OK my husband has a 1987 Volvo 240 that we are restoring. It hasnt been driven often recently because it was being painted by my dad. As of the last time my dad drove it, which was at night, the headlights worked fine with no issues. Well, yesterday I drove from North Carolina to Pennsylvania to visit family. My trip was during the day but I ran into a few patches of rain. So when I did I turned the headlights and wiper blades on. Seemed fine...until I came into a construction zone where a sign said turn on headlights. So I turned them on...however, as soon as I turn the headlights on, the wiper blades come on. The wiper blades are in the 'off' position and still coming on. I flipped through all the settings and they go faster and slower but they dont stop when I put them back in the off position. The only way to turn them off is to turn the headlights back off. Now, the wipers will also work without the headlights and they go through all the speed settings and will turn back off fine. But the headlights cannot be used without being used in conjuction with the wipers. Weird, I know. The Volvo dealer cannot see it this week and i have to go back to England this weekend where my husband is stationed. So I really need to fix this asap as I may need to drive at night and have to be able to use the headlights! Any help would be greatly appreciated. For some reason no mechanic will look at it being a volvo!! And my husband isnt here so I am stuck to try to fix this on my own. If you could please be detailed in any troubleshooting instructions as I dont know exactly where everything to look for is. Thank you very much in advance!

 

Well, since they worked correctly before Dad painted, that's where I'd look. Sounds like a bad ground. If you pop the hood and look on the passenger side of the firewall, right up by the windshield, you'll see a black cylinder w/ a silver end held w/ three bolts. That's your wiper motor...It's common to pull those when painting the engine bay. Of course if he didn't paint under the hood ignore all this! Regardless, there is an electrical connector there...I'd unplug it and look at the contacts and make sure they are clean. Also, there is a wiper relay usually located under the top of the carpet behind the brake pedal area...that can go bad and cause wierd things. I guarantee it is a ground connection of some sort that is bad...just a question of where. Do the headlights come on if you turn the wipers on?

 

Melissa seems to be long gone, but perhaps this will aid others. I just fixed this on my '89.

Driver's side headlights were weak as well. Ground going to driver's side inner bus block and bad wire was the issue. The female blade connector came off in my hand, the copper wire was corroded inside the insulation 2" from the connector.

Cut and stripped wire until I got some serviceable enough, pried open one side of the connector enough to put the wire strand through (so the wire is now directly on the bus tab), removed, cleaned the bus, cleaned the bolt, scraped paint off where the bus goes on the fender, problem solved. Also did the battery connections while I was at it.

When Spring rolls around I'll get some snap connectors and solder for the wire and conductive grease for the bolt, but this should do for a few months.