Volvo RWD 200 Forum

'89 wagon.

I got home tonight and I heard a fuse pop when I engaged reverse to back into the driveway. Sure enough, #12 was blown.

I put it in neutral and replaced the fuse so I could roll up the window because it was starting to rain.

Turned the ignition on and put it in reverse...blew fuse 12 again.

So I left it as is and bypassed the power window relay so I can at least open and shut the windows until I figure out what is up.

I knew it was time to avail myself of the collective wisdom and experience of the board.

How should I go about diagnosis?
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'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

Bare wire at reverse-light switch at trans.
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240s: 2 drivers and some parts cars

I would start by inspecting your neutral safety switch (this is an automatic, right?) which also contains your reverse light wiring. Chances are the insulation has been rubbed off somewhere near the shifter. You can access this by removing the shifter cover and the switch is the black thing on the right side of the shifter.

this is an automatic, right?

I neglected to mention, this is a manual transmission.

Switch/wiring is all that occurs to me and that's where I hope to find the problem.
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'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

I have to remind myself to find something quiet to do while Click and Clack are on Saturday. Waxing a car only works so many times. Can't hear them over the rattle gun.

We have a couple 89's, one of them a wagon. Neither has a 5-speed, but my Bentley says your backup lights run on fuse 12.

I'm afraid you'll find a wire frayed. It will be on the top of your tranny, so you'll need a mirror to see it. I can't help with experience here, because the only manual tranny I have is an M46, with the troublesome 4th-gear switch in addition to the reverse switch- both a bear to get to.

The other two functions of fuse 12 remind me of one insightful brickster's comment on sadistic engineers who would put the power windows on the same circuit with the A/C.

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Art Benstein near Baltimore

You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it.

...but it's taken me a little while to get to the repair.

Hoo boy. Didn't need a mirror to see the problem. Both wires were bare right up at the switch and also downstream a few inches.

While examining the wires I noticed a possible contributing factor, i.e. the flexible coupling disc was disintegrating. Which explains the vibration I was feeling at 20-25 mph and the occasional bad shudder upon takeoff from a complete stop.

Since I had also been meaning to remedy a leaking rear crank seal I dropped the transmission, fixed the wiring with shrink wrap and replaced the defective disc and leaky seal.

I also noticed that the reverse light switch from an early gearbox that I have was not as long overall as the one on the M47 so I decided to use it to keep the mended wires a little further away from the inside of the tunnel. About 1/8" to 3/16" maybe. I figured every little bit helps.

Wouldn't you know, when all was said and done the car no longer leaked oil or shuddered at low speed but dammit, the back up lights wouldn't come on.

I cursed myself for not testing the switch and then I remembered I hadn't replaced fuse 12.

New fuse. Lights work. Car is happy and so am I.
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'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

When you did the Crank seal, did you pull the housing off the back or get the seal in there around the Crank?

No leaks yet, just planning ahead.
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'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me http://home.no.net/ebrox/Tony's%20cars.htm

I pulled the housing. I wanted to recess the seal a few mm beyond flush with the rear and while I suppose this is not that hard to accomplish with the housing in place I felt more confident about getting it in evenly and to the distance I wanted by working on the bench.
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'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

Thanks for the reply.
Never had to go this road with the Volvo. I think it's a great thing they did with the ability to remove that housing. It sure beats fighting with a 'Sneaky Pete' to get a rope gasket up and over the Crank.


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'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me http://home.no.net/ebrox/Tony's%20cars.htm

Don't be afraid, Art. That's exactly what I hope to find.

I was concerned that one of the other devices on that fuse might be part of the problem. I guess that's unlikely, though.

I still have not got under there to have a look.
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'80 DL 2 door, '89 DL Wagon

Hello. I recently had this problem on my '90 5speed. It was frayed wires and I solved it temporarily by pulling the wires (1 inch)from under the shift boot cabin-side. This must have changed the shorting point somehow and now it maintains. Good luck. jdl.