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Anybody know a supplier who might be selling a dimmer relay that would fit a 1992 Volvo 960?
Part information taken from the old relay is:
ELR
35 23535 DOT
SAE J 575
Hella 12V
5DF 005 360-01
I have looked around a bit using the various part numbers but haven't come up with anything coherent yet.
ipd--nothing there. I know the car is getting very old.
The relay looks good but it stops sending power to the dim lights after about a half hour of driving. Suddenly you are in darkness. Brights work however.
I got the relay mounting platform moved and ran the car yesterday and sure enough the dims went out after the half hour. I was able to tap the top of the relay and the lights went on. It is jamming somehow. Maybe the electromagnets lose some power over the years.
I had the relay out and it looks good--no obvious signs of electrical damage. I took the 'cap' off and everything looks kosher.
Bob
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Bob, did you talk to Happy or Paul at Chapman Cobble Hill? May not be the cheapest source, but if anyone has it locally they will. Could save you a lot on shipping and brokerage.
--
Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now
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Hi Dave,
I went to Chapman's almost immediately once I determined that the relay was the source of my problem but they had none in stock.
After I ordered the American relay in from Voluparts Paul called to tell me that a 760 had come into their yard and they had the relay.
Unfortunately the ordered relay was already in Blaine at that point and I was no longer in the market. I could have bought their relay for $125 which would have saved me the $160 I spent on ferries between Duke Point and Tswwassen.
Cost me $85US. But we had a very nice run to Blaine on a beautiful day so it is not all about money.
I no longer have daylight running lights but other than that the new relay seems to be working fine.
Bob
p.s. I bought another 960 for $400 and am working out some of its kinks at the moment. Left rear door does not open and I am trying different strategies to open it. If the relay wasn't such a hassle to get out of there I could change it out. This car is not as handsome as my original 960. But it runs like a clock.
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Dave, I just got word that Swedish Auto Parts does NOT have any of these relays left and they have refunded my payment!
So my plan to go to Blaine and get the relay goes up in smoke.
Back to the drawing board. I am thinking of reflowing the solder on the relay I have and seeing if that will energize it better.
I definitely need some relay expertise to see if I can find a relay that has superseded the 3423535 that is installed in the car.
Bob
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Dave, I did send them an email but won't hear back till tomorrow. Spook's referral place puts the price at about a hundred Canadian after all's said and done. It is the correct number so I know that if Chapman's comes back too expensive I can go to his source.
It started to work okay so I put everything back together . . . and then it failed again. Just have to remove the panel and I think I can get the module out without a huge struggle. At least I am crossing my fingers that I can.
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Hmmm, Chapman may not have had an early 960 out in the yard, but I'm surpised they didn't have a later 760. As I recall they used the same relay setup. I don't know how much of a cross year/model check they did for you using the part number. They've got a 1-800 number, so give them a call for a chat rather than email. Ask if they can recommend another source in Canada for a used one. Chapman may not have giveaway pricing, but by the time you factor shipping, brokerage and the time factor ...
--
Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now
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Hi Dave,
Their price was $125. I spent more than that going to Blaine to get the part from Voluparts so I agree with you a hundred per cent.
I had ordered it and it is now installed and the lights appear to be working--american style---with no daylight running lights but with proper dimming and dipping when needed.
Still, it is nice to have the American option if I can't get anything locally. I now have a mailbox in Blaine if I need another part that can't be obtained at Chapman's or from ipd.
Talk about a bear for punishment. I bought another Volvo 960 a week ago from the auction [four hundred dollars]. Runs like a charm but I can't get one of the rear doors open. The car is scraped along each side, like the driver was trying to squeeze it into a space that was too narrow for it. I think this damaged the locking device. I have removed the lock from the good side so that I can learn how it works. Keeps me busy!
Bob
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Hi Dave,
I spoke on the phone to Ed Schram motors in Vancouver as well as emailing Chapman's back and forth several times [they mentioned ipd] with no success.
I finally got a mail box in Blaine, WA and had the Swedish Auto Parts relay sent there. I guess we will be taking a little holiday in the near future.
If we go over in midweek we will only have to pay for the car so it should not be too expensive. The mailbox is only ten dollars per year.
Such is life with some elderly Swedish vehicles!
Bob
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Dear muskox37,
Hope you're well. Part number #3523535, likely can be had at:
https://www.swedishautoparts.com/960/Volvo-960-relays.html .
I've never ordered from these folks, so cannot vouch for them.
It may be possible to "special order" this item from a Volvo dealer. If it has to come from Sweden, it may take a few weeks.
Hope this helps.
Your faithfully,
Spook
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Good morning Spook,
I did order the relay from them at one point in my search. They had it listed and I sent them the funds to buy it through their website.
They returned the money and told me the item was discontinued.
Somebody needs to keep the website up to date.
But thanks for the lead, regardless.
muskox37
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Good afternoon Spook,
I found this website that operates out of Atlanta, Georgia. Chap name Bill Eidson took the trouble to inform me that my relay is applicable only to Canadian Volvos but that there is an American version that is almost identical. I have ordered that relay and there is some chance, as Bill put it, that it will 'plug and play'. Keeping my fingers crossed.
muskox37
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Dear muskox37,
Hope you're well. On 940s, headlight switches differ as between cars marketed in Canada (#3515978) and the U.S.(#1362699).
I believe the headlight switch for "Canadian" cars supports day-time running lights; the switch for "American" cars does not. I've never tried to interchange these switches.
The headlight switch difference suggests - but certainly does not prove - that a headlight relay for an "American" car won't work properly in a "Canadian" car.
Hope this helps.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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Good day Spook,
It has worked out fine. The new relay does not allow for daylight running lights but at night it dims as required and in daylight I can flash the lights to warn other drivers of various things.
I was able to plug and play. No problems.
My 240 doesn't have daylight running lights either. I just put the lights on if the weather is tricky and the traffic is heavy.
muskox37
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Good Morning Spook,
The following is a quote from Dave:
"Starting in 1989, Canadian requirements for DRL became different than in the USA. The minimum requirement was for at least reduced intensity headlights that cannot be turned off when the engine is running. There is no requirement that forces taillights, marker lights or dash lights to be on, although they may be. For safety reasons, Volvo wisely chose to implement DRL with full intensity and all other lighting on, exactly the same as night driving. Some other manufacturers went with the minimum of reduced intensity headlights only, presumably to add maybe .01% gas mileage to help meet fleet fuel efficiency requirements and extend the life of lighting and charging components during the warranty period.
In our Volvos, this was all accomplished by the headlight switch and modifying the contact arrangement. The wiring harness connector and the headlight relay remain the same. Apart from part number, the way to tell them apart from the pre-1990 switches is a missing spade contact on the back of the switch
In the late 1980s, Volvo started using a more universal headlight switch in the USA market 740s/760s that could be made to function like a Canadian-style DRL switch using a small recessed screw. That may have been okay in other markets, but it did not meet the letter of the law in Canada, so Volvo had to design a non-modifiable switch.
Although I very much believe in the safety benefits of full time DRL with all lights on, I still want to have the option of turning the lights off when needed, whether it's running the engine while working on the car or sitting in parking lots on a cold winters night needing the heat on. First thing I did when I got my 940s was to swap in a used pre-1990 740 headlight switch -looks exactly the same and gives me the benefits of both worlds.
There's a section on DRL in the 700/900 FAQ with a few more details."
It looks like I could use the American version of the relay and either run it all the time with lights on or just run it with lights off. My 240 GLT does not have daylight running lights.
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Starting in 1989, Canadian requirements for DRL became different than in the USA. The minimum requirement was for at least reduced intensity headlights that cannot be turned off when the engine is running. There is no requirement that forces taillights, marker lights or dash lights to be on, although they may be. For safety reasons, Volvo wisely chose to implement DRL with full intensity and all other lighting on, exactly the same as night driving. Some other manufacturers went with the minimum of reduced intensity headlights only, presumably to add maybe .01% gas mileage to help meet fleet fuel efficiency requirements and extend the life of lighting and charging components during the warranty period.
In our Volvos, this was all accomplished by the headlight switch and modifying the contact arrangement. The wiring harness connector and the headlight relay remain the same. Apart from part number, the way to tell them apart from the pre-1990 switches is a missing spade contact on the back of the switch
In the late 1980s, Volvo started using a more universal headlight switch in the USA market 740s/760s that could be made to function like a Canadian-style DRL switch using a small recessed screw. That may have been okay in other markets, but it did not meet the letter of the law in Canada, so Volvo had to design a non-modifiable switch.
Although I very much believe in the safety benefits of full time DRL with all lights on, I still want to have the option of turning the lights off when needed, whether it's running the engine while working on the car or sitting in parking lots on a cold winters night needing the heat on. First thing I did when I got my 940s was to swap in a used pre-1990 740 headlight switch -looks exactly the same and gives me the benefits of both worlds.
There's a section on DRL in the 700/900 FAQ with a few more details.
--
Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now
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Very informative Dave. Thanks very much for this. I think I will go ahead and order the American version of the relay. I can just run with lights on at all times or live with their absence. At least when you shut off the ignition on this car the headlights go off as well, unlike with the 240. No danger of running the battery down if you leave the lights on.
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Good morning Spook,
I finally had to open a mail box in Blaine, WA and have the part shipped there from Swedish Autoparts. Still quite astounded that a part like this would be so difficult to buy.
Looks like we will be on the ferry to the mainland soon. Make a mini-holiday out of it.
Such is life with old cars.
muskox37
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Good morning Spook,
I tried to order this part [they do have them in stock] but they won't ship outside of the United States. Their part costs $85US.
I have tried the local wrecking yard. No luck there.
Horror of horrors I will have to call the dealer!
Whoops. Just heard from my Vancouver source. He is saying the part has been discontinued and is no longer available.
Might have to rent a drop site in Bellingham and have it shipped there. Or, maybe I can get this relay repaired. I will try the dealer first. I am surprised that the part is so hard to find.
muskox37
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Relays must be getting old in the 960. I'm on my 4th 960 and on the 1st 3 I never changed a relay. Just recently I had to replace 2 on the 1 I now drive. Cruise relay and the door chime relay that went crazy. Instead of just going off with the drivers door open it would go off with other functions. Like opening the glove box, any door, hood, trunk and a few more items. Junkyard relays restored all problems. I use cruise a lot.
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Kind of figures but I was surprised at how difficult it was to find a dim dip relay for the car. Turns out the Canadian 960s had a different relay to the American 960s because of differing laws at the time between the two countries about daylight running lights. The pool of Canadian cars would be fairly small compared to similar cars Stateside.
I have yet to receive the relay so I can't comment on whether it will 'plug and play'. Might not turn on the lights when the switch is off. No problem. I will just run with lights on all the time. Happily they go off when the ignition is switched off, unlike the 240 which would happily run the battery down overnight.
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