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200 Series General Forum for the Volvo 240 and 260 cars |
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Dipped beams not coming onViews : 1238 Replies : 12Users Viewing This Thread : |
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#1 |
New Member
Last Online: May 17th, 2024 10:27
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Reading
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Hello all,
Before I delve into this I've noticed my dipped beams have stopped coming on when I switch them on/sometimes come on then turn off. First action is to check the headlight relay? |
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#2 |
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Last Online: Yesterday 10:15
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: London and Cambridge
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Check the fuses first, then investigate the relay.
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#3 |
New Member
Last Online: May 17th, 2024 10:27
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Reading
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So now I am confused... I've attached 3 pictures that show my current headlight status Position 1 has dipped beams on and side lights bright ![]() Position 2 has dipped beams on and side lights dim ![]() Position 3 has dipped beams on and side lights dim ![]() Bad ground? What to check next? |
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#4 |
Premier Member
Last Online: Today 15:57
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Skeg Vegas
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Let's think about this.
The headlamps (neither main nor dipped beams) should not be illuminated in positions I or II. In position I the DRL (bright sidelight bulbs) only should illuminate, in position II only the parking light (dim sidelight bulbs) should be on, so clearly there is an issue on the supply side (this can't be an earth return issue - there should not be an power getting to the headlamp bulbs in positions I and II). There are a couple of easy checks you could do to help narrow down the fault: a. Do the DRLs and parking lamps operate properly at the rear of the motor car in positions I, II and III?There would seem to be 3 possible scenarios that might produce the effects you describe: a. The switch on the dash has failed allowing the relay to power up in all 3 positions. It it is quite robust (1970s type design) and comes out really easily (just one nut under plastic knob if I recall) and you could test it with a multi-meter (in a low volts range) in 10 minutes.Of the scenarios I'd say the most likely is the first: that the switch is allowing the control side of the relay to be energised in all 3 positions. Fortunately that is easy to access and check with a meter, so I'd suggest doing that first. The lighting control circuit is really simple on 240s, one just needs to be methodical and eliminate things until whatever is left must be the fault (paraphrasing Sherlock Holmes I think). These graphics should enable you to find the issue, first the headlamp wiring cct (this is for a MY1981 US motorcar, but the principle is the same): ![]() ... and the dipped beam cct: ![]() ... as you may see, it is pretty simple. Good fortune, let us know how you get on. ![]() PS. There is a 4th scenario that could manifest itself in the way you describe: a short circuit between a switched live and the supply somewhere between the relay and the dipped beam headlamp bulbs such that they operate permanently with the ignition switched on. Test (b) above might help here. That area is fairly accessible and there aren't so many wires.
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... another lovely day in paradise. ![]() Last edited by Othen; Jun 23rd, 2023 at 11:32. |
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#5 |
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Last Online: May 17th, 2024 10:27
Join Date: May 2022
Location: Reading
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Thanks for the amazing reply, I've taken the headlight switch out before so I'll check that next, I'm also hoping its not a short somewhere that wouldn't be fun to find.
Also great suggestion of checking main beams in position 1 and checking the rear lights too. I'll look at these soon and hopefully that'll be the issue found! |
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#6 | |
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Last Online: Today 15:57
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Skeg Vegas
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I’ve just noticed from your initial post that you said the dipped beams were not working, but in the photos they clearly are. Does that mean you did something to switch them on all the time, or is this an intermittent fault such that sometimes they are on all the time, and other times they don’t come on at all? If it is an intermittent fault then it is less likely to be the switch or the relay (both tend to either work or not, nothing in between), and more likely to be a short between some switched live in the two areas I spoke of above. If that is the case Id start looking at the front of the car between the relay and the headlamps first because it is easiest to access. A thought: if you disconnect the relay (just pull off the connector block) and the headlamp stays on you will know for sure it is a spurious short between the relay and the headlamps. If the lamps go off with the relay disconnected, but come on when you reconnect it then you will know the fault is at or before the relay. Just be methodical, run as many diagnostic tests (like I suggested) as you can to eliminate issues before you start taking things apart. Write down the results (otherwise you will forget) and logically work out what is wrong, it is a pretty simple system. Good fortune, ![]()
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... another lovely day in paradise. ![]() Last edited by Othen; Jun 23rd, 2023 at 17:02. Reason: Grammar. |
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