Hello:

My dash indicator light comes on when I Depress the brakes. The Brake light however works fine. The tail light also works but does not cause the dash light to come on. I have done everything including: replaced both right and left bulbs. Bent out the prongs. Applied electric grease. Swapped out the bulb holder with another known good one. Cleaned all the contacts. I give up. Last thing I can think of get a whole new tail assembly for this 91 Se wagon. Or black tape to cover up the light. I really want it to work.

TX Paul
91 940 se 155,000
90 244 m47 135,000
93 244 160,000

Dear poonjab,

Hope you're well. Does your cruise control work? If not, the "bulb failure relay" likely has failed. This relay, Volvo #1362370, was used in 240, 740, 760, 780 and 940s after 1986 .

See if you can find a salvage yard, that has these cars. If you get several of these relays, one is bound to work. Take the others, and re-flow the solder. A micro-crack in a solder joint - a break far too small to be seen with an unaided eye - can cause relay failure. Reflowing the solder - heating the solder until it liquefies (going from dull gray to shiny grey) closes any micro-cracks. You'll need an electric soldering iron, with not more than 25 watts capacity. Touch the tip to the joint. It should take no more than two seconds, for the solder to liquefy.

If a working relay does not solve the problem, check the instrument cluster's flexible circuit card for damage. Here, too, re-flowing the solder can closer an open circuit.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

Spook:

Yes my cruise does work. I did have that relay go bad on a 240 and cruise was out. Roy H helped me out with that and sold me a relay. So then how do I access this instrument cluster? What part to I solder?

PJ

Dear Poonjab,

Hope you're well. See the site's FAQs for accessing the instrument cluster. When pulling the cluster out of its recess, go gently: the wiring harness is thick. It has been there for 17 years, so the wires have taken a "set": they've settled into a shape. If you pull gently and slowly, the wire harness will yield. It is best to do this when it is warm or hot outside. If that's not so, then use a hair dryer to blow warm air behind the cluster (there should be a gap between the cluster's edges and the opening).

On the back of the cluster, there is a plastic flexible circuit card. You'll see solder joints. One or more of those could have developed a micro=crack. Re-flowing the solder closes the crack and completes the circuit.

Be careful freeing the wiring harnesses connectors. There are release clips on either end of each connector. They should be moved outwards (towards the edges of the cluster), before you pull on the connector, to free it from the cluster.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

One of the rear brake lights is tied into the center brake light. There is a half coil or a double coil to zero out the reed switch in the bulb out relay. Try cleaning the center brake light connection and verify that is the correct lamp.

Tom

Thanks: I will check out the center brake light on the hatchback. Not sure what you mean by this single double coil that zeros it out?
Paul

Mike Point's explanation of Volvo's bulb out relay.

http://www.mikeponte.net/volvo/bulbsen.htm