The lights dont want to turn off and battery

[IAmTheWalrus]

Hi,

I'm probably doing something wrong here but it seems the front main lights come on automatically and stay on for the duration of the engine running, I've had a fiddle but they don't want to turn off, is this right?

Also I tried to start the car at the weekend with a different car battery but it didn't, am I right in thinking given there was a 3 cable connected tot he power cables there is some kind of coding required? Does this need to go to a dealer to do should I find my battery is knackered and needs replacing? Can I do this myself with a code reader / diagnostic equipment?

Thanks in advance.

[Emily's dad]

What model/age of Volvo do you have?

Daylight running lights have been a feature on Volvos for a very long time, is this what you are referring to?

As for changing a battery all I can say is on my 2010 C30 no recoding was required.

Can’t speak for newer cars.

[IAmTheWalrus]

Emily's dad said:

What model/age of Volvo do you have?

Daylight running lights have been a feature on Volvos for a very long time, is this what you are referring to?

As for changing a battery all I can say is on my 2010 C30 no recoding was required.

Can’t speak for newer cars.

Hello thanks for the response, I don't know what you mean by daylight lights, they certainly aren't the usual led ones you can see on many cars. However it's the same main beam you use when driving at night. They turn off when you switch the dial to the right of the steering wheel to its centre position.

Model is 2010 s80

Did your car have a third wire to the battery?

[Emily's dad]

Did you car not come with a handbook to assist with various functions and settings?
If not you’ll probably find one online.

Daylight running lights are the lights that are permanently on, found this on YouTube which may assist you
https://youtu.be/Garj8bfqSz8

As for the battery, just the positive and negative terminals. Changing the battery was a straight forward job, once I’d removed the strut brace, but not sure if your car has one, I don’t know what differences there are between my C30 and your S80.

[Emily's dad]

https://www.volvocars.com/uk/support/manuals/s80

This link should help you with both your lights (which sounds like DRLs) and your battery query

[IAmTheWalrus]

Emily's dad said:

Did you car not come with a handbook to assist with various functions and settings?
If not you’ll probably find one online.

Daylight running lights are the lights that are permanently on, found this on YouTube which may assist you
https://youtu.be/Garj8bfqSz8

Wow, I think turning the lights off will be the first mod ffs. What a stupid idea, to waste battery life in keeping the lights on in Broad daylight. Wow that is ridiculous. And waste bulbs too. I thought the Swedish were environmentally friendly?

[Emily's dad]

I think you’re missing the purpose of DRLs.
You can’t turn them off, they are permanently on to make you visible to other road users.

[Mikebentley]

Are the rest of you really doing this? OP is either thick as treacle on a winters day or yanking everyone’s chain. I would suggest the latter.

[IAmTheWalrus]

Emily's dad said:

I think you’re missing the purpose of DRLs.
You can’t turn them off, they are permanently on to make you visible to other road users.

Other road users have not had any issues seeing my other three cars in the last 16 years of driving without the need for lights to be on during the day...
Mind you Sweden is subject to lots of snow so I suppose that's their inspiration.

I'm still confused as to what lighting switche should be used at night then because I thought it was not as bright as it should be and the only thing that changes when I use the stork is I get full beam which I only want if in the country side with no other drivers coming my way.

Edit: so it seems that dipped beam is the term for the daylight lights and I can switch to main beam via the dial. Full beam use strickly through the stork.

Edited by IAmTheWalrus on Wednesday 24th November 07:19

[IAmTheWalrus]

Emily's dad said:

https://www.volvocars.com/uk/support/manuals/s80

This link should help you with both your lights (which sounds like DRLs) and your battery query

Thanks though curiously its article on battery installation and jump start from a donor battery mention nothing about any of coding.

[IAmTheWalrus]

IAmTheWalrus said:

Edit: so it seems that dipped beam is the term for the daylight lights and I can switch to main beam via the dial. Full beam use strickly through the stork.

Edited by IAmTheWalrus on Wednesday 24th November 07:19

Can somebody please clarify the semantics for full beam, dipped beam and daylight lights as I can't see any difference between the daylight lights and switching the dial from 0 to the beam light? Is daytime and normal beam for use in a built up and lit area really the same strength? I would have expected daytime lights to be a little lower given the sun is out... Or perhaps there is a light sensor and its looking like it's the same because I've only checked this at night? Thanks in advance.

[IAmTheWalrus]

IAmTheWalrus said:

Can somebody please clarify the semantics for full beam, dipped beam and daylight lights as I can't see any difference between the daylight lights and switching the dial from 0 to the beam light? Is daytime and normal beam for use in a built up and lit area really the same strength? I would have expected daytime lights to be a little lower given the sun is out... Or perhaps there is a light sensor and its looking like it's the same because I've only checked this at night? Thanks in advance.

OK well I checked at work in the light and they are the same for beam and automatic daylights.

[Davie]

We all have to start somewhere but running with your dipped beans on won't have any detrimental effect on the battery. You can simply switch them off via the switch, though remember to turn them on when you park or they'll be on and plus if you switch them off, you're full beam won't work... gotta loves the Swedes... or obtain Vida and code them out. It won't effect the car either way but with them off, you could argue you're less visible to others.

Your call though.

Edited by Davie on Thursday 2nd December 20:36

[IAmTheWalrus]

Davie said:

We all have to start somewhere but running with your dipped beans on won't have any detrimental effect on the battery. You can simply switch them off via the switch, though remember to turn them on when you park or they'll be on and plus if you switch them off, you're full beam won't work... gotta loves the Swedes... or obtain Vida and code them out. It won't effect the car either way but with them off, you could argue you're less visible to others.

Your call though.

Edited by Davie on Thursday 2nd December 20:36

I asked the dealer out of curiosity and they wanted to charge me £40+

[Twig62]

IAmTheWalrus said:

I asked the dealer out of curiosity and they wanted to charge me £40+

Do you work for nothing ?

[sherman]

IAmTheWalrus said:

IAmTheWalrus said:

Edit: so it seems that dipped beam is the term for the daylight lights and I can switch to main beam via the dial. Full beam use strickly through the stork.

Edited by IAmTheWalrus on Wednesday 24th November 07:19

Can somebody please clarify the semantics for full beam, dipped beam and daylight lights as I can't see any difference between the daylight lights and switching the dial from 0 to the beam light? Is daytime and normal beam for use in a built up and lit area really the same strength? I would have expected daytime lights to be a little lower given the sun is out... Or perhaps there is a light sensor and its looking like it's the same because I've only checked this at night? Thanks in advance.

In position 0 the dipped lights are on but you cant turn full beam on from the stalk. You can only flash someone. From dipped beam position you can turn the full beam on from the stalk or flash. Theres a 2 stage pull on the stalk.

[IAmTheWalrus]

Twig62 said:

Do you work for nothing ?

No however I would not charge someone £40+ for a 5 minute job, I had a lot more than a five minute job from a garage I go to on their analysis of my BMW car which involved nothing more than plugging their computer in and they charged me nothing because THEY WANT RETURN CUSTOM...

Edited by IAmTheWalrus on Friday 3rd December 18:29

[sherman]

IAmTheWalrus said:

Twig62 said:

Do you work for nothing ?

No however I would not charge someone £40+ for a 5 minute job, I had a lot more than a five minute job from a garage I go to on their analysis of my BMW car which involved nothing more than plugging their computer in and they charged me nothing because THEY WANT RETURN CUSTOM...

Edited by IAmTheWalrus on Friday 3rd December 18:29

But they wouldnt be doing nothing. They would be using tge computer to change a function.
As the saying goes 'you dont pay for tge hammer you pay for knowing where to hit'.

[Twig62]

[quote=IAmTheWalrus]


"No however I would not charge someone £40+ for a 5 minute job, I had a lot more than a five minute job from a garage I go to on their analysis of my BMW car which involved nothing more than plugging their computer in and they charged me nothing because THEY WANT RETURN CUSTOM..."

How much do you think their diagnostic tool cost ? How much do they have to pay for updates ? How much are the overheads for the premises ? I presume that you think the answer to those questions is nothing ! I am so glad that I don't have to deal with the public anymore ! They are probably fortunate that you went away as you have "one of those" written all over you !

Edited by Twig62 on Saturday 4th December 16:22