My car: 240 manufactured 07/1985. The model year is 86 but having replaced many parts on it so coming to find out it has 1985 parts. GL Non Turbo. Auto transmission

Issue: For a few weeks, my headlights would flicker when trying to turn them on but they would come on after flipping the switch back off and then back on. Now my lights front and tail do not come on at all when switched to the on position. The bizarre thing is my parking lights do come on, high beams will come on but only when I hold the stalk towards me. Turn signals and brake lights work.
I have replaced the headlight switch and that has had no affect. We looked for a relay by the brake pedal and could not find one probably because it follows the 1985 build. I don't think it would be the step relay because I can pull the stalk and get the highbeams to come on. They do go off when I release it though.
Any ideas of what could be going on? I'm really at my wits end!

 

Anybody? I'm going to be out of work soon so I don't have the funds to take this to a regular mechanic or I would!

 

My car did this recently too. Relay by your left foot behind the carpet. Look for corrosion on it from water intrusion. Replace and you should get your headlights back. Any 4 prong relay should work. Any old parts store can get you one.

Until you get your hands on a new relay you can use a jumper wire across the terminals. 30 is always juice. 87 is always output. I did it for a few days until I got to the junkyard.

 

Unfortunately, we looked for that and the 85 model was the last year to not have that relay.

 

Uh, last year....I think you possibly mean it was too EARLY to have a relay down there. My 1990 240 has one that lives down there. Not too versed with the older models. I stay away from them due to wiring issues. Pre 87? has the biodegradable mess that causes all sorts of problems. Go open the door and there should be a sticker with the manufacture date. Maybe not. I forget. There is also an emissions sticker under the hood that will have the model year. ALSO, punch the VIN into any online decoder and it will tell you what you have!

There is also a relay under the hood over by the battery. Later model like my 1990 its for high/low, but on the older ones, your problem might live over there.

What I would need to diag it would be a wiring diagram. Then get out the multimeter and chase down that elusive missing 12v. Find out where it goes away! Sorry, but that's all I got right now.


EDIT-

Here ya go, Amy:


www.volvowiringdiagrams.com

Do you know how to use a multimeter?


EDIT EDIT- I looked thru above links and, OF COURSE, didn't see headlight circuit diagram. If you find it, post one up and it's circuit tracing time!!! (NERD) ha