Hi, I'm still pretty new to working on cars. I was successful today, thanks to Brickboard, in putting in a new wiper motor in my 1982 240. It works! Now I have a more basic problem.

One of my headlights was not working on low beam. The high beam worked. I replaced the headlight and the same thing still happens. I've tried searching for this problem on Bickboard but I imagine it's so basic that it's not covered.

Could someone please shed some light (yuck, yuck) on this problem for me?

Thank you so very much.

Marcia in Seattle

If you suspect the Bulb Out Sensor but you are not getting a warning light, make sure the bulb out warning light illuminates when you turn the key on. That warning bulb could be burned out.

When my bulb out sensor failed, I lost both low beams, but the tails all still worked fine. I bypassed the sensor (cut the wires and soldered them together to bypass the sensor) for the low beams. I figure I can tell when I have a low beam out without a sensor, and the sensor is a bit pricey.

When you turn on the headlights, do you get a warning light in the Dashboard that a bulb is out?

To just restate and maybe clarify what was already stated:
Unlike many older cars, Volvos has a Bulb Out Sensor.. the power from the Headlight switch does not go directly to the headlights. The power for the headlights (low beams) passes through this thing called a Bulb Failure Sensor the power goes into this sensor and comes out on two wires. One for the right side of the car, one for the left. This sensor compares Currnt to the bulbs so if on side is out, the Sensor detects an imbalance and you get a dashboard light telling you you have a Light out.
Not sure of the color coding or the Pin numbers on '80s cars for the wires exiting the Sensor but I would check there to see if you have voltage coming out of the sensor for both the left and right side.

P.S. good job on the Wiper Motor, The gluey gack they put on to waterproof them makes that job a bit inconvienent


--
'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me http://home.no.net/ebrox/Tony's%20cars.htm

Without a lot of detail, here's a rough idea.

Battery power goes to the headlight switch and then to that relay shown in the picture from "EdM". That is the stepping relay, every time you pull the LH stalk on the steering wheel the relay toggles between low beam and high beam and makes a distinctive "clunk" sound in doing so.

The high beams are NOT on the Bulb Failure Warning System, so the wires out from the stepping relay go direct to the bulbs. Two wires from the relay, L and R. At each side, they split again for the two bulbs.

The low beam IS on the bulb failure warning system, so the wire for them goes back into the cabin to that BFWS relay. There it comes out in two wires, one to the left bulb, one to right.

What can go wrong if the bulbs are OK? Corrosion and oxidization on the connectors to each bulb, and other places. Quick fix is to pull the connector off and put it back on, two or three times. Do that on all four bulbs and on the connector to the stepping relay. That usually scrapes off the oxidation.

Check the condition of all the wires around the lights. I have seen some with insulation just falling off, as if some acidic vapors from the battery ate it up.

See if that helps.

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)


PS: Consider getting yourself the Volvo Service Manual Wiring Diagrams, 1982 240. Visit www.volvotechinfo.com or call 1-800-25-VOLVO. The book may still be available. I have found that having that book for each of the 240s I've owned over the years has been invaluable. Not only does it contain the schematic diagrams that Haynes and Bentley copied, it has pages showing how each sub-system is wired, color codes, and a pictorial showing component location and number (to locate on the schematic).

Hmmm...

I'll have to assume an '82 is wired up similar to an '83 (oldest wiring diagram I have), which is wired up similar to my '90.

If so, there's a big honkin' relay, the main headlight relay, on the driver's side edge of the engine bay. It looks like this:

http://img.eautopartscatalog.com/live/P204016980SWF.JPG

The red wires coming out of it go to the high beams and to the ignition switch. Since you've proven to yourself that the bulb isn't at fault, you should check the continuity of these wires from the relay to the high beam plugs. If the wiring comes up good, you'll have to replace the relay itself. My reasoning is that power comes in to this relay on one wire, then branches off to the high beams on either side, so any failure before the relay should cause the lights to fail on both sides.

By the way, have you cleaned the connectors in the plug on the side that's not working?

Good luck!
-EdM.
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'90 240DL Wagon 'Lola' -- '72 1800ES 'Galadriel'