my back brake lights in my volvo s60 2001 will not shut off when the car turns off. However if it does shut off and seems to be working properly when I hit the brakes a check brake light message comes up andmy brakes don't work except for the back window one. At first I thought it was a pinched wire but realized it was not. Then I switched out and put another relay in thinking it was that but that didn't work. It seems that the light itself is getting the power it needs however it is not working. Any help I would appreciate it

 

It might be a problem with the REM (Rear electronic module=Fuse box)

 

Hi there
I bought a 2001 S60 last week and the brake lights are doing exactly the same thing as yours. Center light works but the left and right don't. Actually they come on every 4th or 5th time you press the brakes.
Did you manage to fix yours?

 

Our 2001 S60 has the same problem. If you tap on the lens or pull down the bulb bracket they come back on temporarily. I have not found a solution yet anywhere.

 

This sound like a corroded contact in the bulb socket. I had another car that issued a recall for a socket problem very similar to this. A possible fix might be to remove the bulb socket and clean any electrical contacts that are part of the mounting.

 

Good suggestion, thanks.

 

Out of curiosity, I checked the NHTSA web site for complaints. None for S60, but 2 for V70 indentical to these for '01 model year. Maybe you should go to Nat'l Highway Traffic Safety Adm website and efile your complaints. This sounds like a potential defect. One of those who wrote about the V70 doing the same thing mentioned a 2002 recall for such, but I didn't check that out.

Failing brake lights are, IMHO, the very definition of a safety defect. And, as I recall, NHTSA loses jurisdiction after 10 years or something like that.

The search engine must have been designed by an engineer as you have to input make, year, model separately, but you'll get the hang of it.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/complaints/index.cfm

 

The other car I mentioned was an 02 SLK that I brought back on a safety recall in 2007. They replaced the entire taillight assemblies. I had cleaned and tweaked the contacts previously, but the problem came back, so I was glad to get the recall letter.

 

My 2001 S60 had the following symptoms: "CHECK BRAKE LIGHTS" warning light when brakes depressed; bulbs were OK.

First I was told to replace ALL of the brake light bulbs, since a sensor detects resistance differences in the bulbs, but that wasn't it.

Then I was told to replace the turn signal switch, since all of the brake wiring goes through that. That wasn't it.

Then I was told that the computer gave a failure code for the Rear Electronic Module (REM), so I should order that (only from Volvo).

Finally, a shop told me that they had never seen an REM fail in 15 years, but they do sometimes "fall asleep" and need to be woken up. Either that or it's the brake relay.

Turns out the REM was fine, and it was just the brake relay. $67 w/labor.

 

Where is the brake relay on a 2001 Volvo S60 located?

 

BUMP! this prblem is really buggin the crap out of me. Dealer wants 115 just for a check up.. What's next? At least I managed to test drive an 07 R while I was there.. Lol. Is the brake relay located at the pedal? Problem is that the led top brake light works fine! That's the only reason why I havnt yet checked out the switch..

 

I really should have checked this forum out before I had a shop fix the problem. Same as mentioned in forum, upper brake light worked, but the two rear brake lights did not work. Started out as an intermittent problem, then gradually got worse. Turns out it was the brake relay. Problem solved, but at quite an expense.