Hey guys,

Apparently my 964 has given me a gift. It's gotten stuck in park a few times lately which I assumed was a failing micro switch on the shifter. I wasn't real concerned about it. Also, my reverse lights don't aways come on unless I move the shifter a little. Then today I started the car to go up the road (it's been well below freezing for the last couple days), I backed it up and when I put it in drive I noticed that the orange arrow and "W" and "E" lights were flashing. Oh happy day. It was obviously in 3rd when I pressed on the gas. I turned the car off and rowed the shifter a couple times. Started it back up, the lights were still flashing but the tranny was in 1st. I drove it up the road (lights still flashing) and it shifted fine though all 4 gears. When I got back I turned the car off, pulled the key out, put it back in and started the car. No lights in park or in drive. So, aside from pulling the code, I guess I know I need a new PNP switch. I was thinking about ordering one from FCP Groton and driving the car in the meantime (provided it doesn't get stuck in "winter" mode). Is this ok, or am I just asking to fry my lovely AW30-40? That would really suck. Also, the other day, while replacing the rad and thermostat I checked the tranny fluid which I had flushed with Mobil 1 ATF around 1500 mi ago. On the stick it appears to be dirty again :( I guess the Mobil 1 cleaned the guts of the tranny out. I'm not real surprised, as I was told that may happen. So, when I'm there (changing the PNP, agh!) I guess I'll drop the tranny pan, clean the filter, reinstall, top-up, and flush the tranny again. Sound good? Thanks for the help/advise!
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '98 V90 > 195K km, '94 964 > 81K mi. SOLD: '91 745T and '91 745 NA (I miss both of them!).

In wet weather, the PNP switch will act up apparently because moisture get in there somehow. Below freezing temperatures will only make matters worse. You can take out the PNP in the car, pull out the screws on the side, clean inside, lubricate with dialectric grease, put together again and back in the car. That will hold you for a while, but it is best to get a new PNP switch from FCP for less than $100. That is my experience.

Hi riverol,

Yeah, that's what I'm going to do, get a new switch. It was damp here yesterday (melting snow) and when I started the 960 it had it's second little flashing light fit. That was the last straw, it's getting a new PNP. I don't want to be driving around wondering when the PNP is going to malfunction. Thanks for the advise! Do you think it would be worth it to disassemble the PNP on my V90 and clean/regrease it? I'm thinking it's probably not worth the hassle. Another note; The V90 is in storage for the winter, maybe I should be rowing it's shifter occasonally to keep the PNP contacts clean?
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '98 V90 > 195K km, '94 964 > 82K mi. SOLD: '91 745T and '91 745 NA (I miss both of them!).

Cleaning it can prolong it's life a little, but since your goign thru all the effort to R & R it, for $100 more (if you have the money) you have a new unit good for several years at least.

I try to use' L' at least once a day so that I am moving the shifter thru the entire range on a regular basis. I don't know that it will keep the contacts clean, but it can't hurt.

DEWFPO
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1998 S90 071,245 and 1995 964 154,100

Hi Walt,

Hmmmmmm, well I guess if I have time when I'm working under the V90 I'll take the switch apart and clean it. I'll take the 960's old switch apart and take a look at it after I replace it. I'm interested in examining the inside of it. That idea of using 'L' periodically is probably a good one. I did 'row' the shifter in the 960 several times, but I believe the PNP was already beginning to fail when I bought the car. As for the V90, I've rowed it's shifter once of twice and used L occasionally, but I've put only a couple hundred km's on it since I bought it. I'm really looking forward to getting it out of storage in the spring and driving it! Thanks for the advise!
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '98 V90 > 195K km, '94 964 > 82K mi. SOLD: '91 745T and '91 745 NA (I miss both of them!).

I was backing up the 960 in an underground parking garage today and I noticed the reverse lights weren't on (has been happening for as long as I've had the car). If I rock the shifter back and forth without taking it out of "R" the reverse lights will come on. This leads me to wonder if somehow the PNP is out of adjustment. I retrieved code 3-1-3 for the PNP from OBD the other day. I'm just wondering if the switch could be out of adjustment and causing symptoms of a failing PNP. Anyway, just an idea. Out of the three PNP related problems I've had (stuck in park (2-3 times), no reverse lights (most of the time) and the tipical flashing lights (one time)) the lack of reverse lights, by far, happens the most...
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '98 V90 > 195K km, '94 964 > 82K mi. SOLD: '91 745T and '91 745 NA (I miss both of them!).

I have never heard of the switch coming loose, very unlikely, they do go intermittent though and cause confusing signals to the tranny module and screw up reverse lights. That was my experience.
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David Hunter

This is usually caused by dirty contacts in the sensor itself. That's why moving the shifter can get them to come on. These sensors usually don't loosen up and come out of adjustment. You could try to adjust it and see if it will help. Adjusting it to make the backup light come on may skew the other gates, like Drive, N, etc... but it may be worth a try.

DEWFPO
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1998 S90 071,245 and 1995 964 154,100

That's pretty much exactly what I was thinking. I'll see if I can get an appointment at my mechanics for Friday to try adjusting the switch, or at least see if it's loose. I don't see how it would become loose either, but I guess it's worth a look.
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '98 V90 > 195K km, '94 964 > 82K mi. SOLD: '91 745T and '91 745 NA (I miss both of them!).

What you decribed was exactly my experience last winter. As I remember it started in 3rd, then shifted to 4th. You can drive the car in that default limp home mode (starts in 3rd gear) without a problem. I would not suggest climbing mountains or towing a trailer, accelerate conservatively. If it stays in 3rd keep your top speed down a bit. No harm will occur to the tranny. After a brief warm up you can typically restart it and the shifting will go back to normal. "Rowing" may help too.

Replacement was easy, no need to disconnect exhaust, just push the coolant lines over a bit, align the new switch with the back up lights as an indicator. Key on, car in R, rotate switch till lights goes out, move other way till light goes out, half the difference, tighten down the switch. The worst part of the job was dealing with wire plugs.

You will find that the screen does not need servicing, it will be clean, it does not clog, ever and Volvo do not recommend cleaning it. The best thing is an ocassional flush every 50K or so and use synthetic ATF.

I think that comments about burning out the tranny while it is in limp home mode is just conjecture not based on fact or actual experience.

David Hunter

Hi David,

Thanks for the advise. I know it's not normal to replace the filter, but I already flushed the tranny with ~9L of normal ATF and then ~8L of Mobil 1 ATF about 1500 mi ago and it's now dirty again. That leads me to believe there's some old gunk in the pan and the filter is dirty. So, I'll replace the filter when I replace the PNP and flush the tranny again. Hopefully that will take care of it. This makes me wonder if I'll have to do the same with the V90. I already flushed the tranny as I did with the 960 (the V90's fluid was cleaner to start), but I haven't driven the car much at all since (it's in storage). I guess I'll have to wait until spring after I drive it a bit and see... It's so d@mn annoying that Volvo claimed that these transmissions did not require servicing. I bet that led to a lot of trannys dieing prematurely!
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '98 V90 > 195K km, '94 964 > 82K mi. SOLD: '91 745T and '91 745 NA (I miss both of them!).

CW- I drove my car to the dealer when mine went out as it was still under warrentie-thirty miles-it was shifting fine and asked if I had hurt the tranny.
Service manager said it was fine-you would not want to drive though in third gear as it would heat the tranny up and cause real problems. If it drives ok and shifts as it should you should be alright-if it's starting in third beware.
Hope that helps
Poolman

Is FCP the best place to get the OE PNP switch? Seems to be, I take it they're quite a bit more from Volvo(?)
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '98 V90 > 195K km, '94 964 > 81K mi. SOLD: '91 745T and '91 745 NA (I miss both of them!).

I don't knoe if the FCP swithes are OE. I purchased mine locally at Hoy Fox Volvo in El Paso for $127.00. Brentwood Volvo in Missouri always gives good prices for OE parts. You can look them up on line and call the order in.

Thanks for the info Healedknee. According to FCP's website, their PNP switches are "Genuine Volvo" and are listed for $95.
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '98 V90 > 195K km, '94 964 > 81K mi. SOLD: '91 745T and '91 745 NA (I miss both of them!).

I could not find the PNP switch on the FCP website, so I called them.
They quoted $110 for genuine Volvo part.
It arrived today.
They have an aftermarket part, but I did not ask the price.

S'V'

Here's where the "Genuine Volvo" PNP is listed on FCP's website: http://www.fcpgroton.com/SV90/volvos90v90tranny.htm
I took the 960 to the city tonight ~40 km's either way and it worked perfectly, no PNP problems and it didn't get stuck in park. I forgot to check for tranny codes today, I better do that tomorrow. Even though the PNP seems to be working now, I should probably get a new one ASAP.
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '98 V90 > 195K km, '94 964 > 81K mi. SOLD: '91 745T and '91 745 NA (I miss both of them!).

Mine worked fine for about 1 month before it got stuck in the Winter mode. Good luck!

Yeah, I'm not expecting it to work well for long. It was ok today, but I'll probably order the new PNP by the end of the week. Hopefully It'll keep working ok for now. I talked to my mechanic about it today and he basically said to replace it at my leasure as I know the problem and it has only gone into limp mode once. I'm going to order a tranny pan gasket and filter at the same time, replace the filter and PNP, top up the tranny, and flush it with M1 ATF again. Then hopefully she'll be happy for a while :)
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '98 V90 > 195K km, '94 964 > 82K mi. SOLD: '91 745T and '91 745 NA (I miss both of them!).

Hmmmmmm, that's what I thought (makes sense), thanks Poolman. I'll try to only drive it when absolutely necessary until I get the switch replaced. At least I know when it goes into "limp" mode, so I'll know the tranny is locked in 3rd and I can stop and try to make it function properly. I knew I'd get hit with a PNP replacement eventually between the 960 and the V90, didn't think it would be this soon...Oh well, I guess this will be one down, haha. Agh.
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Chris. Halifax N.S. '98 V90 > 195K km, '94 964 > 81K mi. SOLD: '91 745T and '91 745 NA (I miss both of them!).