V70 Automatic headlights

[Kev0607]

Hi there,

Is there any way to disable the automatic lights on a 57 plate V70. I'd personally prefer if I could turn the lights on or off manually. At the moment, the full lights are on day & night! Even when I turn the lights to off inside the car, the parking ones come on & stay on even when the key is out of the ignition - They don't seem to turn off either. I figured the only way I wouldn't risk flattening the battery when the car is off seeming though the parking ones don't turn off either is to leave the selector to the full lights position on all the time. Surely this is going to blow bulbs more when there's no real need to have them on all the time.

Any tips are appreciated.

[Peter86]

I wouldn't worry about a flat battery, volvo's usually have a safety feature to turn everything of if the battery drains to a certain position. You will probably notice your radio goes of after 10/15 minutes if car is not running.

If you want the automatic headlights turned off you would either need to speak to someone with the correct software or ask volvo but you will probably be charged.

A recent car blog I read recently said daytime running light reduce car crashes, this is why all new cars must be fitted with DLR's. Maybe this is why volvo have always had the headlights constantly on for many years.
As for bulbs just buy longlife ones, they do last. Sometimes Lidl have them in, I got a few packs last year about £6 for 2 main longlife headlamp bulbs, only used one so far and that was to replace the ones that were in the car when I bought it. Volvo charge about £15 for 1 longlife bulb. Don't buy really cheap bulbs, they don't seem to last, ebay etc is great for branded at cheaper prices.

[mhon72]

Originally Posted by Kev0607

Hi there,

Is there any way to disable the automatic lights on a 57 plate V70. I'd personally prefer if I could turn the lights on or off manually. At the moment, the full lights are on day & night! Even when I turn the lights to off inside the car, the parking ones come on & stay on even when the key is out of the ignition - They don't seem to turn off either. I figured the only way I wouldn't risk flattening the battery when the car is off seeming though the parking ones don't turn off either is to leave the selector to the full lights position on all the time. Surely this is going to blow bulbs more when there's no real need to have them on all the time.

Any tips are appreciated.

To turn the dipped beams on the "0" setting on the light switch will require a software update. Had this done to 2011 V70 because I preferred having the choice of being able to switch them off completely.

A further question to this: on the facelift models with LED DRLs is this option still possible and does this switch off the DRL LEDs as well as the dipped beams on "0"?

[FollowingGhosts]

Originally Posted by mhon72

To turn the dipped beams on the "0" setting on the light switch will require a software update. Had this done to 2011 V70 because I preferred having the choice of being able to switch them off completely.

A further question to this: on the facelift models with LED DRLs is this option still possible and does this switch off the DRL LEDs as well as the dipped beams on "0"?

DRLs by design shouldn't let you switch them off easily. Some cars will let you switch them off temporarily but this is only until the next start.

There's a lot of debate over the difference DRLs/always on lighting makes, but I've found that in darker cars especially, having lights on really does help make you more visible.

The bulb burning should be negligible, the halogens are run on regulated AC to extend their lifetimes and Xenons have a decent lifespan anyway.

[spyboy]

Interesting thread.
How do you flash your headlights? I believe just pulling the stalk towards you wont make any difference in daylight with the light switch set to 'O'

[green van man]

Originally Posted by spyboy

Interesting thread.
How do you flash your headlights? I believe just pulling the stalk towards you wont make any difference in daylight with the light switch set to 'O'

Nope, main beams flash as normal with switch set to O.

Paid to have the software update on mine, O is off, 1 is side and 2 is headlights dip full being controlled by the stalk..

While I normally run with the headlights on it is now my desision not volvos and should I choose to go into stealth mode I can turn them off.

Paul.