the motor or linkage in the headlamp has failed

Very easy to fix using the official Volvo procedure: replace the headlamp assembly.

[Filmer Paradise]

Originally Posted by SwissXC90

Likely the motor or linkage in the headlamp has failed

Very easy to fix using the official Volvo procedure: replace the headlamp assembly.

That sounds easy..........and expensive!

This is simply not the Filmer Paradise way.

I sort of fixed this problem by accident a couple of weeks ago.

The wife's car, an '08 S40 developed a fault in the indicator stalk. The right indicator sometimes went on when she used the main beams.

Her NCT (Irish MOT) was the next day, so a quick solution was needed.
I swapped indicator stalks from each of our cars.

It fixed her problem straight away. Funnily enough when I fitted the faulty indicator switch to my car both headlights self adjusted on startup.

This leads me to think that the motors in the lights are fine.

Could there be another problem in the system somewhere?

[LizardOfBodom]

Originally Posted by Filmer Paradise

That sounds easy..........and expensive!

....

...and may also not solve the problem so yea, hold on to your wallet and dont order 500e per-side part just yet.

from what you describe you have xenons as only those do the self-levelling dance. Its possible that levelling motor is a culprit, but it may also be a ballast part (IIRC its responsible for calibration/levelling) or sensor part. Its important to figure out first if the light "wants to calibrate itself" but cant or its not getting a "calibration" signal at all.

High beam stalk should have no effect on the issue whatsoever - I would opinionate its a coincidence, unless oem xenon cars have really weird setup.
Microswitches in stalks often goes bad so thats not anything new, but IMHO it shouldnt affect calibration procedure.

I suspect you dont have Vida+Dice ? it could easily narrow down the possible cause.

[Filmer Paradise]

Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom

...and may also not solve the problem so yea, hold on to your wallet and dont order 500e per-side part just yet.

from what you describe you have xenons as only those do the self-levelling dance. Its possible that levelling motor is a culprit, but it may also be a ballast part (IIRC its responsible for calibration/levelling) or sensor part. Its important to figure out first if the light "wants to calibrate itself" but cant or its not getting a "calibration" signal at all.

High beam stalk should have no effect on the issue whatsoever - I would opinionate its a coincidence, unless oem xenon cars have really weird setup.
Microswitches in stalks often goes bad so thats not anything new, but IMHO it shouldnt affect calibration procedure.

I suspect you dont have Vida+Dice ? it could easily narrow down the possible cause.

Yeah. The car has xenons alright.

Thought it was a coincidence that they both worked when I put in the faulty indicator stalk.

I have the car a year now & had never seen both lights 'do the dance' before.

You are correct in assuming that I don't have a Vida+Dice setup. I've heard good things about this & would like to find someone who has one.

[LizardOfBodom]

Originally Posted by Filmer Paradise

Yeah. The car has xenons alright.

Thought it was a coincidence that they both worked when I put in the faulty indicator stalk.

I have the car a year now & had never seen both lights 'do the dance' before.

You are correct in assuming that I don't have a Vida+Dice setup. I've heard good things about this & would like to find someone who has one.

if you are in Dublin one day I could try to help out, but cant promise any results.
Proper behaviour for xenon lights is to self-level after every startup+lights on so its easy to "force" it even for checking purposes.

[Filmer Paradise]

Originally Posted by LizardOfBodom

if you are in Dublin one day I could try to help out, but cant promise any results.
Proper behaviour for xenon lights is to self-level after every startup+lights on so its easy to "force" it even for checking purposes.

That's very good of you. I'm only an hour or so away from there (Carlow).

The car went thru the NCT today, but failed because of a split CV rubber! So I need to get that sorted soon.

However, I'd like to see a Vida+Dice system in action anyway. As there's 2 Volvos in the household, I might look into buying one myself.

Seeing one in action would be a big help.

I have a real busy time coming up, but I'll fire you a PM in the next while when I know how I'm fixed.

There'll be a few beer vouchers on offer. (Within reason of course).

Thanks again.

[LizardOfBodom]

Originally Posted by Filmer Paradise

That's very good of you. I'm only an hour or so away from there (Carlow).

The car went thru the NCT today, but failed because of a split CV rubber! So I need to get that sorted soon.

However, I'd like to see a Vida+Dice system in action anyway. As there's 2 Volvos in the household, I might look into buying one myself.

Seeing one in action would be a big help.

I have a real busy time coming up, but I'll fire you a PM in the next while when I know how I'm fixed.

There'll be a few beer vouchers on offer. (Within reason of course).

Thanks again.

no worries, I work in D12 on every weekday so if you are up for a trip one day, PM no problem