I have a 245 with approx. 210K.

Last night I turned on the headlight knob full to the right (full on) and... no lights of any kind, inside or out.

I also checked my brake lights... also nothing.

However, when I put the knob in "running lights" position, I got rear and front running lights like normal

Also when in running light position, I was able to pull back on the high beam switch and get high beams, but only if I kept the lever pulled back.

All fuses inside the driver door are good.

Any ideas?

-Mike

"Mysterious loss of headlights and brake lights,"

If by "headlights" you mean both the normal high beams and low beams, then the Bulb Failure sensor is not the likely cause, because it doesn't monitor the high beam circuit. However the Main (headlight) relay is a known suspect when both High an Low beams fail. The cause is usually the (main) head light relay — item "G" in BWiley's diagram, copied below.

I think this relay is located behind the upper dash vents on the '93. Be advised that not all 5-pin "cube" relays are NOT alike. Here are the Bosch numbers for the right ones:
Bosch 0332 015 006, Bosch 0332 015 012 or 013 are OK too.

The "High Beam Switch" is operating as it should.

But the Brake Light failure could be the Bulb Failure sensor.




--
Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.

MikeVolvo245,

More than likely your bulb failure or bulb out relay has failed.

The failed lighting symptoms match a failed bulb out relay.

If are so capable, you can inspect, diagnose, and repair the relay, usually by soldering.

You can get a replacement Hella bulb out relay. The part number is on top of the orange or red round cannister shaped housing. You can travel to your local junkyard, and acquire a used replacement from a later 240 with a third brake light. I believe, yet am not sure, you can acquires a used relay from a 700 or 900 series with the third brake light so long as the cannister color is red/orange. The Black (early 200 series) or Yellow (some 700/900 and newer series) cannister color won't work, IIRC.

Or, you can disassemble it, by pass the relay feature by solder heavy duty wire with high temp insulation to the contacts on the pinouts. Uncle Art Benstein's www.cleanflametrap.com website provides this information, yet you'll need to update the information as your 1993 Volvo has the third high center brake light, so the pin position and wire harness connection changed slightly.

If I can find what I did, I'll post it here.

Search the brickboard. Many posts regarding failed bulb out relay remediation exist.

Questions?

Hope that helps.

Kitties-Cats
--
Ha! Got teh Volvo memes!

I have a similiar issue. I turn car on, turn lights knob to right for headlights and nothing. At the same time my windows won't roll down either.

I need to push the key in all the way till it clicks and then everything works as normal. My problem is the switch at the key. Try pushing key in all way ansd see if it does anythimg.

--
1990 240DL red, 2004 V70 2.5t

I believe my wife's 240 had this exact problem. I remember driving for miles holding the brights on to have any lights at all. This one got sent to our mechanic at the time, but I think it turned out to be a relay.

Good luck,
Spencer

Relay above your knees or silver box under hood by battery, start with under dash one 1st. Bulb out relay usually takes out brake lights, but headlights? Remove and inspect/resolder. Can also be ignition switch causing loss of headlights as well.

I remember a similar post about a brake light switch failing and taking out cruise control or something along those lines. I don't know if it affected headlights though. Sounds like a ground issue, if they share a common ground.

When you hold the high beams, are you getting both high and low beams on (flash to pass)? You're not getting high beams when you let off the switch, from what I'm reading. There may be a separate ground for the f2p trigger.

How do you know all the fuses inside the driver's side door are good? Did you remove them, or inspect them in place? I once bought a 240 for $500 because it had a blown fuse that the owner inspected. Those cylindrical fuses are just terrible.

Admittedly electrical is my weak area when it comes to these beasts, so take this with a huge grain of salt, but…

It seems like one possibility is the bulb failure sensor. It doesn't necessarily explain the total absence of interior lighting (except that the systems have shared fuse locations, fwiw), but it would explain why you can trigger the high beams while pulling back and why you have running lights, both of which bypass the bulb failure sensor. Just a guess though.

In any case, I've attached the wiring diagrams in hope that'll help get you started. Good luck!