It's a rainy day and I'm unemployed again, so I guess I shall work on the car...

My wagon is 1987 and the upper most taillights do not work on either side. I;ve seen many other 245s with non-working upper-most taillights and so it seems to be quite common, but I have also seen a few whose said lights DO work. I wanna be like them. Bulbs are fine. I see the white wire that powers the one and then goes and powerst the other one, and no power comes into the white wire. Anybody know anything?

Thanks in advance - SPC - 1987 245DL 231k

Didn't later 245s use the top red taillight as the rear fog light (very bright, use only when actually in fog because it can be annoying otherwise; preferably only on the driver's side so that it does not look like brake lights)?

I thought they might be the rear fogs...

I hooked up my front fog lights to that switch below rheostat, (It wasn't connected to the rear fogs, even though the lights have bulbs and wires. A Euro thing I presume?) so that switch is occupied. Are the rear fogs significantly brighter than the regular taillights? I'd like to wire them into the regular taillights 'cause I think that looks pretty. Thoughts or sugestions?

thank you - SPC

the rear foglights are not just a euro thing, my US 86 245 has them and they work as described by gambit. they come on when they are switched on and the lowbeams are on in the front. they are a lot brighter so your not supposed to use them unless its very difficult to see, otherwise you'll be blinding everyone approaching you on a clear night. it should cover this in your owner's manual :) i don't know if that is just because of the bulbs or what. it seems that the wiring *should* be in place somewhere and you would only need to splice those wires into the tailights you want them to work with and swap the bulbs to match. maybe you could just try jumping the contacts from the "lower red light" to the "upper red light" together on the light housing to see what you can get. have fun!


-colbi

Those should be your rear fog lights. They work when you DO NOT have your brights on and the switch is located between your lights and the dash light rheostat(dimmer).

Gambit...

In 1988 Volvo changed so that the rear fogs can be on whenever the headlights are on, regardless of hig beam or low. Saved them the cost of one relay.

If you want to have the rear fogs on when the brake lights come on, change out the bulbs. Use the lower candlepower type so as to not blind followers.

I use the rear fogs on tailgaters, since they do look like brake lights and I can flash them without actually slowing down - the first time.

Good Luck,

Bob

:>)

Yup, Gambit is correct. Geeez, I feel like such a numbskull.

I'm not exactly sure, so don't quote me on this, but I think 1988 was the 1st year that the 245s used the upper tailights as the main brake lights. IPD used to offer a conversion kit that allowed all 4 red tailamps to light up with the brakes, but I'm not sure if its still available.