I have a 1990 240 DL that has recently started getting weird about turning the head lights off when I turn the car off. When I turn the car off the head lights do NOT turn off, that is they do not respond to the dash light switch/off position or the Key/off position as they did in the past. The only way I can get them to go off is to pull off the main headlight relay. I can also get them to go off by disconnecting the 3 wire lead from the HI/LOW relay inside the engine compartment and also by pulling off the bulb failure sensor. However, when I reconnect the 3 lead wire on the HI/LOW relay the head lights come back on--the same happens when I reconnect the bulb failure sensor unless the main light relay has been de-energized at least once by pulling it off and at that point with the dash switch off and the key off the head lights stay off as long as the main light relay has been pulled off/de-energized. The regular light switch DOES turn the running lights on/off and does turn the head lights on but will not turn the head lights OFF! Neither does the key/off.
I have swapped the 1.Dash Light switch 2.The main head light relay 3.The HI/Low relay They all work in another 240 I have.
I have also taken out the ignition switch and completely cleaned each of the 6 sets of points in the switch and reinstalled it. But I am really leaning towards it.

One other thing I've noticed that has changed is that on the start up with the head lights on, the car used to turn off the head lights just to go through the start up, then they would come back on. II DOES NOT DO THAT EITHER NOW THAT THE ABOVE HEAD LIGHT PROBLEM HAS STARTED TO OCCUR.

And now for my confession-----this all started when I was trying to get the windsheild wiper motor to run when I disconnected the 4 lead connector and touched the wrong lead ON THE WIPER MOTOR with some test wires from the battery. As I think about the motor was really isolated from all this lighting stuff or was it?? The reason I was messing with wiper motor in the 1st place was because of it's intermittent operation AKA INGNITION SWITCH??? I don't know.

One other thing, I have the Bentley 240 Service Manual and the new Chilton Volvo Manual for coupes/sedans/wagon 1990-1998. In the Bentley they show all the relays I've mention BUT in the Chilton they mention one additional relay called a step relay on page 6-44 that looks like it could be there nomenclature for HI/LOW relay under the hood.

My questions are: 1. Did I screw up something when I touch the leads on the wiper motor from the battery? If so, WHAT?? I did not touch the connector leads but only those on the wiper motor that was still mounted on the car.

2. What causes the lights to go off temporarly if they are on when you do a start up? Is there another relay someplace that I am missing??

3. What about the ignition switch--could it be doing all this goofy stuff??

By the way I check for static battery drain maybe from some burned wire when touch those wiper leads---there is NO STATIC BATTERY DRAIN GOING ON IN THIS CAR. HELP!! AND THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!

Bill, I'm thinking you have a problem in the headlight system relay that's down by your feet. Silver cube on the firewall, inside the car under the dash. Mine, and many others, had a problem with poor connections at it burning the connector, and melting the wire, the connector, and the relay.
In my case, I was able to break the lead wire out of the fried connector plastic, and put it back together. My problem was that the lights wouldn't come on. But it is this relay that turns the whole thing on and off, including when you cycle the key to Start. The deal is, the ignition switch breaks contact to the accessories when you go from ON to START. Then it restores that connection as you release the key.

So if there's a short in the wiring at the relay, I guess I can see a way for it to continue energizing itself. If the relay coil wire is melted against the power out of the relay, that goes to the two fuses and the bulb out sensor and the high/low relay, then sure, you can have a situation like you describe.

Trust me, that relay can get HOT. Start your search there and let us know what you find!
--
Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: Roterande Fläkt Och Drivremmar!

Dear Bill,

The coincidence with the wiper motor seems completely unrelated, so I'd like to ask for your clarification. Was your test wire meant to supply battery to the motor itself? Was it directly from the battery positive terminal and only to the motor side of the four-pin connector? If there was a chance it got tangled with the supply side of the plug I'd ask if you pulled the wiper interval relay.

Hi-Lo and "step" refer to the same aluminum box on the fender.

The ignition switch would by my suspect too, but you having it apart I'd think you would have measured to make sure there was no carbon track in the bakelite capable of supplying enough current to hold in the headlight relay. Even if not measured, something that bad should have been visible. I'm impressed you got the thing back together without breaking the pot metal.

The headlight relay coil wire - blue/white I think, also feeds fuse 14, if I recall, to run fog light and dim the radio display. Pulling that fuse might eliminate another possible path for the voltage holding that relay down. A meter or test light should help you find the source of it. I still can't tie it to the wiper incident. You were hoping confession was good for the sol-ution.

Try pulling fuse 14 to check for effect. That's the easy thing. Then try pulling the ignition switch plug off and putting it back on. Not much harder.

If no help, let us know what aftermarket electronics you have; alarm, keyless, fancy audio, etc.

Best luck-
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore