V70 Body/Trim: V70 Headlight Bulb Changing

[Alec Dawe]

Just had to change the nearside (left) headlight bulb on my 2005 V70 (dipped Beam, which is the outboard one.
Changed the offside one a couple of months ago, and the scars on my hands have just about faded; so decided to see if there was an easier way to do the nearside one.
Ended up taking the complete air filter airbox out of the car, then bulb changing is easy. Taking the filter box out sounds a bit extreme, but its easy, if you have a socket set.
1) you need to disconnect the air hose from the TOP section of the air filter box (jubilee clip).
2) Disconnect the air flow meter plug from the airbox.
3) undo the three plastic clips that hold the airbox in p[lace.. this is the tricky bit. The clips are each a four pronged clip that locates into the three mounting holes in the airbox supports. On first look, there didnt seem to be an easy way to 'close' the clips, but investigation showed that if you have a 10mm 1/2" drive socket, and a long extension drive, then the socket is just the right size to go over each clip, and with a bit of jiggling about, it will close up the clip enough to enable the airbox to be pulled gently off each clip.
4) once all three clips are released, then the airfilter box can be moved out of the way (you may have to disconnect some of the wiring that's attached to the front of the box, by that I mean disconnect the wiring from its associated clips. The intake air pipe needs to be wriggled off its support under the top of the slam panel.
With the airfilter box out of the way, then bulb changing is relatively easy.
Once finished, asssembly, is as they say, the reverse of the disassembly.
I olnly wish the offside/right side of the car could be made easier, but the box containing the ECU modules seems to be immovable, unless anyone knows different?

Alec

[Nunchukhamster]

I thought the normal method to do this is to actually remove the front bumper, then remove the entire headlamp unit from the car?

[Alec Dawe]

Originally Posted by Nunchukhamster

I thought the normal method to do this is to actually remove the front bumper, then remove the entire headlamp unit from the car?

Twas on pre facelift cars. Post 2005 model, the bulbs are 'supposed' to be replaced from inside the bonnet, even the owners manual says so, but doesn't say what a pig of a job it is!

[AlanA]

Ive just done the same job on my 2006 car. I thought it would be quicker to remove the filter housing but then decided to struggle on, it took me almost 2 hours and cost me lots of skin.
Alan

[GMcL]

I went through this pain last year.
I have not figured out how to do it yet but that ECU box the drivers side is in three parts. The top comes off easily and I'm pretty sure if I can get the blade out, the middle section will come out quite easily too.
Having said that, the bulbs went (yes both within a few days of each other - Phillips), the main dealer only had it booked as .2 of an hour so wasn't worth grief of DIY. It was approx. 37€+VAT for genuine Volvo bulbs and fitting.

[GMcL]

just to add to the above, the book time which I paid was quoted at .2 of an hour.
They still had the car 2 hours while I waited but it wasn't my knuckles getting skinned.

[bob865349]

Originally Posted by Alec Dawe

Twas on pre facelift cars. Post 2005 model, the bulbs are 'supposed' to be replaced from inside the bonnet, even the owners manual says so, but doesn't say what a pig of a job it is!

Having spent 2 hours replacing the near side dipped beam bulb then having it blow again 10 days later I decided that I would let my local Volvo dealer have the pleasure this time, cost me £40 but better than getting frustrated with a very fiddely job. But afterwards I thought about it and the problem I had on a 2006 V70 D5 was the MAF box was restricting access it was very difficult to get the bulb in the right place so I came up with the idea of using a short piece of 1/2" garden hose 2"-3" long and if you crush it between your finger it will go into an oval shape which you then push over the 2 terminals on the back of the bulb this gives you something to hold onto and should let you rotate and position the bulb with the tab located correctly, that was what took so long the first time. I havent tried it yet as the bulb has been replaced but it should work and might be a useful tip in the future.

[Alpha206]

Useful tip Bob...my problem was unhooking the wire retainer (the first time I did it the whole wire came away....)

[thefifeflier]

Originally Posted by Alec Dawe

Just had to change the nearside (left) headlight bulb on my 2005 V70 (dipped Beam, which is the outboard one.
Changed the offside one a couple of months ago, and the scars on my hands have just about faded; so decided to see if there was an easier way to do the nearside one.
Ended up taking the complete air filter airbox out of the car, then bulb changing is easy. Taking the filter box out sounds a bit extreme, but its easy, if you have a socket set.
1) you need to disconnect the air hose from the TOP section of the air filter box (jubilee clip).
2) Disconnect the air flow meter plug from the airbox.
3) undo the three plastic clips that hold the airbox in p[lace.. this is the tricky bit. The clips are each a four pronged clip that locates into the three mounting holes in the airbox supports. On first look, there didnt seem to be an easy way to 'close' the clips, but investigation showed that if you have a 10mm 1/2" drive socket, and a long extension drive, then the socket is just the right size to go over each clip, and with a bit of jiggling about, it will close up the clip enough to enable the airbox to be pulled gently off each clip.
4) once all three clips are released, then the airfilter box can be moved out of the way (you may have to disconnect some of the wiring that's attached to the front of the box, by that I mean disconnect the wiring from its associated clips. The intake air pipe needs to be wriggled off its support under the top of the slam panel.
With the airfilter box out of the way, then bulb changing is relatively easy.
Once finished, asssembly, is as they say, the reverse of the disassembly.
I olnly wish the offside/right side of the car could be made easier, but the box containing the ECU modules seems to be immovable, unless anyone knows different?

Alec

I can now confirm that this is indeed the way to do it! No taking off bumpers etc... I took the car round to my local mechanic and watched while he did it. Charged me a fiver (for the bulb)! He reckoned the o/s might be more tricky though, with the ECM having to come out, although it looked to us it might just be that the outer casing comes away, probably in 3 parts.

Thanks again for your info, Alec.

Cheers, Jim

[Chris_Rogers]

Well I've just spent the best part of two hours changing the drivers side dip beam bulb on my 05 V70.

I did not not have the luxury of being able to remove the ECU's and their box as I don't have the ECU removal tool. So it's working for the most part blind.

What a PITA this job is!