V50 General : New Owner. Headlight help

[TomT5]

Hi
Recently purchased a 55 plate V50 T5
Cracking motor, that engine is a thing of beauty

Noticed that the main headlights, believe they are the xenon lights are always on. So when the switch is in the "off" position the headlights and rear lights are on.

I have had a search online/forums but can only find info on the older volvox.

Is this a standard feature or is there a fault somewhere?

Many thanks
Tom

[Ukwide]

Hi Tom,

I think you’ll find when they are in the auto position you have headlights sidelights and rear lights, but no man beam (well you can flash them). In the off position you have sidelights and rear lights only and in the on position you have the full monty.

It’s the Volvo running lights system.

Rgds

Gary

[TomT5]

Originally Posted by Ukwide

Hi Tom,

I think you’ll find when they are in the auto position you have headlights sidelights and rear lights, but no man beam (well you can flash them). In the off position you have sidelights and rear lights only and in the on position you have the full monty.

It’s the Volvo running lights system.

Rgds

Gary

Thanks for the quick reply Gary.

I thought there may have been a system in place to cause it. Just find it bizarre you can't turn it off.

In terms of "auto" I have 3 selections... Off, side, full monty. I imagined with a drl type system my sidelights would be on rather than them and the main beam.

Thanks again
Tom

[Ukwide]

Hi Tom,

Okay, you have DRL when off (dipped, side and rear), the rest is self explanatory mate.

Good luck

Gary

[StatusRed]

Standard Volvo safety feature

[Skaartj]

Yep believe its standard.My dipped lights and rears are on all the time on my V50 over here in Lithuania, im new to volvo as well but im sure i read somewhere that you can have it deactivated.

[Welton]

You can have the main dealer switch them off but with the absence of a 'lights on' buzzer in the car it's a risky strategy.

I've just lived with the headlights being on for the last 9 years without issue.

[Tannaton]

Just to clarify what has been said so far - on all Volvo's there has been a daytime running light system. On the V50/S40 platform this is the dipped beams at the front and the normal rear lights which are on permanently (some later MY 12 cars had a LED system).

Hence at position 0 with the ignition on - dipped lights (DRL) but as has been said the main beams will not "latch".

Pos 1 - position lamps only - regardless of ignition - only legal recognition as a parking light

Pos 2 - Dipped beams when ignition on and main beams will latch

Many owners just leave it in Pos 2 all the time...

It is possible to remove the DRL feature so no lights are on when driving the car in the daytime - but this requires a software update from a Volvo dealer. Some dealers are reluctant to do this or refuse but they shouldn't be as it's a recognised option offered by Volvo and the software is a part number in their catalogue. However all the statistics point to DRL's reducing accidents and your insurer might have a view on it as it therefore affects risk.

[StatusRed]

Originally Posted by Tannaton

Pos 2 - Dipped beams when ignition on and main beams will latch

Many owners just leave it in Pos 2 all the time...

Exactly what I do

[LizardOfBodom]

Exactly as explained before - thats normal.
I might just add that disabling this will cost you somewhere between 50 to over 100GBP, depending on dealer and location, as price for this oddly depends on dealers willingness and ripoff-ness, so browse around before you comit.
(really no point though, as its designed this way and except for being more visible and changing burners a little bit more often, it cost you nothing)