1997 850 wagon turn signal/tail light chaos

Tobers · Post by **Tobers** » 01 Sep 2014, 15:01

i started a couple of hours ago with the warning light on the dash that informed me that I had a burned out bulb. I started looking the back; one of the tail lights on one side didn't work. i cleaned the connection and put in a new bulb. Then one of the tail lights on the other side didn't work, but when I pushed on it, it came on. so, i cleaned all of the contacts, put a touch of electrical grease in each socket to prevent corrosion, and pulled up a tad on the connectors to get a firm connection. Now only the top tail lights (on each side) worked; neither of the bottom ones work. Then the left front blinker stopped working. So I went to the store, and put a new bulb in. It worked a minute, and stopped. Then a reverse light stopped working.

I've already replaced (a week or two ago) the electrical component of my ignition. Is this the hazard switch going bad? When I turn the hazards on, everything works. Is it a relay? Ground somewhere? Suggestions? thanks.

it's blazing hot here and I can't say that i've enjoyed this little chasing game.

rick

Tobers · Post by **Tobers** » 01 Sep 2014, 19:35

here's more specific information: when normal headlights are on, the left front turn signal lens is dark. it should be dimly lit. I just put a new bulb in it. I've checked the fuses. I've replaced the electrical part of the ignition.

When i turn on the left turn signal it blinks. when i turn on the flasher it blinks. but it doesn't work as a running light.

there might be other oddities, but that's one specific one. thanks.

rick

Post by **kahl** » 01 Sep 2014, 23:40

Are your license plate lights working? They share the same fuse as the left front cornor light. You may have an issue with the wire bundle going into the hatch.

Post by **abscate** » 01 Sep 2014, 23:48

The wiring through the rear hatch can definitely mess up your rear lights. Make sure you are using the correct bulbs, nicely laid out in the manuals.

Bad grounds are notorious for causing dimly lit and phantom-on running lights. The bulbs have multiple filaments, so when one ground goes bad, current flows through other bulbs in its frantic search for a path to the negative battery terminal. Okay, it actually flows the other way, but that's a hole nother story....

Tobers · Post by **Tobers** » 02 Sep 2014, 06:28

this is really helpful. my daughter has the car off at college for a few days, so i can't check right now. can you tell me the key place(s) to check for ground connections? might as well do that. It's great to have some tracks to run on. thank you.

Post by **rspi** » 02 Sep 2014, 06:51

Could also be a head light switch.

Post by **abscate** » 02 Sep 2014, 07:03

Tobers wrote:this is really helpful. my daughter has the car off at college for a few days, so i can't check right now. can you tell me the key place(s) to check for ground connections? might as well do that. It's great to have some tracks to run on. thank you.

MVS can't host wiring diagrams here by agreement with Volvo, but if someone can point you to link on the web, that is allowed.

Tobers · Post by **Tobers** » 29 Nov 2014, 17:50

I'm back after this tail light demon. here's the pertinent info. fuses good. I've replaced the flasher module. I've looked at the tailgate harness and it looks pristine. I chased it for about ten inches back into the headliner. The brake lights seem to be immune to whatever is wrong; they work, as does the license plate.

But the back up lights and the tail lights seem to come and go at will. The last time I checked just one tail light and one back up light worked. This evening I took each bulb out, checked it, and put it back in. Not one bulb was bad. After I did this they all worked but one back up light. in frustration i hit the lens, and it then came on. All fixed! But i doubt it is ... Why do these things keep going out when the bulbs are good?

i have NOT changed the head light switch and I don't know where to look for possible grounds.

next steps? thank you. rick

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 29 Nov 2014, 22:36

For this problem, the headlight switch is a red herring...
Sounds a lot like a bad ground. IIRC, there are grounding
points behind each lower tail light. Follow the black wires.

You may also have an intermittent at the taillight connector.

Post by **E Showell** » 01 Dec 2014, 08:03

This is going to sound a bit silly, but trust me on this one. Double check the bulbs. Only a certain style fit. Chain autoparts places may not be up on the quirks and give you a bulb that looks right, but the proper bulb for the Volvo has an unusual base configuration.