Took my 2000 S70 SE into the dealer today to have a turn signal bulb replaced, and learned that the socket needed to be replaced as well. Am I paranoid to think that there is an underlying electrical issue at play ? Yes, should have asked the service department but this is Thanksgiving and I just kinda blew out of there with teh paperwork...would appreciate any opinions.

Also - should note that I called the dealer this morning and asked if they would replace the bulb at lunch. To their credit they did so, I continue to receive first rate service at Lehman Volvo in Camp Hill, PA.

Dave

Sounds like "do what you can" and "don't expect this to go away".

Thanks to all for the responses. 33 degrees and raining right now, and just ran out for milk for the little guy. Of course you don't want to be out on a night like this at all, but it is for nights such as this that we buy the cars that we buy.

Dave

Contrary to some of the other posts, I have not found that new sockets plus dielectric gel is a cure for this problem. My 1998 V70R has yet to go the 5000 miles between services without one or both indicators developing that problem and my dealer has tried everything including new sockets and gooping up the bulbs with gel.

I just bought the glass base bulbs from IPD to see if that can cure it - I'll post in 6 months or so if I don't get a recurrence to confirm this is a cure.

Just putting new bulbs and sockets in may not work. I bend the contacts in the socket closer together, use the dielectric grease and that seems to work. I've heard good reports about the glass based bulbs, IPD has been mentioned but any auto store has the bulbs as well. I have also replaced the glass based bulbs with arking on the contacts causing the rapid operation of the turn signal as well. I think the pinching of the socket contacts closer together, grease and the Black based volvo bulbs or the glass based ones stand a better change of being a fix (short of redesign).

Dave,

If you have the opportunity, replace both bulbs with the glass-base bulbs from IPD. You will eliminate the problem forever by doing so. The ground contact in both the original socket and the factory bulb are too small for the current, particularly when the socket ages and no longer makes solid contact with the bulb. Dielectric grease or Vaseline will keep moisture from contributing to the problem as well.

Regards,

Mike Harris in Sandy Eggo

Dave

The side that is blinking fast is the side that is burned out. I was told that there is a very slight gap between the bulb and the socket, it archs because of the air space and burns the bulb and the socket. It is corrected by inserting a new bulb in a new socket with plenty of die-electric gel put into the socket. He also put the die-electric gel into the other turn signal socket so it would not happen to that one. My dealer service representive in Albuquerque, said they have not had any come back once they have been fixed in this fashion.

Then also, there is the problem of the emergency turn signal switch which has been causing problems. They had my car for the day on that one. I don't know how long it took to fix. This problem renders both turn signals inoperative, except by pushing on the lever by hand. Both of these problems are well known to the service writers and technicans.

Victor Clark

2000 S70

Albuquerque

Victor,

Sorry to bud in on this thread… I also live in the Albuquerque area and have been considering placing an order for a 2001 V70 but have been a little leery about having access to only one dealer/service dept., especially with all the postings about lousy Volvo dealers and price gouging tactics. I've been asking around, but there are not to many Volvo owenrs in the area. Any intell/opinions/experience with the Albq dealer on Lomas would be appreciated, my email is kevinbell@access1.net

Thanks in advance,

Kevin

Dave,

You may indeed be paranoid. But you will have to find another subject obsess over. Once you replace the old socket assemblies you most likely will not run into the problem again. For additional piece of mind you could buy a heavier duty replacement bulb (through IPD) to go along with your new sockets... this might be over-kill.

My sockets failed within one week of another at 12K miles. Both bulb and socket were replaced in each case. To date, I have not had a bulb or socket failure and the car now has 49K miles on it.

OK, I give you something to stress over... if you have your headlights on all the time (daylight running lights) you can expect to get about 20K miles before the bulbs burn out. Instructions on how to by-pass the DRL feature are in your owners manual. I drive on a lot of rural two-lane roads and think the price of a headlight bulb is worth avoiding a head-on.

The high beam and low beam bulbs are interchangeable so if you get caught out and about with one eye, you can rob peter to pay paul until you get to a parts store for a replacement.

Happy trails,