Folks
I cannot get the two left tail lights to come on. The one on the end doubles as the brake light, the other is close to the license plate. Other lights on the assembly are OK, the right side works, the fuse is fine and the brake light works even though that same bulb will not come on as the tail light. I've also tried fixtures and bulbs from the right side on the left, to no effect. Any ideas most welcome, since I am due for inspection. I've tried cleaning the contacts with steel wool. I have a spare tail light assembly (with broken lenses); is it possible to swap the plastic circuit boards or am I sure to wreck it trying? Thanks
Cal

Are you sure it's the circuit card? If there are grooves cut into the copper where the metal tabs from the bulb holder go, then it's probably the card. If you turn the bulb holders a little like you would to remove them, but hold them in place, will the lights come on at all?

Swapping the taillight circuit card is easy. You'll want to be sure that both taillights are from the same year range, meaning that the spare taillight is off a car that's an '85 or later (when the 3rd brake light was added, the brake light location changed on the taillight cluster). I've got an old taillight on the right side of my '87 244, so my brake lights are asymmetrical.

To remove the taillight from the car:

remove the inside plastic cover.
remove the plug from taillight by pulling back the plastic retaining clip and sliding the plug off (this is the rectangular plug where all the wires join the taillight).
remove the nuts & washers from the four studs on the taillight.
carefully pull the taillight off the car.

Now remove the bulb holders and keep track of where they go. The circuit card should lift off the taillight with the bulbs off. There's also a foam rubber seal that you can take off to clean out the taillight lenses if there's dirt or debris inside. To put the new/used circuit card on, line up the little holes with the plastic pins and make sure the part that goes over the plug is in the correct location (the circuit cards are specific to each side, so you can't really mess up the installation). It all comes apart and goes back together easily, so you shouldn't have any problems.
--
Michael -- 1987 244 GT | Volvo 240 Links

Michael

Many thanks. After much fiddling, I figured out the problem...the red wire going into the plug was making a poor connection. Jiggling fixed it for now and I'll secure it somehow before inspection tomorrow. The problem with grooved copper exists on the other side; those tail lights now work only when the bulb holder is not turned all the way, meaning it pops out half the time. So I've got to secure that, too. Both tasks should be fairly simple.

I'm saving your instructions for swapping the circuit cards. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before I'll need to do that, given all the gremlins in my rear lights. Thanks again.

Cal