Amazon: headlights

[Rover95]

There is one for sale on ebay usa. Needs knob but sure you could use the one from your original switch.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Original-D...item1c3f529f3f

[123GT-AMAZON]

hi ya

if you get stuck i have a spare light switch ...
kind regards
robert

[volvogv]

Congratulations on finding the corroded wire. These electrical problems can seem intimidating but with patience and a sharp eye, they can be flushed out.
I'm glad I could help. The guys here on the forum have been great when I needed help so it's good to give back.

Mike

[jpws]

Evening driving test all OK. All lights working currently, and I can even carefully adjust the instrument brightness while keeping the headlights on.

However I think I only got one light bulb working to light up the instrument panel now (assuming there are two, only right side brightly lit up). Are these bulb(s?) and wiring readily accessible from behind, or is it a major job of taking the speedometer out and apart? Or is there only one bulb to light up the panel? Anyone know?

I saw a switch on ebay UK today. Tempted, just to have a backup....

Thanks a lot Mike for all your help.

[Audrey Old]

jpws - Sussex Volvo Spares are currently working on an autonatic Amazon for a customer, their brief includes electrics..... Not connected with them, except we live in the road behind them and they have done lots of work on our Volvo's including a new clutch in my 164 and an exhaust to my 240. However, they get bits in for the older Volvo's, they don't hold spares for them.

Incidentally, was your car the red LHD one when I was booking my 164 in to CJs at Worthing for some body work the other day?

Paul

[jpws]

Paul - thanks, good to know there are Volvo experts nearby for future electrical and other works. Touch wood...

The red one was in the week before mine at CJs. Mine's green RHD. Will try to come to the meet at Bentley Manor later in the year.

[Volvorama]

Have come across these problems many times. Foot switches are a pain and one trick is to modify using a 140 series type headlamp relay so you can do the dip/main thing using the headlamp flasher on the column.
Also had several dashboard headlamp switches develop high resistance joints and overheating/failure. Problem is made worse if car is running halogen headlamps due to larger current draw. This can be solved by fitting a simple additional relay (preferably in the engine compartment) which is triggered by the headlamp switch. As a result there are no longer any high currents through the headlamp switch.
You can solve most horn problems the same way too.
I do these mods using as much of the original wiring as possible, eg use the old headlamp wires in the passenger compartment to feed the relays. Everything seems to work much better and as I recall I only had to cut one original wire.

[jpws]

The light switch saga Part 2

My main beam and high beam failed again the other day. So this weekend I took the switch out and saw that the plastic sleeve around the female connector at terminal 56 on the main light switch was melted and once I took the switch out saw that it is pretty black around the connector (see pictures). The contact was heavily corroded (in the pictures I scraped the corrosion off and also removed the copper paste from the contacts).

After the previous issues, luckily I had already sourced a replacement switch on ebay. I've fitted this and lights are working again. I've not added any copper paste this time.

Anyone got any suggestions how the sleeve could have melted and may this likely occur again? Was it likely an issue with the switch or possible issues with the cabling further "upstream"?

I'm no electrics expert, so any guidance and advice as ever much appreciated.

[Volvo_133]

Hi,
Your switch shown does not have burning marks at the output side of the switch. If you had too much current flowing through the circuit, i would expect to see the output terminal burnt also.
I would suggest the push on spade connector has been a loose fitting onto the switch terminal which causes arcing and burning. Ensure the cable/crimp/switch terminal are secure. Do this asap or your replacement switch will also suffer the same damage.

[mocambique-amazone]

And the rivets that hold the connector may get loose. The cooper get soft by heat and they loose the force. I always modify the electric system with a relay to the lights, and a change relay for high beam. You will have more bright lights at your amazon with this uprate.
I recommended this for 15, switched power for key in ignition, too. You can hide the relays if you want the original look. I give a fart to this.

regards, Kay