Dear Fellow Brick-boarders,

May this find you well. I set forth below, a retro-fit procedure for a second fog light. This process takes about 1 hour/vehicle. The wiring should be present. Only three parts are needed: a bulb (Type 1156), a bulb holder, and a metal contact tab. The last part can be gotten at a salvage yard, from a damaged light cluster.

I realize that this procedure may be over-specific for some of you, who are expert at things mechanical. I prefer to err on the side of caution, for those, who are on their way to becoming experts.

Please let me know if this process works for you. The key to success, in this case, is to work slowly and gently. These light clusters are light-weight plastic, so brute force is unnecessary. It will also be expensive.

Yours faithfully,

spook


940 Wagon Dual Fog Lights: Converting the Right (Passenger-side) Light Cluster

Volvo 940 wagons sold in the US have one fog light, that on the left (driver-side).

The passenger light clusters have a blank space at the top. That blank space can be used.

To do so, follow this procedure. You will need to get only three parts: a bulb, a bulb-holder, and a metal contact tab, onto which the wire to each bulb holder attaches. The bulb is a standard Type 1156. The Bulb holder may be bought from a dealer, or gotten at a salvage yard.

The metal contact tab may be had at a salvage yard, from a damaged light cluster. Remove it by pulling it straight out of the cluster, with a square- nosed pliers. Grip the part of the contact tab that extends out from the black plastic of the light cluster. This is the part to which the wire attaches. Do not try to pry out this metal tab: it is made of very thin metal, and will bend and become useless.

I. Remove the Right (Passenger-side) light cluster

A. Remove the inspection cover

1. Insert a 1/4", flat-bladed screwdriver on the side of the cover closest to the hatch openings, about 3/4" below the top.

2. Pry gently outward. The cover will release.

B. Remove the load space floor panel closest to the inspection cover opening, using the leather loop at the end closest to the back seats.

C. Remove the three nuts that secure the light cluster (one at the top) and two at the bottom. Access the bottom nuts from the storage space below the right side load space floor panel. There are holes in the metal work, through which a 6" extension can be put. Use a 10mm deep socket.

D. Disconnect wires from the cluster. The wires are color coded to labels on the cluster. If the labels are missing, make a note of the wiring arrangement. Typically, on the bottom-most bulb holder, the purple wire goes at the 6 o'clock position and the Yellow wire at the 10 o'clock position. On the next higher bulb holder, the blue wire attaches. At the third highest bulb holder, an orange wire attaches.

E. Remove the light cluster from the car.

II. Opening up the top "blank space".

A. Lay the cluster down on a lightly padded surface (a newspaper section folded over will do).

B. Remove the light bulb holders

C. Inspect the surface of the top "blank space"to find the center.

1. You likely will see a "dimple" in the center. If so, take a center punch and using hand-power only, put a "nick" in the center of that dimple. That nick marks the center point of the opening.

2. To confirm that the nick is in the center, measure across the diameter of the blank, at the point closest to the metal ground strip (that runs from top to bottom, to the left of the bulb holders) to a point at about the 3 o’clock position. This distance should be 1 7/32". If your "nick" is in the center, it should be 39/64" from the edge.

D. Drill a 1" diameter hole in the center of the top "blank space"

1. Starting with a 1/16" drill bit, and using a light-weight drill, drill a hole through the center of the "blank". Use little pressure: you're drilling through plastic less than 1/8" thick. Then, use 1/8" and 3/16" bits, to expand the hole. Finally, use a 1/4" bit.

2. Take a sharp 1" diameter hole saw, with a mandrel that uses a 1/4" bit.

3. Applying power gently, use the hole saw to cut through the plastic. Use little pressure: you're drilling through plastic less than 1/8" thick.

III. Cutting notches in the "blank space" perimeter.

A. Three notches must be cut, at the 3 o'clock, 7 o'clock and 10 o'clock positions. These three notches allow the bulb holder to be inserted in the round opening, that you've just cut. These notches are in exactly the same positions as the notches in the other bulb positions. The notches are exactly the same size as the notches in the other bulb positions.

B. Use a 1/8" square key-cutting (warding) file, to cut the notches.

1. For the notch at the 3 o'clock position, the lower side of the notch will be defined by a raised ridge, that runs from the 3 o'clock to the 4 o'clock position. The notch you will cut is about 1/4" wide and about 3/16" deep. Cut from the side of the ridge, up towards the 2 o'clock position, but only make the notch 1/4" wide, which means you won't go very far towards the 2 o'clock position.

2. For the notch at the 7 o'clock position, the right-hand side of the notch will be defined by a "bulge" in the blank space perimeter, starting at 7 o'clock, and running towards the 8 o'clock position. Cut a notch about 5/16" wide and 3/16" deep.

3. For the notch at the 10 o'clock position, the lower side of the notch will be defined by the top end of a notch in the blank space perimeter, that runs from the 8 o'clock position, to the 10 o'clock position. Cut a notch about 3/16" wide and 3/16" deep.

4. As you work, check to see that the position and size of the notches is exactly the same as at the other bulb positions.

IV. Inserting the metal contact

A. On the right side of the bulb position that you just made - on the side of the cluster opposite the ground bar (that runs from top to bottom) - you will see a slot in the plastic.

B. Into that slot, insert the metal contact tab, that you got at a salvage yard, or from a damaged light cluster. Insert the contact tab using an electrician's pliers (those with a square nose). The metal contact tab goes in, such that it is aligned exactly the same as the others in the cluster. The long tapered end should point towards the top of the cluster. Grip the smooth leg of the contact tab in the plier jaws and press the other end into the slot, until it is fully seated.

V. Installing the light cluster.

A. Go to the wires that you removed, when you took the light cluster out of the car. In the same harness, you should see a gray wire. It will be doubled over, with the end wrapped in a buff masking tape. Remove the masking tape. You will see a female electrical contact inside a black plastic protector.

B. Place the light cluster into its opening, routing the wires so that they are not pinched between the cluster and the metal work.

C. Connect the wires to the contacts at each bulb position. The gray wire connects to the upper-most position, the one you just made useful.

D. Connect the ground wire to the tab at the top of the ground bar (VERY IMPORTANT).

E. Secure the cluster, by putting the nuts onto the screws and tightening them gently.

VI. Function check and close-up

A. Insert the ignition key and move to position II. Turn on your headlights. Move the fog light switch to "on". Both fog lights should light up. If not, make sure you,ve connected the gray wire to the top-most bulb position and that the ground wire is secure on its contact tab.

B. Check other lights for function (signals, reversing, brake/running).

C. Turn-off the headlights and remove the ignition key.

D. Tight the nuts that hold the cluster into place, until they are snug.

E. Replace the inspection cover behind the cluster.

F. Replace the right side load space floor panel.