V70 Body/Trim: V70 Headlight Bulb Changing

[Dude]

After 16 years of owning an '06 XC70 D5 186 I have just had the headlights polished up professionally and ordered a pair of Osram Nightbreaker H7s so that with the nights drawing in and the coming winter in Scotland I'll be able to see where I'm going. I recall last year thinking "these lights are rubbish".

So I'm not far off needing to change the bulbs - glutton for punishment, obviously.

I have done the offside one myself a few times in the past though once I managed to dislodge the bulb clip which fell into the lamp. Luckily, local main dealer managed to sort it, though they did warn they might need to take the bumper off (they didn't in the end).

Last time I lost the nearside bulb I was en route up the M6 and Carlisle Volvo changed it for me as a drop-in for just the bulb price, took him about 5 minutes, doing it by feel, so obviously if you've got the knack...

I'll try a few of the tricks here. Definitely like the idea of slightly greasing the connector for easy plug installation and removal in future - I recall that being quite difficult on its own. Also good to hear about the hose length or stiff-wire+spade trick - in the past I'd thought about a tube of some sort round the bulb contacts, but never yet done it. I think as my main problem has been what's going on inside the fitting and less the external obstructions that I'll probably give the air box removal a miss unless I get really stuck.

Oh for my wife's XC60, where the whole headlamp comes out with 2 spears in 3 seconds.

[djneils98]

Originally Posted by Dude

After 16 years of owning an '06 XC70 D5 186 I have just had the headlights polished up professionally and ordered a pair of Osram Nightbreaker H7s so that with the nights drawing in and the coming winter in Scotland I'll be able to see where I'm going. I recall last year thinking "these lights are rubbish".

So I'm not far off needing to change the bulbs - glutton for punishment, obviously.

I have done the offside one myself a few times in the past though once I managed to dislodge the bulb clip which fell into the lamp. Luckily, local main dealer managed to sort it, though they did warn they might need to take the bumper off (they didn't in the end).

Last time I lost the nearside bulb I was en route up the M6 and Carlisle Volvo changed it for me as a drop-in for just the bulb price, took him about 5 minutes, doing it by feel, so obviously if you've got the knack...

I'll try a few of the tricks here. Definitely like the idea of slightly greasing the connector for easy plug installation and removal in future - I recall that being quite difficult on its own. Also good to hear about the hose length or stiff-wire+spade trick - in the past I'd thought about a tube of some sort round the bulb contacts, but never yet done it. I think as my main problem has been what's going on inside the fitting and less the external obstructions that I'll probably give the air box removal a miss unless I get really stuck.

Oh for my wife's XC60, where the whole headlamp comes out with 2 spears in 3 seconds.

just take it to Halfords and get them to fit the bulbs - they've done it twice for me now no issues and cheap too

[Dude]

Originally Posted by djneils98

just take it to Halfords and get them to fit the bulbs - they've done it twice for me now no issues and cheap too

If I get stuck I'd use our local Indy garage, a lot closer than our "near"est Halfords They have done it before.

[Dude]

Originally Posted by mrclonkey

....
I've attached a photo of some handy items I used ....

I can't get the jpg to come up. If I'm logged in I don't even get the link. If I'm logged out I get the link ok ( https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...6&d=1331056511 ) but following that the site needs you to log in again and after that I just get a blank screen. Tried different devices browsers etc - anyone?

[AlanR]

I would second Halfords, on holiday on the Isle of Wight and was in no mood to fight bulb replacement in the height of summer. Halfords £8, 10 minutes, job done. Even able to do the job for just the fitting fee when I showed them the bulb was a Halfords bulb from another store. Actually they mis-fitted it, only noticed when night driving that evening, no issues refitting it the following day!

Note of caution. Last bulb I fitted at home got to the point when I gave up trying to fit the spring clip, thinks Halfords will fix this well worth £8,

BUT NO - sorry sir can only do the whole job!!!

So I had no choice but to fight on, eventually managed it. Did I learn any tricks?? No. Hopefully it will all come back to me next time...

[AlanR]

Originally Posted by Dude

I can't get the jpg to come up. If I'm logged in I don't even get the link. If I'm logged out I get the link ok ( https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/attac...6&d=1331056511 ) but following that the site needs you to log in again and after that I just get a blank screen. Tried different devices browsers etc - anyone?

Is the jpeg on your device or online on a different site, such as Facebook or YouTube?

It needs to be online then only its link will be held in your post for all to see. Volvo Community web site does not, nor want to hold jpegs image files.

[stuart bowes]

there needs to be a sticky on this

use https://imgbb.com/

upload your image, copy and paste the link into your comment, jobs a goodun

[marcb]

I've put bulbs in fairly easily in a pre-facelift V70 but got a local indy (the defunct Braydon) to do our current facelift V70. That the standard Volvo bulbs they sold - Hella I believe - are still going after at least 7 (!) years is testimony to their robustness, although I do tend to switch the headlights off when driving in daylight, which is well worth doing as long as you remember to put the switch back when parked or you'll drain the battery with the sidelights.

[stuart bowes]

the one and only time I got a flat battery was for that exact reason

never did that again..

also, replaced the battery (it had only been left a couple of hours but completely dead)

[Kevin_L]

Or take off the bumper cover and remove the headlamp.... and also all of the side marker bulbs are easily accessible too

I personally think it's so much easier just to do it that way

And if the plastic clips on top of the cover break a cable tie dye the job.... As they do in the bottom of the bumper cover