98 S70 GLT - Aiming Headlight

aj98s70 · Post by **aj98s70** » 08 Mar 2007, 12:03

I was trying to aim the headlight on my 98 s70 over the weekend. The passenger side headlight is currently shooting a beam up into the sky....
I try to rotate the "plastic" allen head bolts to aim left <> right and up <> down.

I cant think of a better way to explain this - The up<>down adjustment doesnt seem to "catch" - it feels like the screw is spinning freely - without moving the lens..

Any ideas on what I can do to get this back on track - short of a replacement of the headlamp unit.

Thanks In Advance....

Jot · Post by **Jot** » 08 Mar 2007, 14:53

Most likely one of the springs that hold the reflector in place has come off.

aj98s70 · Post by **aj98s70** » 09 Mar 2007, 09:00

Jot,
Thanks for the reply...
Any thoughts on how I can get to the springs.. Would I have to take the headlamp assembly apart ?

T.I.A

zenmervolt · Post by **zenmervolt** » 09 Mar 2007, 11:51

The up/down adjustment turns very freely on my '98 S70, but it does move the lamp. It does not take a large amount of adjustment to make a very large difference in where the beam is aimed.

You say that it "feels like" it's spinning freely, but have you watched the bubble level on top of the headlight to see if there's a change being made? IIRC the manual should have a note about which direction to turn the screw for which adjustment.

If it's definitely spinning freely, then Jot is right, most likely a retaining clip or spring has fallen off. You'll probably need to pull off the whole assembly (not terribly hard) to get at it though. I don't have a shop manual handy though, so I may be mistaken, please look it up before attempting this as it could make the aim of the light even worse if you do it incorrectly.

A note on the left/right adjustment: In the US, regulation requires that the left/right adjustment be fixed and non-adjustable by the owner. Volvo achieved this my simply applying some epoxy to the indicator gear (the large one with the degree markings, not the smaller adjustment gear) to stop it from turning. If you want to adjust the left/right aim, you'll need to find a way to release that epoxy first.

Post by **billofdurham** » 09 Mar 2007, 12:07

Removal of the headlamp is quite easy. The radio code is required as the battery negative lead should be disconnected.

Right side: Remove headlamp covers and connectors from the rear of the unit.
Remove the control module box ventilation duct and the windshield washer fluid filler pipe.
Remove the side light but leave it hanging on its wires.
Remove three screws holding the headlamp housing and lift it out forwards.

Refitting is a reversal of this.

When I am working on anything that may scratch the bumper I cover the bumper with a dust sheet.

Bill.