One of my low beam headlights died yesterday. I am going to get a replacemnt today. I checked the owner's manual and it says that I need 60W HB4. However my Volvo pocket data booklet says that I need HB4 with not more than 55W. It probably does not make a difference, but still: should I get HB4/55W or HB4/60W?

Raphael

I recently changed out the low beams on our car (w/Sylvania Silver Star Bulbs) and the stock low beam bulbs in the car were Sylvania 9006/HB4 51Watt (the high beams were 9005/HB3 60 Watt). The pocket data book says one thing and the manual another. I bought the bulbs in the manual and they turned out to be the hi beam bulbs. Pull one out to check for sure, the low beams are easy to get at.
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1998 S90 062,500 1995 964 140,600

Yep, you were correct. I checked the burned bulb and it was Sylvania HB4 rated at 51W. I am surprised by the fact that Volvo is so careless in their official references. I think the difference between 51W bulb (actually installed on the car) and 60W bulb (in the owner's manual) is prety significant!

However, when I went to the store I found only one kind of 9006/HB4 bulb, manufactured by GE. So I bought it. I even forgot to check what the rating on the bulb was. (I puzzled why they never put the wattage rating for the auto bulbs on the package?)

I found discrepencies between the manual listing in the bulb section and the back outside cover where it also lists major bulbs. The wattage is different, and I'm now also uncertain what kind of bulb the fogs take. I've seen two different references; the puney 881, or the H3s. I bought Phillips all weather H3 to replace them, so I'll eventually see what is actually the case.
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John Shatzer, 97 V90 @ 90K; 92 965 @ 106e