Hello, I have a Volvo S80 2003 (yes, 2003 but purring along beautifully at 204000 miles) and I need some advice about spare parts for this highly reliable car. The drivers side front headlamp unit failed some weeks ago. My local garage, who know the car intimately, said I needed a new lamp unit. They tried sourcing a spare but said their only option was to get one from Sweden at an astronomical cost. They suggested that I look on Ebay for a cheaper used unit. I was surprised that there were so many used units available ranging from £50 - £150. I gave the cars details and ordered one from what appeared to a reputable dealer. When it arrived it looked in very good condition but clearly not an exact replica of the unit on the car. It was similar but not exact. I was distraught.

My question is: What details do I need to give to a spares seller to ensure an exact match for my car? If anyone can help I would be ever so grateful.

 

What I do is shop on a dealer web store to find the Volvo part number then use that in my Amazon/Ebay searches. Quite often these sites will have a diagram as well. Mostly you will need to know your year, model (often refers to the engine ie 2.9 vs T6) headlight type (halogen vs Xenon/HID) and VIN serial number (last 6 digits of the VIN).

With that said, headlights can fail different ways. You can have a bulb issue, a wiring/connector issue, a fuse/relay issue or if you happen to have the Xenon HIDs a ballast issue. So what is meant by the "lamp unit"? The socket? the bulb?

PS - Rarely does the headlight unit (aka the bucket) need to be replaced unless the reflector surface has faded. Parts like the adjuster and lens should be available as well.

 

I got TYC headlight assembly set for my S60 for about $300 (halogen) much better than the $1000 price tag for volvo/valeo replacements. I ordered mine off Ebay, had a small issue with 1 and they replaced it no problem. I had to replace mine because the plastic was falling apart with the poke of a finger and mounting tabs were breaking

 

Thank you so much for that. The Volvo part number never entered my head but it’s logical when you think about it. I now know how to proceed and I am indeed grateful.
I caused the problem trying to change a low beam bulb in France and totally destroyed the internal workings of the alignment housing.
Thanks again.

 

Thank you, Dingus 1. I appreciate that!