I changed out two burned lamps in my wife's 2008 V70 yesterday, an easy task.

Except I noticed that the insulation on all of the wiring internal to the headlight assembly was cracked. Moving connectors around caused the insulation to flake off in many places, leaving bare wire.

A good bit of time was spent wrapping each wire in insulating tape, through the access holes before putting the assembly back into the car.

This car has run the standard wattage lamps, H11 low, H9 high, so it must just be age and the material used for insulation. Sure hope it's confined to the headlight wiring and no where else in the car.

Erwin
'88 745T 200,000+ miles (sold)
'95 855T (My favorite) 200,000+ miles (sold)
'01 945T 200,000+ miles (sold)
'07 C70 98,000 miles
'08 V70 3.2 (Superb highway muncher) 110,780 miles

'01 Jeep XJ, 4.0l 115,000 miles
'07 F150, 5.4l, 175,000 miles

I really dislike the wiring INSIDE the headlamp. Hotter than Heck and completely devastating to the small gauge wiring. The housing needs a fan to dissipate heat. Poor design, ever since the 2001 cars.
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Keeping it running is better than buying new

Just to chime in.....

The "white engines'" spark coils are fed by a loom made with silicone wires which hold up quite well.
Too bad Volvo sought to cheap out with their headlamp wiring.

Maybe better sockets with silicone pigtails are available?