I'm bringing a 1994 850 Turbo back to life and have gotten through the more serious exhaust and tune-up issues and am getting it ready for the state safety inspection to get it back on the road.

Here's the current problem... I've noticed that the lowbeams and parking lights are on all the time - - if I move the dash switch to the off position or headlight position, the low beams and parking lights stay on... at the parking light (mid position) setting, only the parking lights stay on and the low-beams turn off. High beams and rear fog lights work as they should. My first guess would be a bad headlight switch in the dash but before replacing it, is there anything else y'all can think of? The bulb sensor in the dash is working (had another issue with one of the parking light bulbs) but isn't lit.

Thanks!

J.C.

 

sounds like your DRL's are switched on. prob been about 5 years since I have even touched my headlight switch. i always just have them on.

 

JJC... where are you from? If it's a U.S. car, then chances are that the headlight switchyou have will have a little switch on the back side that can be turned off... as in, turning off the daytime running lights. If it's a Canadian car, then I'm pretty sure the only way to disconnect the running lights is to cut a particular wire from the connector plugged into the switch, as the switch we got up here was different internally. Either way, the switch can be carefully pried out from the dash with two very small precision flat-blade screwdrivers.

 

Thanks for answering.. this is a U.S. car but I don't think it's a daytime running light issue... normally DRLs are lowbeams only (in drive) and what I'm seeing is the lowbeams plus all the front/rear parking lights lit while the headlight switch is in the off position! I tried moving the dash/dimmer slider (only extra button I can find) but that works for the dash but didn't make a difference with the external lights... I'll double-check the owners manual to see if I've missed something but am still thinking that it's a bad headlight switch. I was concerned that the state safety inspector would fail me for this but slid it past him...

J.C.

 

Hey now JJC*,

I have a CDN 850 Estate and the drls are standard but I remove my switch and simply cut the #5 wire in the back to disable them because I like the option of turning them on and off as needed.

Nowwith the switch in the off position - the running lights are on, no drl and no dash lights. In the first position just the running lightsand now the dash light is lit.In the second position the dash is lit and the low beams are on. Not quite what I wanted as I wanted the running lights off in the zero position but Ill work that out later.

The dimmer, as youve found, is only for the dash. I think that the lights come full on by default and that the switch is just there to make you feel good

http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/for...pic.php?t=5663

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all my lights are always on when the Drls are switched on. dash, tail, plate bulbs etc. are always on. the only thing the switch does is if its off the high beams and foglights are inop. i know mid 90s Vws are the exact same way and even modern day saabs are like this. i really dont think you have a problem

 

Not true on your 850. Your front and rear park lights will also be lighted. The dimmer switch has nothing to do with it. Your car is presently set up with the daytime running lights. You just need to figure out whether you have the switch to turn on the back of your headlight switch or whether you want to snip that #5 wire.

 

Thanks all - - - think I'll just leave it for the moment as I've got bigger maintenance plans for this car (timing belt/idler and water pump...) but will remember this when taking it back in for the state inspection next year in case I run into a cranky inspector... they check all sorts of things on the cars here in Virginia and will fail the car for minor things...


J.C.

 

my 96 850 as a little screw below the switch the turns on or off the drl's no cutting is required. just need a small tip flat screwdriver.