The S80 comes standard with a single left rear fog lamp. I haven't had the chance to pull the cover yet, but how difficult is it to install the matching right rear bulb (it's a symmetry thing...). Some posted how to do it some time ago, I think in the Edmunds town hall forum, but I am unable to locate that thread anywhere. I believe it is already wired... Any suggestions would help.

Paul,

I installed a right bulb to match the left on our 850. The other side is prewired and requires breaking off the preventative tab and also obtaining a spring that holds the bulb in place...(I just found one around the house). Steve F mentiones an important point...you don't want the look of brake lamps being activated...so I installed bulbs that were just a shade brighter then the tail lamps, but not as bright as the brake lamps. I hardly use them, but in very bad weather where visibility is poor, I turn them on, creating more "red" at the tail of the car....

I'm a symmetry freak as well. I installed a 2nd rear fog in my '97 850 GLT. I love it for the interstate around Memphis - complete bunch of idiots here. I use mine when people get too close and I want to warn them off - great fake off brake lights.

Any how, I found out how to do this on Volvo Performance Site (AKA Bay 13). Thanks to Rich K. from Virginia, they have built a classic web site for maintence and tuning the newer Volvo's. See the site link below.

Best of Luck

Andrew T. Watson

Its only on the left side for a reason.......its so the cars behind you can see you better and also know you do not have you brakes on.....

The right side is pre wired, but there is a plastic tab blocking the instal of a bulb. In countrys where they drive on the other side of the road the blocking tab is on the left side.

I guess you could cut the tab out with a dremmel tool or something, but I think it could be against the law to have two rear fog lights......and IMHO it would defeat the whole purpose.

Steve Ferraro

Hoboken, NJ

Seems like a million years ago when I bought my first car, but at that time in Belgium a rear fog light was required. My car had one fitted between the drivers side rear light and the center line of the car. This light was wired to only turn on when the headlights were on. I remember it being a bit brighter than the fog light on my Brick today. Folks would strongly remind me if I had it turned on at an inappropriate time. The Belgians had other required equipment, fire extinguisher accessible from the driver seat, warning triangle and first aid kit. I thought it was a scam at the time, funny thing I have all that in my car to day. OK the fire extinguisher, it's in the back.

I installed the right rear fog on my S40 via a wire and some ingenuity. I only use my fogs though in very bad weather, or to let unattentive morons behind me know about oncoming emergency vehicles.

Pete.

If the purpose is so that people dont think you have the brakes on, then I wonder why these people dont think you have a burnt out brake light. When driving around town, if I see someone with one light on that is obviously brighter than the other, I consider them to have a burnt out brake light.

That way of thinking dont work out so good though....for two reasons.

One....when you apply the brakes all the lights both left and right side are equal in brightness......not one very bright light, and all the rest look like tail lights.

Two....If when you see somebody with the rear fog light on, and you think they have a brake light out......then they would HAVE to have two brake lights out......because the high mounted center light would also be lit if they had their brakes on.....no?

Anyhow I have never mistaken the rear fog light for a car with a bulb(or two)out.

Also I only use my rear fog light when I am on the highway and the visability is kinda low.

Steve Ferraro

Hoboken, NJ

Good explanation Steve!

Anyway, as far as being illegal to have two fog lights, I do not think so. Jaguars come w/ two fog lights and I think either the older Saabs or Mercs did too. Older model Volvos used to have 2 fog lights.

Yannis

(This is a great forum! 5 replies in 3 hours!)

Thanks Andrew, for the link to volvospeed.com. They had the exact installation procedure.

My '87 240DL had the fog lights on both sides (from the factory). They

only operated when both the fog light switch was on, and the low beams on.

My intent is to only use these in very bad weather, but I see how they can be misinterpreted as brake lights.

Thanks everyone!

(The volvospeed site also had installation procedures for the xenon headlights. Any idea what they cost?)

...is below. Excellent information for folks thinking about going to HID headlights as well as general headlight stuff.

All the HID hardware to use the bulbs seems to cost about $600 to $700.

$600, eek.

Yes, eek.

Are you talking about xenon imitation bulbs or a HID replacement kit?

Hi Mike,

It's an HID replacement kit. (has the ballast and high voltage hardware).

Looked fairly easy to install. Wonder if the parts come as a kit from Colvo, or it's some aftermarket company. Would like them on both high and low beam. (My wife's lexus only has them on low beam, I believe. Huge color difference between halogen and HID).

It's most definitely from an aftermarket company. Volvo doesn't make HID (yet). The problem with aftermarket stuff like this is not the color ouput, it's the beam pattern. You won't know how the HID kit is going to affect your beam pattern. Plus, it's illegal and costs a bundle too.

Mike H.