2017 XC90 Headlight/headlamp part number help!

[dcxc90]

Hi All,

This is my first post and I'm hoping someone can help. I'm in the UK and have a 2017 XC90 R Design (which I love!). It developed condensation in the drivers side headlight a few months after purchase (from a used car dealer). They "repaired it" by clearing the condensation and adding a moisture capturing compound, which lasted a few months. Anyway, long story short, the condensation eventually returned and has now caused the light to become faulty (dipped beam doesn't work).

I have no warranty option, and at circa £1500+ for a brand new replacement, I'm after a used one. Here's where I'm struggling, mine is a Full LED Active High Beam unit, part number 31656991 XC90 LED LHT RHS and to date I've only found 1 of these used, which I missed out on. There seems to be multiple other part numbers for what appears to be the same unit eg. 32228299, 31446883 to name a couple.

My question is, do I need the exact part number that I see on my headlights, or are there various compatible part numbers that are actually the same unit.

I'm struggling to even find the official part number recommended for my vehicle, so any resources you could point me towards to be great.

[Lexman8]

There are at least two variants of the headlamp unit. The £1500+ figure sounds like the cost of the Adaptive headlamp unit which is not to be confused with the Active headlamp unit. Confusingly, the Adaptive units say Active (as shown in your pics) even although they have the additional beam-forming mechanisms inside. Active headlamps are cheaper than Adaptive ones as they are far simpler.

Adaptive headlamps were a paid option and rather than just switch between main and dipped (the Active variant), they alter the shape of (and shift the beams around) the vehicles in front. This is quite obvious when driving at night on an unlit road. Note that Adaptive functionality shouldn't be confused with the Bending lights function which causes the beam to 'follow' the steering wheel. Bending is standard fit with Adaptive but I don't know if Bending is also fitted to non-Adaptive units or was another option.

So I think you need to detemine exactly what type of headlamp unit you have based upon the above. If you got the £1500+ figure from a Volvo dealer based upon the part number on the unit then this is almost certainly the part you need.

Some territories got halogen units but these were never fitted to UK spec XC90s.

[dcxc90]

Lexman8, thanks for your reply. The quote I got was from a Volvo dealer, but just based on me telling them it was a 2017 R-Design, which was before I realised all the variants of headlights. So I'm not convinced they quoted me for the correct ones.

Regarding whether the lights are active, adaptive or bending... I don't often drive on unlit roads, so I haven't gauged that. Even so, I would love to just Google my existing part number and it definitively tell me what it is... but identifying these headlights seems to be a dark art that even the Internet can't clearly answer!

Anyway, I guess the safest option is to go into a dealer and get them to tell me which unit(s) are compatible with the car, then go back to hunting for a used example!

[techwatcher]

According to the MY17 price list, R-Designs were equipped with Active Bending Headlights with Adaptive Shadow Technology as standard.

Hope you find a suitable replacement at a reasonable cost!

[Lexman8]

techwatcher's post reminded me that I probably had a copy of the MY17 price list. I've attached it for you.

Looks like you have Adaptive headlamps and the price quoted is correct.
_

[soupytwister]

My big fear of these modern machines....(not just Volvo).

£3000 for a pair of headlights. A bulb used to be £2 down Halfords when your lamp stopped working. Eye watering...

Our 2017 R-Design had the top of the range adaptive shadow mask headlights as standard, so expect yours might be the same. Ouch. They are beautiful lights, but ouch...

[dcxc90]

Ouch indeed! Hence me looking for a unit that has come from a breaker. I missed out on one which matched the part number of mine exactly, I negotiated to £450 on eBay with a breaker, paid, then the seller decided to cancel the transaction (no doubt found someone willing to pay more). If I'd known then that I'd never find the same part number again, I would have happily paid more!

Anyway, from your helpful replies, it sounds like it's the Active Bending AST lights I've got.

Now the question is, how can I find what part numbers it's known by. I obviously have the part number of the one in my car, but as you guys have pointed out there's at most 3 variants of headlight for this car, but I've seen many more variations of part number, the Active Bending AST must come in various part numbers.

Is there any magic site/documentation that lists parts down to the actual part number?

The help is much appreciated!

[soupytwister]

Have you tried the breaker sites that go round multiple breakers for quotes rather than eBay?

Put in part number, will go round breakers around the country. Best try that first with the part number on the headlight in your car. eg breakerlink.com

[dcxc90]

Funny you should ask soupytwister! I tried exactly that site... and after 7 days got an email saying nobody has quoted, would you like to resend the request.

So I've resent the request, and still nada! I'll try some other sites though. Seems this headlight 2nd hand, is rarer than unicorn poop!

[Philip Fisher]

Have you tried these folks:-

https://www.volvobreakers.co.uk/

If you can ring a few times they usually answer and are very helpful.