Problem
Vehicle presented with an intermittent headlight, warnings being received on the dash warning light system, and the headlight itself was inoperative when first examined. 
Generally speaking, finding the reason for the failure is just as important, if not more so, then repairing the problem itself.
If you simply replace a part, without correcting the root cause, the problem is just going to reappear, often ruining the newly installed part.
At Atlantic Motorcar, we test, not guess, and we have the knowledge, and experience, to make sure it’s done right, the first time, which results in happy customers!
Finding
Examination by our experienced Volvo Service tech quickly reveled that the fault was not just a light bulb, but actually a melted wiring harness inside the headlight capsule.
Installing another light bulb, has been done in the past, was not the answer, the problem would only reoccur in short order, correcting the root issue was,
You will note that the ground lead wire and electrical connector have melted into the plastic wiring plug, damaging both the wire, the connector, and the light bulb itself.
Volvo, and others makes have had an issue with this, too which we attribute to heat build up inside the headlight capsule from the daytime running lights always being on.
Over time the heat from the headlight causes the electrical connector to lose its tension on the contact of the headlight bulb. This poor connection results in high resistance in the connector itself, the now loose contact generates more heat, which further damages the tension of the contact itself. The result is a run away reaction that simply melts down the connector and damages the headlight wiring harness itself.
Correction
There are two ways to correct this, one, the textbook way, and very costly, is replacement of the complete headlight capsule, to the tune of $500- $600.
Over the years we’ve developed a number of common sense repairs, that help ease the maintenance cost for our customers, and this is one of those.
We have a procedure to correct the problem, right on the car, without replacement of the headlight capsule, and best of all, the entire repair costs less than $150!
In this case the repair consisted of cutting off the damaged connector and wiring harness inside the headlight capsule and preparing the wires to accept new connectors.
These new connectors were then installed into the new plastic plug. The connector was replaced with an updated part, and all of the light bulbs changed at the same time.
Dielectric grease was added, to protect the contacts from oxidation, and to prolong the life of the repair.
We warranty these repairs for 2 Years, Nationwide, double the normal 1 Year warranty of most dealer parts.
Knowledge Makes The Difference
We know from experience of common faults like this, which also allow us to diagnose them rapidly, and repair them correctly, the first time.
Our philosophy when carrying out service on a Volvo, or any other make, be it Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Saab, Volvo, VW, or Lexus, our technicians always consult numerous information sources to look for what are termed pattern failures, and also manufacturer’s technical service bulletins (TSBs). Our diagnostic suite is fully equipped with the state of the art tooling and computers to service even the newest autos.
Welcome Home
Feel free to call or stop by find out more on how we can help you get your car back to the condition you both deserve!
Earning your trust, every time you turn the car…that’s what we do…every day…for the last 30 years.
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If you have questions, or if we can be of further assistance, just call us at (207) 882-969, we’d love to meet you, and your car!
Warmly,
Bruce and the AMC Service Team
