1997 V70 TDI - Dim dip headlights

[B00TS]

Apologies if this is covered elsewhere on the forum but does anyone know if this vehicle can be persuaded to give dim dip lights when the headlamp switch is in the 0 position?

Currently, you get full brightness dip beam in that position and the little mode switch adjacent to the main switch only determines at which main switch positions you get the full brightness dips. None of the three mode switch positions give dim dip operation.

If it can't be done easily, so be it but, at dawn and dusk, I quite liked the half brightness lights on my 940 and it would be good to make the V70 do the same...

I'm a reasonably competent electronics engineer and so some minor wiring adjustments wouldn't be beyond me. Presumably the half brightness lamps on the 900 series were obtained by running the left and right bulbs in series?

Boots.

[mikealder]

It won't do dim dip as such but you can modify the wiring to make it work as follows "Posn" = Position of master lighting switch:

Posn O ign off all lights off
Posn 1 ign off side lights ON
Posn 2 ign off all lights off

Posn 0 ign on side lights only
Posn 1 ign on side lights only
Posn 2 ign on dipped headlights

The dashboard illumination can also be made to be on with the ignition switch, to get the above work involves cutting two wires from the master lighting switch. Change the front side light bulbs for a pair of high brightness LED's is about as good as you will get with a V70. I have done this to my V70 to avoid having the HIDs on all the time during the day, the theory being they will last longer as only turned on when needed - Mike

Edit to add the following from my earlier thread on this method:

Originally Posted by mikealder

To disable the headlights and leave just the side lights working which will switch on/ off with the ignition with the Master lighting switch in the 0 position you need to lever out the light switch, locate pin 5 which should have a Green and Red wire in it, cut this wire about 2" from the connector and tape up both ends. Headlights are only switched ON when the Master light switch is set to ON, Sidelights will come on and off with the ignition switch and Sidelights are still available with the switch in the mid position should you want to leave the car with parking lights illuminated. NOTE when you flash the lights with the indicator stalk ONLY the HI beams will illuminate.

To enable dash lighting at all times lever out the Master lighting switch, locate pin 8 which should have a White and Black wire in it, cut this wire about 2" from the connector and tape up both ends, ALL your dash lights including switches and heater control panel will be illuminated at all times the ignition switch is on.

If you ever want to return the car to standard simply use "Choc-Block" to join the wires together - Mike

[MikeS100]

I'm planning on doing this tomorrow as I got my side light leds fitted during the week, but I couldn't remember what colour wire it was I needed to cut so thanks for posting this again

Any idea if the wiring is the same on the C70? Hopefully it will be but I will probably try to test it with a multimeter first

[mikealder]

The C70 being a 2002 is wired differently but cutting the green/ red wire connected to pin 5 of the master lighting switch will turn off the headlights leaving the sidelights lit, the part I am not too sure about is turning the dash illumination on all the time as that is different - Mike

[MikeS100]

That's ok, it's just turning the headlights off when in DRL mode that I'm after really. Thanks for that

[MikeS100]

Originally Posted by mikealder

The C70 being a 2002 is wired differently but cutting the green/ red wire connected to pin 5 of the master lighting switch will turn off the headlights leaving the sidelights lit, the part I am not too sure about is turning the dash illumination on all the time as that is different - Mike

Thanks to your advice I got this done today, I now have DRL sidelight LEDs Very easy mod, looks good, will stop my headlights going dim and improves the safety as I will stand out more on the road

[artiedtke]

So let me get this right.... I only found the little screw on the light switch a couple of months ago, and switched my DRL's off as this car just chews through bulbs.... that's the main reason.

So are you saying by doing this mod i can have my DRL's on, but the main lights wont come on, only the sidelights (of which i have LED's fitted too) ?

P.S. This is on an 855 im talking about now.

If so then happy days.

Originally Posted by mikealder

NOTE when you flash the lights with the indicator stalk ONLY the HI beams will illuminate.

This is the case anyway isnt it ?

[mikealder]

A UK 855 built in 96 should have dim-dip headlights as supplied, if so it is wired differently and this modification isn't applicable, if it doesn't have dim-dip then it will work - Mike

[artiedtke]

Originally Posted by mikealder

A UK 855 built in 96 should have dim-dip headlights as supplied, if so it is wired differently and this modification isn't applicable, if it doesn't have dim-dip then it will work - Mike

How do I tell if it's got or not got dim-dip headlights ?

When in DRL mode the headlights seem just as bright in the off position as they do in the on position. In fact until I turned the DRL's off recently (to try and preserve bulb life) I used to regularly drive the car at night with the headlights in the off position until I needed to use main beam (main beam wont stay on when in the off position), that was what usually triggered me to switch them to the on position (if that makes sense). However on switching from off to on, there is no visible difference in brightness at all !!

Maybe my reflectors are knackered ?