Turn Signal/Brake Light Warnings?

[MrAl]

Hello there,

On the 1998 v70 is there any kind of detection for either a blinker or brake light or tail light burnt out?
If so, would you happen to know the mechanism behind this?

For an example, a much older car i had a long time ago had a 'blink' unit under the dash that handled the turn signal blinking. The heater element inside this unit would get hot and that is what was responsible for the actual blinking, and it got hot because of the current through the blinker bulb. If the bulb burnt out, no current, so no heat, so no blinker, which is very obvious to the driver because when they turn the blinker on to make a turn the inside blinker lights do not blink, they come on and stay on or dont come on at all. That's a much older car though and what i'd like to know now is how this works on the 1998 v70.


I was hoping it could detect:
1. Bad blinker, not operating
2. Bad brake light, not lighting up
3. Bad tail light, not lighting up.

but right now i dont know what it can and can not do.

Thanks for any info on this.

[bmdubya1198]

I know someone on here knows the technology behind the system, but I don't.
If you have a brake light or blinker out, the bulb failure warning light will come on when the light is supposed to be active. It will flash along with the light, whether that be the brake light, the blinker, or the headlight.

[misha]

You would get a bulb failure light if some of them burns out.
For blinkers.....you will have a very fast ticking when some of them fails.

[BEJinFbk]

Defective low beams, tail lamps and brake lamps will trigger the
"Lamp Failure" warning indicator in your dash cluster:

Bulb failure warning light

The light will come on if any of the following bulbs are defective:

one of the low beam headlights
one of the tail lights
one of the brake lights when the brake pedal is depressed.
Check the fuse and bulb. See sections "Replacing bulbs" and "fuses".
Should the warning light come on after a defective outside bulb has been
replaced, the corresponding bulb on the other side of the car should also be replaced.

Here's the entire OM for your car on the page containing the above info:
http://new.volvocars.com/ownersdocs/199 ... 70_019.htm

As stated above, if you lose a turn signal lamp, the flash rate will increase noticeably.
It's also worth knowing that the flasher itself is part of the Hazard Light switch. The usual
failure symptom when it goes is no turn signal flashing at all, just steady lights. In this case,
the Hazard Lights will usually still function normally.

A great way to see what's up with ALL of your lighting is to find a large store window
or other large glass surface and use it as a mirror. You can check it all out pretty quickly.

[MrAl]

Hi again,

Thanks for all the info that really helps as now i know what happens when a critical bulb fails.

I used the reflective surface idea a few times in the past, and sometimes even the car bumpers ahead of me and behind me would help with this when waiting at a traffic light, but i dont always have that opportunity so i was hoping the electrical system would be able to detect and show a warning, which apparently it does so i guess i am good to go

Thanks again guys.

Just one more little question then...
Where is the bulb failure light-bulb failure light located, in case the bulb failure light bulb fails?
[just kiddin']

Take care

[misha]

To the left side of instrument cluster....around low fuel light.You should see it when key is in pos.II.It's orange with a bulb image.

[bmdubya1198]

Hahaha maybe we need to figure out a system for a bulb failure warning light bulb failure warning light.

[MrAl]

Hahaha maybe we need to figure out a system for a bulb failure warning light bulb failure warning light.

Hi,

Yeah, i guess it could happen right? It would have to burn out on the road somewhere if we can remember to check to see if it is lit when we put the key in as misha stated. If it is lit then, it would have to blow out during the drive as say one of the brake lights failed too, and then we would have a brake light bulb out but not know it. That would be quite a coincidence i guess.
I dont know, maybe an LED with resistor across it so if it blows out maybe the LED would at least light. I dont know how to get inside the dash yet though.

[MrAl]

To the left side of instrument cluster....around low fuel light.You should see it when key is in pos.II.It's orange with a bulb image.

Hi,

Thanks for the tip, i will have to remember to check that bulb that it is lit up as i turn the key to start the car. That should make sure that "it" itself is working so that if a mission critical bulb does burn out, i will know it.

Some bulbs that burn out may cost a traffic ticket that is why i was thinking about this, as well as safety of course. I dont know if the blinkers have double bulbs (?) or not yet so that if one burns out the other still works. I know there are lots of lights back there on this 1998 v70.

[misha]

Only tail position lights(rear position lights) have double bulbs....the same on sedans.
If one of them burns,you will get burnt bulb indicator light,but the other one will still work.