My Volvo just started doing this. Out of nowhere everything, mechanical or electrical will just shut down and when I turn the key to start it back up absolutely nothing will happen, it won't even try to turn over. When it happens there aren't any loud sounds or anything, just silence. The weird part is after I wait and sit there for about 5 minutes it will start right up and run fine...

It has happened two times, both times seemed to be when I was braking or turning. First when I was backing out of a parking space and the second time when I was turning onto another street. At first I thought it must be my battery because I really needed a new one so I went out and got a new battery but that didn't do anything for the problem.

I've also noticed that the brakes and steering seize up for a while too when I put it into neutral to push it somewhere.

It's an automatic... Can anybody shine some light on this problem? I'm afraid to drive it now.

 

Have you inspected your wiring? 1985 is a bad year for disintegrating wiring harness which causes all kinds of crazy symptoms. Another guess is a worn ignition.

 

+1 on the worn ignition I would replace the ignition switch, Do all the lights on the dash come on when you try to restart it, do the headlights still work when it cuts out like that ?

 

Try using a remote starter. Put one end on "50" blade terminal of starter and other end on + of battery. Turn ignition to "On," and hit remote starter button. If the engine starts, then the fault is in the ignition or its wiring. If not, it's the starter solenoid or starter.

 

Thanks for the replies. When it shuts off and I try to start it back up the idiot lights and headlights don't come on. Absolutely everything shuts off when it happens and nothing comes on when I turn the key, no lights, no sound, nothing.

I will go check out the wires right now and clean the battery terminals. I've also been told that it could be the fuel pump... Does that sound right? Thanks again for the help.

 

+2 with tedv
No...the fuel pump will not cause that type of a problem.
As tedv said,85 engine harness's are crap,add a turbo and it just accelerates the problem.
If the wiring checks out ok replace the ignition switch.
The pic below is from a 86 740t.


Dan

 

Looks exactly like the wires on my 81 240 when I got it, I had to replace so many wires on the connectors one at a time soldering them and then heatshrinking the connections. those bio degradable wire insulators (worst design ever) My hands were cramped all that weekend.

 

Yes, Volvo decided to do the enviorment a favor and use recycled rubber to coat their electrial wires that they made their engine harness with and likely the rest of the car. The problem surfaces in the engine compartment because of the temperature changes and heat of that area.

When they realized it in the mid 90's, it was past the state of a recall which is should have been. As long as you didn't move or touch the wires, things were ok, but once a part was changed that required putting some pressure on the wires it would cause the coating to flake off and wamb, you got shorts. Some Volvos would simply catch fire from the problem and totally burn the engine compartment to the ground in garage or somewhere. When I found the coating on the wires in my '87 740GLE falling off I stopped letting mechanics go in there. I think I had one of the harness replaced but the others I just patched.

I'm not sure if the replacement harnesses were any better but that would be my first guess, then the ignition. A bad fuel pump can't cause the lights etc from working.

 

Dan, do you really have all those VOLVO's? Man you are a hog... How many drivers do you have at your crib? Are all of those cars on the raod? What does LT1 and LT2 and those initials mean?

Yes I am jellous. I want to get a 245 and make it the ultimate sleeper with some ipd parts, etc.

 

FYI the wires were corrected in 1987 and I have never seen a 1988 or later Volvo with the disintegrated insulation.

 

I bought my first Volvo about twenty years ago,a 245,I think it was a 78 or 79 model,don't remember for sure.When I brought it home,my wife said it was the ugliest car she had ever seen.She took it shopping one day,I never got the car back.



I'll answer your questions in the order they were asked.

1.Yes I do I bought 94 850 Friday,I think it has a blown head gasket,price was right,couldn't turn it down.I'll fix it and sell it.
2.Two...my wife's daily a 02 Honda Accord,my daily a 94 S10 Blazer 2wd,and yes,it has a V8 I have a four car garage behind my house,and it's full.I have two in my shop,and some sitting out behind my shop.
3.No...
1st in my sig,84 245,bought with a blown head gasket,was going to do a V8 swap,I may just fix and sell it.
2nd.85 245,wife's car completely stock.
3rd.84 245,my car w/V8 swap,was on the road,rear end let go.
4th.82 242,bought this car to do a Ls1 swap,had it on the lift,found a lot of rust in the rear frame sections,when the undercoating was scraped off.It's on hold for now.
5th.89 740,sold this a couple of months ago,need to remove from my sig.
6th.95 850 turbo,bought for my wife,I think she's drove it maybe four times,need to sell it,damn thing is just taking up garage space.
7th.83 Porsche 911,I've had this car about 9 years,just replaced the 3.0 Litre k-jet engine with a 89 3.2 Litre with L-Jetronic computerized fuel injection,just got it running.

4.LT1 is a chevy 350 cast iron block, with aluminum heads.They were used in the 92-96 Corvette,93-97 Camaro's and Firebird's.Chevrolet also used the cast iron head version's in the Caprice and Impala.I don't have LT2 in my sig.If you were referring to the LS1,it's an aluminum Chevrolet engine,used in corvettes,Camaros,and Firebirds.

245's make the ultimate sleeper.

Some of these pic's were taken with my phone.
pic#1 Wife's 850 that she never drives.
pic#2 My 911
pic#3 LT1 before pressure wash,couldn't find the after pic
pic#4 LS1 engine I bought for the 242
pic#5 My shop helper sitting on my desk,I think she was doing my taxes.

Couldn't find any pic's of the 240's on my laptop,Ill try and take a few and post them.


Dan

 

Alright, so here's an update. I started it today and it started fine except it instantly shut off right afterwards. So everything was working fine for about 2 seconds... Now it seems that the car won't start at all. I turn the key and get absolutely nothing.

So I looked at all the wires I could find (in the engine compartment at least) and they all seem to be okay except for a few that went to lights that were previously out so that was expected. I really think and hope you guys are right about the ignition switch now.

How should I go about getting to the ignition switch? Through the steering column or something? Also do you think I'd be able to just get the part at autozone or will I have to order it online or using a catalog?

I'm 18 and this is my first car. I really don't know that much about cars, the most complicated thing I've done so far is replacing the brake pads myself using the internet for resources. I want to do as much as I can myself without paying for a mechanic so do you think this will be an easy enough job for me?