Volvo 480 Club Europe

**Update**
I've just checked again and they're working fine!?! We had particularly heavy rain last night?
Anyway thanks for your help, I'm sure it will come in useful!

No problem. Mine went a little intermittent earlier in the year and fixed themselves by magic too

nigel poustie wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 28, 2018 9:00 am

**Update**
I've just checked again and they're working fine!?! We had particularly heavy rain last night?
Anyway thanks for your help, I'm sure it will come in useful!

They can have a mind of their own...

Might still be worth checking that the relay is fully in place though and - given your comment about rain - that there isn't any damp getting into the relay box.

David

dcwalker wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 28, 2018 6:50 pm

nigel poustie wrote: ↑

Wed Nov 28, 2018 9:00 am

**Update**
I've just checked again and they're working fine!?! We had particularly heavy rain last night?
Anyway thanks for your help, I'm sure it will come in useful!

They can have a mind of their own...

Might still be worth checking that the relay is fully in place though and - given your comment about rain - that there isn't any damp getting into the relay box.

David

check drains at each front corner of scuttle are clear , consider cutting off the 'one way flaps' cos they get full of leaves etc and then it floods, especially if parked facing UPHILL

Yep will do Alan! I tried them again in the evening and not working again. I'm having a day on it tomorrow, so I'll report back.

Hi again.
Headlights are popping up again now, I fiddled with the relay and had no problems since.
There's a couple of bit of bear metal I want to cover, does anyone know the paint code and where to get it from, I think it know as Storm grey, (see pictures at top)
Cheers

What I usually do in case of unwilling popup motors, is pop the relay out, put a screwdriver in the bonnet lock (so the microswitch inside the lock is closed), bridge the relay contacts (so the popups are powered continuously) and let the popups wink happily for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile I'll open the relay (pop the cover off) and clean the relay contacts. This will fix the problem 9 out of 10 cases!

nigel poustie wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 05, 2018 2:32 pm

Hi again.
Headlights are popping up again now, I fiddled with the relay and had no problems since.
There's a couple of bit of bear metal I want to cover, does anyone know the paint code and where to get it from, I think it know as Storm grey, (see pictures at top)
Cheers

Glad to hear the headlights are behaving themselves again!

The paint code for Storm Grey Metallic is 323

David

Thanks David.
Do you know where I can get the paint from, I had a little look online with no luck.
Cheers
Nigel

Hi, I'm still having problems with intermittent pop-ups! Today, I wound them up manually and didn't have them turned on so when I turned the ignition on they went down? So I guess it shows the motor isn't faulty but why does the relay tell them to go down but not up?

What I usually do in case of unwilling popup motors, is pop the relay out, put a screwdriver in the bonnet lock (so the microswitch inside the lock is closed), bridge the relay contacts (so the popups are powered continuously) and let the popups wink happily for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile I'll open the relay (pop the cover off) and clean the relay contacts. This will fix the problem 9 out of 10 cases!

I'm no electrician, so can someone explain in layman's terms what is meant by 'bridging the relay contacts?' I've had the largest relay off and given it a 'clean' (blow!) looks fine to me but I know nothing!

I'm no electrician either so can't help you there, but every time we've had a problem with pop ups it's turned out to be the drl bulbs. (the ones next to the indicators you can't turn off) Check there isn't a loose connection, rusty contacts, or incorrect bulb - are the pins offset ? Extraordinary system, no drl disables the pop ups on UK cars.

Thanks for that Sylvia. That's something to look at, I did notice that one of them was out when pop-ups failed. Bizarrely the pop-ups are working today and drl are working too. I reckon you're on to something, thanks!

As Sylvia says it's a strange set-up and the DRLs are a critical element in the circuit - wrong bulbs (they should be 21W/4W with staggered pins but are often changed for the more common "rear/brake light" 21W/5W bulbs, which causes chaos), blown bulbs, corroded connectors - all can play a part.

If you change a DRL I'd strongly suggest changing both - they don't like being unbalanced, either. In the true spirit of 480 randomness, some cars seem fussier than others over this

Bridging the headlamp relay involves removing the relay, switching the lights on, and then holding a wire across the appropriate two connector points. There is a thread on here somewhere I think because I know I have done it in the past...I think it's pins 87 & 30 and 87 & 30a you need to bridge for each headlight in turn. The connections are marked on the relay and the worse you will do is blow a fuse if you get it wrong! If they are working OK they should keep going up and down as long as you hold the wire in place - on at a time, obviously.

If you think the relay is at fault then I should have a spare one you can try out.

As for your previous question about the paint, it is doubtless NLA from Volvo but I have successfully used a company on-line who mix the paints to spec on a couple of my Volvos - you could try Expresspaints.co.uk.

Hope all that helps!

David

Thanks for that David.
I've sorted the paint, I got some mixed up at Car Paint Repair.co.uk but thanks. I'm just waiting for a dry enough day to do it!

As for the lights I'm thinking the DRLs is a good place to start!

Thanks for your help!

nigel poustie wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 17, 2018 7:12 pm

Thanks for that David.
I've sorted the paint, I got some mixed up at Car Paint Repair.co.uk but thanks. I'm just waiting for a dry enough day to do it!

As for the lights I'm thinking the DRLs is a good place to start!

Thanks for your help!

Great! In that respect I am sure any decent paint company will do...

I know what you mean about needing a dry day though!

Right update....The pop-up problem is definitely the connection of the DHLs. The pop-ups didn't work today and one tap of the DHL lense cover and they came up! So does anyone know where I can get the genuine Volvo DHL bulbs from?

Next problem.....The full beam is not 'clicking-on' and staying on, they work if you hold the lever back but it won't hold on it's self, any ideas?

Also, the horn has stopped working, not checked the fuse though....

Sorry for the barrage of questions but I'm a 480 novice but keen to keep things in check!

Cheers!

You likely don't need new bulbs but new holders. There is only one source of DRL holders that I know of. You can buy new DRL holders from Skandix. Search part number 3414335‎
It will be 19.16EUR each, 38.32EUR for two plus 18.88EUR postage. Total 57.20 EUR.‎

The bulbs are a certain quirky type but nothing special that you need 'genuine'.‎ 21/4W BAZ15D the important difference is to make sure you get 21/4W, not 21/5W and also to exactly match the case code ‎BAZ15D so that pins fit the holder. If the wrong bulbs have been forced in in the past then the holders have another reason to be making bad contact also, on top of corrosion, heat and bad connection!
‎
The holders are not exactly a reasonable price. But beggars can't be choosers nowadays. They are well worth getting as the corroded contacts cause heat in the cluster and do something between premature ageing to ‎melting the lenses.

You could use the postage opportunity to get a few other things that they sell that are useful to you. E.g. While not the best reproductions, their 3D printed heater control knobs are okay.‎ You might as well treat yourself to some new 21/4W BAZ15D bulbs also as the Base connectors are likely damaged on yours from bad connection and heat. 

P.S. They are DRL's (Day Running Lamps) not DHL's (but this could stand for Day Heating Lights if you have knackered holders!).‎


The main beam stalk problem we've spoke about in the other post. You'll need a new stalk but finding one which someone can honestly say works without having a 480 to test it on is a bit of a gamble I find. I tried opening one but it was a disaster and I threw it in the bin!


The horns are in an exposed position ‎in the centre of the car under the front bumper. There are two. You should be able to hear a relay in the CEM click when you press the horn button. If your under tray if missing, the horns are easy to access and you can check with a multimeter if there is voltage getting to them, or a bulb. If I remember correctly the horn button just pulls off, so you can easily verify the contacts in there.

One more point: the 480 horns combine to have a mag‎nificent deep tone. Bear in mind this if you replace them. I have none original ones and they are quite disappointing! I must reinstate the 480 bellow!

DRL holders: only available here as far as I know‎
http://www.skandix.de/en/spare-parts/el ... /1015190/‎


DRL bulbs: available everywhere, so do not buy from Skandix unless you are also buying the above holders due to expensive shipping from NL to Germany to the UK.
http://www.skandix.de/en/spare-parts/el ... 03d3c32cf‎

‎For example, from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Original-halog ... B003ANDGVE

If you look elsewhere, BAZ15D and 21/4W are the details you need.‎
‎

That's an amazing response James, thank you very much!