Electrical: S60 Daytime Running Lights Problem

[whistlebird7]

I am a first time owner and driver of a 2005 Volvo S60 2.5T.

I am enjoying the car but am very confused about Volvo's Daytime Running Lights option.

Whenever the the lighting control dial is set to 0,and the ignition is turned on, the green LED for the Parking Lights is on, the headlights turn on, and the red tail lights are on. The same applies when the dial is turned to the 12 o clock position. Thus it makes no difference where I put the dial, the headlights and tail lights come on. The brightness of the headlights appear to be the same no matter what position I put that dial.

When the ignition is off, all the lights turn off.

My Volvo dealer, and a few others tell me that this is normal but I keep thinking there is a short somewhere.

I have owned American and Japanese cars, and with them, daytime running lights meant only the headlights come on at ignition but at a lower beam than usual, no tail lights. Some cars had a sensor that automatically turned on the lights at standard beam at dusk.

Could someone kindly clarify what my car should be doing. This is becoming very frustrating. Thanks.

[wimorrison]

The UK did not implement the dim dip option of DRL that was adopted by many other countries and instead decided to have full dipped beam. Most manufacturers kept the same switches as used in the rest of the world resulting in two positions that function exactly the same. Volvo have also always put the rear lights on, counting them, very sensibly, as DRL also.

As you can see, what the dealer says is correct - unusual, but correct in this case

[Simon Jones]

You car is working exactly as designed (see the manual for full details: http://esd.volvocars.com/site/owners..._EN_tp7505.pdf). You can get the dealer to reprogramme it so the dipped beam is not on by default.

[Bill_56]

With your S60, the main difference between the 'off' (DRL) setting and 'on' (headlights) is behaviour of the main beam stalk.

In DRL, the main beam remains on for only as long as you hold the stalk . For headlamps it is a toggle, flick for main beam which stays on til you flick again to extinquish.

Momentary 'Flashing' main beam in the 'headlamps' position is a bit tricky, but can be achieved by just gently pulling the stalk til a notch is felt, then releasing it.

The middle position is parking lights, which stay on after you leave the car but beware, there is no warning buzzer...

Considering the facts the flasher stalk is so weird and inconsistent, and that the switch markings are just plain wrong, one could possible surmise that the switchgear was designed by a person who was unaware of Volvo's passion for always-on headlamps... but you get used to it.

[whistlebird7]

Thanks for the clarification.

My question now is would you have the dealer turn off DRL via software which would probably cost over $100 to do, or would you leave DRL on the way it is?

The dealer service advisor told me that rear bulbs are easy to replace but headlights are a different story, and now that I said that, what about dash illumination bulbs.

How often do these bulbs last, and how expensive are they? Am i going to be replacing bulbs every month?

What would you do?

[wimorrison]

In almost 20 years of Volvos I have only ever changed one side marker bulb - how's that for reliability

[Bill_56]

S60 Headlamp bulbs are indeed a PITA to replace, there is really no chance at all of being able to change by the roadside on a dark night. Some variants are worse than others, depending upon positioning of air cleaner and other components. And being 'always on' can take its toll on bulb longevity.

Fortunately there is a solution, which is to ensure you always replace with 'long life' bulbs. I've been using Osram Ultralife for 3 or 4 years now and have yet to lose one. I think Volvo do a long-life bulb.

Avoid at all costs the 'high output' bulbs. They make hardly any discernable improvement to visibility IMHO and, in my experience ( Phillips bulbs I think), none lasted more than about a year in the Volvo.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by whistlebird7

I am a first time owner and driver of a 2005 Volvo S60 2.5T.

I am enjoying the car but am very confused about Volvo's Daytime Running Lights option.

Whenever the the lighting control dial is set to 0,and the ignition is turned on, the green LED for the Parking Lights is on, the headlights turn on, and the red tail lights are on. The same applies when the dial is turned to the 12 o clock position. Thus it makes no difference where I put the dial, the headlights and tail lights come on. The brightness of the headlights appear to be the same no matter what position I put that dial.

When the ignition is off, all the lights turn off.

My Volvo dealer, and a few others tell me that this is normal but I keep thinking there is a short somewhere.

I have owned American and Japanese cars, and with them, daytime running lights meant only the headlights come on at ignition but at a lower beam than usual, no tail lights. Some cars had a sensor that automatically turned on the lights at standard beam at dusk.

Could someone kindly clarify what my car should be doing. This is becoming very frustrating. Thanks.

This is wrong , in the 12 o clock Vertical position you should just have front and rear parking lights and no headlamps . Someone has incorrectly programmed them , there are 3 different options to choose from but it will need a software download to put right .

[Bill_56]

Originally Posted by Clan

This is wrong , in the 12 o clock Vertical position you should just have front and rear parking lights and no headlamps . Someone has incorrectly programmed them , there are 3 different options to choose from but it will need a software download to put right .

Good point, which I think the rest of us missed!

[Coventry]

Originally Posted by Clan

This is wrong , in the 12 o clock Vertical position you should just have front and rear parking lights and no headlamps . Someone has incorrectly programmed them , there are 3 different options to choose from but it will need a software download to put right .

Are you sure? In our S60 the 12 o'clock position is for dipped beam, so the dipped beam bulbs light up like they should.