Our '98 V70 has a intermittent problem with the directionals. Sometimes they come on and not blink, sometimes they flash rapidly, and sometimes they work correctly.

I've read that this could be a problem with the directional relay. Where is that component located?

Thanks,
Furnman

The problem is almost surely corrosion or burning in the sockets. The original sockets were poorly designed, but the solution is really pretty simple. Take out the bulb and clean the contacts in the socket with fine emory cloth or extra-fine sand paper. Clean the bulb, also. Flush out any dust with canned air. Apply a very thin film of dielectric silicone grease and reassemble everything. You should have no more problems. This worked for me, and I'm in Mississippi, the land of humidity.

Not flashing at all is the relay/hazard switch. Pull the radio out, reach in and push the relay toward the seat to pop it out. Flashing fast is usually a front bulb socket problem. There was a recall on these. The original bulb/socket had a crappy plug in bulb, and the socket terminals would get hot and burn. The replacement bulb/socket had a traditional 1157 type bulb, and are very reliable. Call your local dealer and ask them to run a VIN report and check for outstanding recalls. Other possible recalls for your car include headlight switch, headlight bulbs/wiring adapters, passenger airbag ground, mass airflow sensor conector, A/C compressor, and wiper arm stop lugs. Not all cars got all recalls. Volvo database will have the info, or the N.T.S.B.

the emergency flasher switch. BUT how do your emergency flashers work? If they work fine then it could be a problem with the socket!

Whenever my '98 S70 did that, it was a failed front directional signal socket. These sockets were replaced multiple times under warranty, and never lasted longer than 15 months. They are a known weak point. Heat melts the plastic surrounding the contacts. IPD sells special bulbs that conduct heat away from the contacts, sopposedly preventing recurrence.