Aunte (or Uncle?) Lynn,

Yeah, if the switches at the front of the center console that control the power side view mirrors work well in a few directions, indeed, those four-way toggle switches have the same problem the power window switches get, carbon or dirt in the contacts.

You can replace the switch. I think these are Bosch or Hella or ? I forget. You can get them from Tasca as a Volvo part, yet you pay for shipping.

If you can perform fine work on electromechanical things, like those small 4-way switches, you can disassemble them, assess condition, and, if repairable, clean and lubricate the switches. You'll have restored function of faulty switches are the cause.

Those 4-way toggle power mirror switches are pretty durable. The location is shite. Like the power windows, prior owners / occupants can spill fluid such as coffee and soda, and the low location means they can easily collect dirt internally.

You could pull up the center console, and spritz ever so lightly and gently, the toggle switches with WD-40. Spray around the toggle shaft so the WD-40 gets into the switch works and work the toggle. The action may displace the crud causing switch dysfunction and lubricate the switch.

You could also relocate the switches to blank spot on the dash center console with some effort.

The replacement manual mirrors from a junkyard from the same era 240, I believe, will fit the doors.

Wrap up or disable power to the power mirror wire harness. You can disconnect the primary lead (or leads of equipped with the side power mirror heater) from the fuse box, pull it away, and wrap it in tape, then secure it away someplace. You'll need to do the same to the power mirror wire harness in each of the front doors. I'm unsure whether the power side view mirror heaters use a separate fuse connection in the fuse box. See your blue Bentley Volvo 240 Bible Service Manual and also the wiring diagrams here at (http://www.volvowiringdiagrams.com/?dir=).

You do not need to remove the wire harness or cut the wires out. Perhaps someday your or the next owner may want to restore the power side view mirror system.

Or remove the while harness. You could sell the harness, switches, relay, mirrors.

Questions?

Hope that helps.

Kitty-
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Cats