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Bad bulb indicator on when braking.

Help, Advice and DIY Tutorials on Volvo's P80 platform cars -- Volvo's 1990s "bread and butter" cars -- powered by the ubiquitous and durable Volvo inline 5-cylinder engine.

1992 - 1997 850, including 850 R, 850 T-5R, 850 T-5, 850 GLT
1997 - 2000 S70, S70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70, V70 AWD
1997 - 2000 V70-XC
1997 - 2004 C70

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rguzz
Posts: 591
Joined: 7 October 2015
Year and Model: 1996 850 turbo
Location: VA
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Bad bulb indicator on when braking.

Post by rguzz »

96 855 the bad bulb indicator comes on when i touch the brake pedal but all bulbs appear to be intact/working. Possibly volt/watt problem with one of them? I switched a few around still happens though. External appearance suggests all bulbs are equally bright. More annoying than a functional problem, of course!

scot850
Posts: 14864
Joined: 5 April 2010
Year and Model: 2000 V70 R
Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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Post by scot850 »

Is the high level brake light working? Can't recall on the 850 if there are any dual bulbs. It could be one is going bad and throwing when the brake is being used.

The systems can sometimes not like some brands of bulbs. I know my local dealer service manager (and master tech) says they regularly get issues that are down to bulb quality in aftermarket replacements. Changing the bulb usually fixes the issue.

Neil.
2006 V70 2.5T AWD Polestar tune
2000 V70 R - still being an endless PITA
2006 XC70 - Our son now has this and still parked in our garage
2003 Toyota 4Runner V8 Limited
2015 Kia Sportage EX-L - Sold
1993 850 GLT -Sold
1998 V70 XC - Sold
1997 Volvo 850 SE NA - Went to niece in California - Sold
2000 V70 SE NA - Sold

454cid
Posts: 1248
Joined: 6 January 2022
Year and Model: 1996 850
Location: United States
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Post by 454cid »

When that happened to me, it was the 3rd brake light. It was intermittent.
1996 850
1999 S70 GLT (sold after deer hit)

2010 Ford Focus SE
2006 Cadillac CTS
1996 Mercedes C220
1999 Chevrolet K3500
1969 Buick LeSabre Custom 400

crlande
Posts: 368
Joined: 27 July 2013
Year and Model: 240DL;850;S70
Location: Lehigh Valley, PA
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Post by crlande »

Yes, I too, would go with the third brake light. Bulb maybe fine but contacts a little crusty. Same issue awhile back.

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CIK7
Posts: 1551
Joined: 14 January 2019
Year and Model: 95 854T & V70trailer
Location: Antlers, Oklahoma
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Post by CIK7 »

So, I had an almost bad bulb on the rear with that light coming on. I replaced it. It went off. Then I decided to replace all the brake lights and reverse lights with LEDs and that light came back on. What's tripping it is the lack of power being drawn. Those light bulbs are supposed to draw, I think, 55 watts or 25 watts, something like that. LED bulbs only draw maybe five watts I thithink.
95 854 Turbo 258K, auto, current
09 Rav4 Ltd3.5Fwd, red, 208K, current
98 V GLE/SE red, 379k (277k), 5sp, trailer in progress...
05 CRV EX AWD, Navy, 170K/184k, sold
03 Accord 2dr V6 silver, 196K/214K, 6sp, t-boned, sold
98 S GT white, 175K, 5sp, sold
96 964 silver, 146K, diff&trans/engine self-destr, crushed 😭
98 XC black, 151K, flooded&bent rod, crushed
01 V Base white, 168k, traded for XC
09 Impala LT1 gray, 196K, sold for 01

Jotunn77
Posts: 8
Joined: 27 September 2025
Year and Model: 97 855t - 91 945t
Location: Coastal Maryland
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Post by Jotunn77 »

I had to replace the brake light switch when I had this problem. I was chasing the issue at the rear end of the car like yourself, switch bulbs and checking wiring with no solution. Ended up being a simple switch under the brake pedal. FCP and IPD have them.
1997 855 T5 - 297k
1991 945T - 121k

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