My brick's lighting system seems to have gone psycho! Right front headlight only works on high beam. I have no reverse lights. Here's the kicker. When I turn on the lights the rear right parking and brake light do not come on, however, when you apply the brake they both come on!! I did all the obvious stuff and replaced bulbs, etc. Anyone have and advice? IT's rather comical trying to figure it out. Seems if I get one to work the other goes out. Thanks in advance.

Brett 87 240 139K

I think the low beam is just out in your headlight. Next stop, service the fuse panel, right side and left side running lights are on two different fuses, as are the reverse lights, and the brake lights. The reverse lights problem may be just a funky connection on your left side rear circuit board. I always unplug it and then smear vaseline in the connector, and then plug it back on. Also make sure your grounds back there are secure.

When the usual ground connection gets a bit of resistance, current flows all sorts of other unexpected places trying to go to ground.

Check the ground connections by loosening and cleaning and tightening each screw...on each tail light, there's a black wire,...for each headlight (RH is a toughie),...any others you think of.


When I turn on the lights the rear right parking and brake light do not come on, however, when you apply the brake they both come on!!

Normally the brake lights do not come on just becasue the parking or head lights are turned on.

The brake lights and rear parks use the same ground wire, check that side first.

Your car has rear fog lights, too. Any problems with them? They are the upper inner lights on a sedan (what is your Volvo, 244 or 245?*), and wired so that they can be turned on only when the headlight low beams are on. They, too, use that ground wire in each tail light.


Good Luck,

Bob

:>)

PS * 244, 2 = 200 series, 4 = cylinders, 4 = door count. ergo 245 = wagon.

Per E.D.'s advice, do check out the bulb warning sensor. Bear in mind a general rule with automotive lighting is that when flaky things happen (like the dome light goes on when you hit the brakes, etc.) there is usually a bad ground at fault.

A roads in a Volvo's light wiring diagram do not lead to Rome, but rather to the bulb failure warning module (its red cylindrical with a hole in the center and a round wire loom that mates to it and usually in the dash behind the instrument cluster on 240s). Suggest you first try to simple find the module and remove and reseat it. Corrosion may have developed on its contacts and this may be causing your problem(s) if not then you may want to replace it although it is rather pricey even used (approx. $65). Your next point of failure may be the ignition switch module which lies behind the ignition key switch and is a separate electronic unit prone to failure and causing allsoughts of gremlins in 240s etc. Suggest however that what you really need is the factory green and white circuit book and a test light and/or Volt Ohm Meter to trace the current paths from the failing lights back to the fuse box - battery (source of all current). Many times in older Volvos there are multiple failures caused by system break down in the electrical wiring. You may have to replace the whole loom etc??? But the best bet is to calmly evaluate each failure on its own and trace it back. Remember electricity is a straight path logic, except when it finds a short where it will immediately return to the batteries negative side without lighting the light involved. If the bulb is okay and the wire has continuity connects from one end to another there is most likely a short. Unfortunately in all automotive electrical systems the chassis is the common ground so it becomes somewhat difficult to fault trace at first attempt which is why automotive electrical shops charge so much. So you must either learn this skill or take it to a pro. Sorry can't help more than that with the info supplied ... its really an applied science and if you want more help you'll have to go down the current paths and record what you've discovered put it back on this inquiry and then perhaps someone will help you with the answer or at least point you towards it. Its alot like computer programming because after all computers are just a lot of electrical wires with switches and devices hanging off of those switches. Hey, lifes a bitch, but you already know that!