My bulb out indicator light is on when I apply the brakes, but all of the bulbs are functioning. I replaced all of the bulbs (including 3rd brake light) with new ones, but it still happens. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance!

Update --

I replaced all of the bulbs, and the bulb out indicator light still came on when the brakes were applied. I then replaced the bulb out relay, and the bulb out indicator light still comes on when the brakes are applied. What else can it be????

Thanks for the advice. Today, I replaced all three brake lights with new Sylvania bulbs and cleaned all of the bulb holder contacts with cleaner and a match as recommended. The bulb out light still comes on when I apply the brakes. I ran a couple of tests to see if the bulb out indicator would function correctly for the rear fog lights by removing one of the bulbs and turning on the rear fog lights. The bulb out indicator came on as it should and then went out when the rear fog light was re-installed. Based on this, it seems that the bulb out indicator really believes that there is a brake lamp out, but all are new. Could this be the indicator itself? Is there a way to test it? Or could it be one of the lamp holder assemblies? Is there a way to test them?

I have no idea how to interpret this information, other than a short, perhaps Unless you've modified the system, the car has only one rear fog light.

The bulb out indicator works only for the following bulbs: front low beams, brake lights and tail lights. No other bulbs are connected to it. Here's a test:

First put the parking lights on. If the bulb out light comes on, it's in the rear. Then remove all bulbs that are affected, that is the tail lights/ brake lights. This will effectly rebalance the system, so amperage is equivalent (=0). If bulb out light still comes on, replace the relay. If you've replaced all the bulbs at once (tail/brakes) in your testing, and it still comes on, replace the relay. (Courtesy of Randy Riggs, volvo mechanic)
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John Shatzer, '97 V90 @ 94K

The 92 960 has a rear bulb out relay, as do, I assume, all 960- V/S90 series. It's buried behind the driver's side rear side panel, if its a wagon. Otherwise, I'd look underneath the trunk floor or on the same side. This is likely your culprit. Not cheap. I ended up buying it on advice from a volvo mechanic and removing the panels as much as needed until I found the little bugger that matched. N one really knew where it was, other than somewhere behind the panel. To actually remove the panel on the wagon almost involved disassembling the entire interior side. If your car is a 940 series, it may have the same relay.
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John Shatzer, '97 V90 @ 94K

Hi,
I inherited the same problem when I bought my 940.
The seller even knocked a little more off the asking price because he had been unable to solve the problem!
To cut a long story short, the problem turned out to be nothing more than one of the four rear stop / tail lamps being the wrong wattage!

Regards,

Brian.

I've heard that replacing just the bad bulb with a new one can cause the circuit to trigger and say a bulb is out. Maybe you replaced a single bad bulb and now it's drawing different current than the other... Not much to do I'd say except replace them in pairs from now on.
-Nathan

Clean the plug in contacts of the bulb holders,esp if you see brown/blackening deposits with some WD40/Releaseall and a toothpick or unlighted match for sandpaper property.
Tom of Toronto