V70 headlights very poor

[Fixiebob]

Hi all

I just picked up a V70 T5 yesterday from Manchester and drove it through the night to North of Scotland, the headlights are nothing short of ****e, I would of been better off with a good torch, I noticed when I got up next day that the reflectors are dull and not really reflecting anything.

Found new ones online for £85 each so maybe get them and HID bulbs or is there a better upgrade?

Thanks Rob

[LardFather]

I had the same with my V70R, drove back from well past Gatwick to Newcastle and spent the night flicking between the full beam, hoping the road was straight and swearing at cars on the opposite carriage way.

I replaced mine with projector headlights, even with standard bulbs they seem better but I have an HID kit to install and LED bulbs to try too, I'll see which I prefer.

I may be wrong but I'm sure having read it on numerous posts that you can't simply but HIDs in reflector headlights otherwise you just dazzle people as the intense light is not focused as it is in projector headlights, sadly like most good things its either costly or time consuming. I'm sure someone will either correct me or agree with me on this soon

[martin_r_smith]

If the reflective material is corroded it doesn't matter what super high power bulbs you put in they will still be poor. Best bet is to replace the headlights completely.

[currymunster]

Sticky back silver plastic from ebay - thats how i did mine.
Really cheap and works brilliant!!!!!

[v70cd]

Hi

Have a look at this thread selling a set headlamps in Glasgow...you probably drove past his house but your lights were too dim....haha !!

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=264902

Good Luck

[currymunster]

Originally Posted by currymunster

Sticky back silver plastic from ebay - thats how i did mine.
Really cheap and works brilliant!!!!!

This is the stuff

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mirror-Chr...O-qAVTm8yMCBvg

Remove light fitting from car (Wiring plug and I think it was three bolts.
Take inside and remove clips to remove lense.
Wash the whole thing but not the bulbs!!
now cut the vinyl into strips about 1 cm wide so you can get it around the curve. cover the whole of the reflector and reassemble.

it is so much better than you could imagine. MOT inspector didn't even notice.
So I told him and he said "why would it fail - the beam pattern is fine and it's just as bright as any other car.
I would do it again and again rather than fork out on new lights.

[CNGBiFuel]

What a good work-round? And too right. How could an MOT tester fail it? It can't NOT work. Optically, if done properly, well laid and finished, it's the same. If not as good as a brand new unit, a gnat's proverbial off. I suppose if the bond goes over time, it's an issue, but just do it again.

But please don't dazzle us old duffers by adding to the lighting 'Arms-Race' that is going on with modern Xenon/ LED set-ups. If working properly, stock lights work very well.

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?p=2235551

[Luxobarge]

Originally Posted by CNGBiFuel

But please don't dazzle us old duffers by adding to the lighting 'Arms-Race' that is going on with modern Xenon/ LED set-ups. If working properly, stock lights work very well.

Seconded!

Some people may think that this style of light isn't dazzling, but you might not be aware that as you get older you get more sensitive to bright points of light (medical fact) and so you make it much more dangerous for older on-coming drivers than you may realise. The standard factory-fit HID/Xenon lights are bad enough, but after-market fitted ones are a nightmare.

[Brendan W]

Make sure the bulbs are seeing full voltage. Under load the voltage across the bulb pins should not be more than 0.5 Volt below battery voltage.

[classicswede]

I do not get the obsession with HID lights. Why do so many drivers want to see where they have been rather than where they are going. The short distance they light on front of you is too close to be any use other than in town at low speed.
Once you are on open road with full beam then the pool of light directly in front of you makes your distance vision worse.
There is then also the fact they dazzle and do not comply with UK MOT regs as the light must be white/ yellow and not blue at all!