Recently my low beams stopped working. The high beams work, but I have to hold back the headlight lever/switch on the steering column for them to stay on. There is no 'click' when I move the switch on the steering column.

I did some research online and someone suggested replacing the headlight relay (which I've also seen called a step relay)... it looks like this: https://i.imgur.com/3mgjmmq.png

I bought one and replaced it this afternoon, and maybe 30 seconds after attaching it, it burst into white smoke. (It contacted metal, and/or possibly some rain moisture?). I'm not really sure exactly what happened here. I am a total novice at this, but I'm smart enough to know that I connected it correctly-- the plugs can only go in one way.

I'm wondering if something electrical prior to the step relay needs to be replaced before I can replace the step relay? Some kind of resistor or something?

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should look into next? I'm really hoping I can get this issue resolved quickly because I'm leaving for vacation (with my car) in a week

Thanks!

 

The relay you bought, what brand was it?

I keep harping about the quality of parts on the after market--it is getting alarmingly atrocious! These cheap poor, old Volvos are coming to the point where they can be bought for cheap. Then get them fixed and maintained up with the cheapest parts out there--it's a crap shoot at best! Electronic parts, especially ones that retail for 20% of the OEM price, quality is NOT the same! Relays, sensors, ecus, etc. should never be bought on the cheap! Belts, hoses, mufflers and such are easier to judge. I realize it is hard for the average person to discern quality but that's the world we live in, anybody is allowed to sell any crap, nobody wants to be "regulated" so they can have their way. The result is that many parts, just because they were replaced with "new", doesn't mean they are good...

 

lev-- good thought on the crappy part. It might have been... although it came in a Volvo brand box. I bought it for about $50, and I'm not sure what the normal price would be. The one thing that was weird, though, was that the metal part that you use to attach it to the car was backwards on the relay that I bought. Maybe this would be an indicator that it isn't actually a Volvo part?..

(And despite that I'm certain I attached the wires correctly because there was only one way they'd go on. Plus the numbers matched up, so I'm sure I plugged it in right..)

Anyway, I'm going to have to get a new one anyway since the one I bought is fried. I'll look around for a different source that seems trustworthy.

Still I have to think that something might be up electrically somewhere.......

 

Pretty pricey for a relay! I didn't mean to rant at you, it was just something that's popping up a lot lately--bad parts, usually cheap... But $50 relay is not cheap! Where did you get it? You can return it if it caught on fire.

 

lets see, step relay for a 1990 Volvo 240 should be PN 1307991 ...

oh, oh, OUCH! read this. it applies directly to you,
Volvo Relays

 

Hi All,
I've been lurking for a while and have picked up some great info.
I came back off of a business trip last week and my 1988 240GL experienced EXACTLY the same problem as described by tgd_volvo above.
Are there any updates to this thread? Did another relay fix the problem or is there something else going on.
I'm just beginning to troubleshoot and and advice would be great.
Thanks
Tim

p.s. I just picked up a 1991 745T M-46

 

I went through this a while back and a new relay solved it.

 

Well....I went online to Dave Barton's website and ordered the relay. Unfortunately it's backordered, so car is sitting. On the plus side, I saw an M-46 OD relay that will work for the 745T M-46, so I ordered that as well.

Fingers crossed that the backorder isn't more than a few days.

Tim

 

you might contact Dave Barton and see what the likely backorder time is.

 

Original poster here.

98isb360-- I bought a new relay after I fried the first one. I put it in and it did not fix the problem. That doesn't mean it won't fix yours, I just wanted to report my own attempt.

I still haven't fixed this problem. I ordered a new headlight/turn signal/cruise control switch and I'm hoping that does it. I didn't do any research on this though... I'm just going with my (complete novice) gut instinct. I'll try to remember to report back here with my results.

The mechanics I've brought my car to around where I currently live seem to want nothing to do with addressing this issue and/or are overpriced and untrustworthy, which is pretty frustrating. So for now I've resolved to try to figure it out on my own, even though I have no idea what I'm doing. If anyone has any other ideas or suggestions for a total newbie it would be greatly appreciated!

If anyone can chime in: how do I go about thoroughly troubleshooting this issue? Do you think this headlight/turn signal/cruise control switch could potentially fix it?

Thanks!

 

you troubleshoot electric problems with the wiring diagram, a volt meter, and a basic understanding of electric circuits.

 

Pierce - I pinged Dave Barton and by coincidence, the relay was shipped yesterday.

tgd_volvo: I will report back after swapping in the relay. Thanks for the debrief on your situation.

Tim

 

Update: I swapped the relay with a new one from Dave Barton and it solved the problem

I thought another data point might be useful.

Thanks all for the bountiful guidance.

Tim