Kind of an interesting scenario as my bulb out light came on ONLY when the headlights are on BUT....all of the lights work !!

Turn signal, parking lights front and rear, headlights, 3rd brake lights and even license plate lights.

WTH ??? This just doesn't make sense !!

 

Have you replaced any light bulbs recently?

 

Yeah I replaced both brake lights and the license plate lights since I heard you want to replace them in like pairs.

 

Could be a bad bulb failure warning sensor. I would probably just pull the bulb warning light or tape it over.

 

Be wary about those things, my bulb failure relay exploded on me and I didn't have any lights at all. Had to touch all the wires together to figure out what they did and splice them together. Start looking for a cheap bulb failure relay so you have a spare.

 

Good I have a spare one of those. Here's hoping it's in working order.

 

I replaced a tail light bulb, it worked, but the bulb out light came on. While some else was pushing the brake pedal I twisted the socket slightly ... the bulb became slightly brighter and the warning light went off ... I also cleaned the contacts.

 

So ive got an 87 volvo 760 turbo. the rear left running light is out but the brake light works!? both of these come from the same bulb, this is why i'm perplexed! I've replaced bulbs, and the socket isn't that great, could that be it? any ideas anyone?

 

Your issue is much simpler. As the bulb is dual element, 1157, and you are positive both elements work the issue will be one or more of the following: the ears on the bulb socket need to be bent up a bit to contact the circuit board; the plastic of the lamp assembly where the sockets connects has been warped and makes the socket tip, breaking connection; the copper on the plastic circuit board has all been scraped off from previous attempts to correct the issue. The brake light sockets are notorious for warping, especially in automatics as the brake bulb gets quite hot.

 

Thank you very much! the plastic on the socket is broken causing the connection to go out after driving a little. i'm heading down to the junk yard to find another one tomorrow. do most volvo's of that era have the same socket type?

 

All the sockets are the same as far as mounting, 3 ears...1 big and 2 thin. Typically, the socket doesn't break unless a bonehead jams it in and tries to force the big one into a small slot. Usually, the problem is, the socket gets hot, the plastic underneath the circuit board gets hot and collapses under one of the contacts. Then the driver bends the ear out more, making it push harder against the already collpsing plastic. Meanwhile, on the opposite side, the underlying plastic of the lamp assembly is getting equally hot and as the opposite side is collapsing, it will rise up. Before you know it, the whole assembly is worthless. I've pulled tail light assemblies and removed the circuit board. I've filled in one side where it was caved in and sanded the otherside to make it level. Now, whenever I buy a Volvo, I typically buy new tail ligt assemblies. Keeping your foot off the brake when possible helps ALOT!. Also, consider LED's...they generate almost no heat.