Inevitably, light bulbs burn out. As you may have read in my recent post about diagnosing failed lightbulbs, once you figure out which bulb is out, it’s simply a matter of replacing the bulb. This post will guide you in replacing the external bulbs in your RWD Volvo. This does specifically relate to the Volvo 940 GLE with foglights, but there are also a number of similarities across RWD Volvos.
- Front Headlight Bulb.
Flosser 9004 Bulb
Bulb Needed: 9004
Note: dual filament bulb, required for the high and low beam.
Grab the black ring and rotate it counter clockwise. It should turn easily. Pull the bulb out by grabbing the base of the bulb, not the wire. If it feels a little stuck, just wiggle it until it comes out. Once it’s out, simply pull the bulb off its base. You may need a screwdriver to pop the latch free. Try not to touch the bulb glass. Doing so may leave oils on the glass, causing uneven heating during operation. This can cause the bulb glass to shatter. In my experience, I've never had a bulb glass break, even if I may have accidentally touched it, but its better to be safe than sorry.
Installing Headlight Bulb
- Fog Light Bulb
Foglight Bulb, OSRAM 881
Bulb needed: Osram 881
It’s a simple matter of twist and pull. Twist the bulb counter-clockwise and pull it straight out. Unplug the base, and plug the new bulb back in. Line up the notches with the light surround and twist it clockwise to lock it back in place.
Removing the fog bulb
- Turn signal bulb
OSRAM 1157
Bulb needed: OSRAM 1157
You can pull the bulb out while the lens is still attached, but I prefer to take the lens out to give myself more room to work with. Depress the white tab and simply pull the lens out. After you’ve done so, depress the tabs on the bulb base and pull it out. From there, push down on the bulb and twist the bulb counter clockwise to remove it.
Removing the turn signal bulb
- Tail light bulbs (body)
OSRAM 7528
Bulb needed: OSRAM 7526
Note: There are two sizes in rear bulb holders. The larger bulbs are 21W bulbs while the smaller ones are 5W bulbs. The bulb above should work for both applications.
Simply undo the mounting screw and pop off the cover. Grab the bulb base by the latches and depress them to remove it entirely and replace any offending bulbs, pushing down and twisting counter-clockwise.
Removing Tail Bulbs
- Tail Light bulb (Trunk Lid)
OSRAM 7528
Bulb needed: OSRAM 7526
The procedure for these bulbs is very similar to the body taillight bulbs. Simply depress the latch on the cover and remove it. Again, grab the bulb base by the latches, depress them and remove it. Push down on the offending bulb and twist counter clockwise to remove it.
Removing Trunk Bulb Holder
- License plate bulbs
LIscence Plate Bulb
Bulb needed: Volvo 989795
Use a Philips screwdriver to remove the two screws. Be careful when prying out the lens as it can be stuck to the rubber gasket on the inside. You can use a suction cup to pull off the lens and prevent any damage. Simply pull the bulb out and replace with a new one. I currently have LED bulbs installed, but I would recommend the above bulbs as the light spreads better than my LED bulbs. Installation is, as they say, reverse of removal.
Removing Licence Plate Bulb
Lightbulbs are one of the easiest fixes you can do on your car. Changing them yourself is a great way to get to know your car better and improve visibility at night.
About the Author: Tim Wong
Tim is a Canadian from Windsor, which means he has plans to use his Volvo as an emergency space heater. He is a mechanical engineer by day and backyard mechanic by night. His mantra in life is to never break another bolt.
