Hello all,

Happy 4th of July to those in the US. I have an immediate problem and hope someone can help.
I seem to have installed a bad PNP switch 2 weeks ago. The car had experinced the cold weather flashing arrow/wants to take off in 3rd gear instead of 1st gear during last winter while on vacation in North Carolina.
The cars new home will now be in Boston, so 2 weeks ago I replaced the PNP swicth to be ready for this winter. The car ran fine for a week and a half. Now, when the car has sat for a few hours, it will act as though the swictch is bad, starting off in 3rd gear and the flashing arrow. I run the shifter from park to L a dozen times with the car off and it cures the problem. I have 2 days before I leave the car with my son in Boston and return home and need a source in the Boston area to get a new switch.

Please help me find a dealership or foreign car parts place in the Boston area that I can get a new switch tomorrow. I have called Volvo Village of Boston, but of course they are closed for the fourth holiday.

If anyone can help it would be of great help!!!!!!!!!!!!

Steve d.

'95 855t, '00 C70lt, '03 xc70, ,94 850 going to son.

Thank you to the 2 that replied.

I was able to get a new PNP/neutral safety switch at 128 Volvo in Wakefield mass. $147.00. This worked out good because I was on my way to New Hampshire from Boston.

I took apart the PNP swicth that I had just replaced 2 weeks before and it looks as if it had been crushed. I guess that when I had to force it, with more than should have been adequate pressure, on the transmission stud that should have been a give away that something was amiss. Duh.

I had to drill out the sleeve that goes on the transmission stud to get it of.

Fun Fun.

I took some pictures of the crushed switch and will try to see if I can get any credit for it from FCP Groton were I purchased it.

Steve d.

Auto Zone carries them. It is called the shift selector switch and runs for around $50
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Tom 69-1800S, 72-1800ES, 96-850T,2000-S70 GLT-SE

Hi Steve,
It appears that the PNP is an inline switch and merely provides a ground to the start circuit when in park. So, you have 2 options if my assumption is correct but first you much understand why this circuit is there in order to assess your risk of bypassing. The circuit prevents the car from launching forward if it's in some gear other than park (omitting "N" for the sake of explanation). So bypassing the switch could allow you to start the car in drive which would be the same as starting a car in gear with the clutch out.

However, I see one circuit which shows that 2 conditions are required to happen in order to start your car which would prove the above theory false. Nonetheless, I see a circuit diagram for the PNP which only provides a ground if (1) brake applied, and (2) car in park. Each condition energizes an inline relay/s which when combined provide a ground to the fuse block (pins 11 and 12).

So, where is all this going? I think you could quickly repair this by going to radio shack and asking them for a single pole switch. The diagram shows it going to a 10 amp fuse but i'm sure you don't need a 10 amp switch for this but I'm not looking at the diameter of the wire so I'm sorry to say but I can't give you any advice here as to the amp rating of the switch.

Anyways, you should be able to by some wire and solder it to each leg of the switch you bought and then mount it somewhere out of the way. Piggyback the 2 wires from your new switch to the PNP switch wires (that way either of the 2 switches can provide the ground).

I would then test it. Try flipping the switch and pushing the brake and then turning the key and see if it starts. Return your new switch to the off state when you shift out of park as a precaution.