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Half the lights don't work 200

On my kid's 86 244 about half the lights aren't working. The right side front marke light and the right side taillights don't work. On top of that, the dashboard lights are out. The waning lights still work. The headlights and the brake lights still work.

Anyone came across this one before??
--
Blane Gardner Couple of Volvos, a Toyota Van, and a Couple of Old Chebbies








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Thanks everybody. It was indeed #16 fuse gone bad. I would normally have researched that on my own, but I'm in the middle of a long run of 12 hr days and am a bit short of time for research.
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Blane Gardner Couple of Volvos, a Toyota Van, and a Couple of Old Chebbies



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Hi. Most likely, you've got a blown fuse, or too much corrosion on one fuse's contacts. But the Volvo's separation of left and right side lights isn't peculiar (except compared to "a Couple of Old Chebbies"), and is the norm for European cars -- one of my M-Bs, imported directly from Europe in the '80's, is the same way.
The reason, in case you're interested, is that in Europe, cars have light switches that, when the engine is off, allow the driver to selectively light just the right or the left side parking lamps of the car -- one of my M-Bs is a gray market vehicle, and has such a light switch. And such separation, as you can now see, requires separate fuses for each side. Even thought USA-version Volvos don't have the light switch, their car's wiring harness retains that circuitry.
And the reason for this European feature is that, in many small towns in Europe, cars can park on the sides of narrow streets, but when they do so, at night they must leave their lights on all night long. However, to save their batteries, they are only required to light the lamps on the "road" (i.e., car traffic) side of their car, and this saves their batteries by halving the drain that would occur if they left both sides of the car lit.
Hoped this helped.
Have a great Thanksgiving.



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Hi Blane-
good to hear from you again! You probably do jsut have a blown fuse, but if that doesn't seem to be it, then possibly try replacing the "bulb out" warning relay. That's a big red canister up under the dash. The light circuits go through this so it can compare current levels, and turn on the everpresent warning light.
IF there's no continuity in a circuit, it can be from this. A junkyard is the best source for one, or you can try opening yours and look for poor solder joints.
Good luck!
--
Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: '87 244DL/M47- 221K, 88 744GLE- 202K, 91 244 181K, 88 244GL 145K



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The right front marker, right taillight, and instrument lights are on 1 fuse. The left marker and taillight are on another fuse. They are #15 and 16, at the bottom of the fuse box. Possible corrosion at fuse contacts or a blown fuse due to a short.



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