I have a 1991 245 SE. This winter, The gear shift lock doesn't release when it is cold. I start the engine, apply the brake to release the shifter lock to take it out of park and the release button on top of the shifter does not go down right away. It either eventually works or I reach in and use the emergency release ( which I don't want to resort to every time, I want to fix this). After it has been sitting all day at work it works fine, only in the morning it doesn't (sitting all evening it cools down sufficiently). Is this a relay issue or a lubrication issue?

Is there truth to the belief that the newer Volvos aren't as good since they have been bought by Ford? If so what is the year model not to buy after?

John '89 240 DL, '91 245 SE, '94 850, '98 V70,

Hi John,

I had the same problem you are describing with my daughter's 91. The cold contracted a broken fuse element in the brake light circuit. If yours is the same trouble, the proof will be lack of brake lights when the shifter does not release - intermittent as the stress crack expands. Here is some archived stuff: http://www.brickboard.com/RWD/index.htm?id=1103523

Don't break your emergency release lever as Rob suggests. IMO this is incorrect advice for a 1991.
--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

Wisdom comes with age, but sometimes age comes alone.

You ever replace one of those solenoids? Taking the shifter out is not fun at all. If a shop says that you need a new one, I'd break the damn interlock off and be done with it.

However, I've also seen more than one failed brake light switch, which is mounted in an inaccessible area up high on the brake pedal bracket. When this goes bad, the interlock and the brake lights don't work.

Regards,
--
::: Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: 92 244 ::: 90 745GL ::: 90 745T ::: 84 242DL ::: 90 745T Parts ::: Used to have : 86 244DL, 87 244DL, 91 244, 88 244GL, 88 744GLE, 82 245T, 86 244DL, 87 244DL, 88 245DL, 89 244DL!

Hi Rob,

I can see you misunderstood. I'm recommending to John that he not follow your advice to break the yellow plastic lever in his 1991, that acts as a shiftlock override, not because I'm philosophically opposed to defeating the dubious safety feature, but because my experience tells me removing the yellow lever does nothing whatever to defeat the interlock. I believe if you remove the lever, you are left with no simple means to get the car out of park if the brake light switch, or one of the two fuses fails to operate the solenoid.

In a stretch of presumptions, I figure you may have done this successfully with a 1993, but in that design the lever and override are entirely different from those in 91 and 92. In the earlier design, the yellow plastic just pushes the solenoid's plunger into the retracted position. Breaking it would just make the situation worse.


--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

You can't trust dogs to watch your food.

I think it's a failing shifter solenoid, BUT I had a problem with one in a '91, and it turned out to be a bad brake pedal switch.

Replacing the switch is not fun. I ended up removing the cluster and working WAY WAY down inside the dash to get at the switch. It's on top of the brake pedal bracket, and access is a challenge. You wouldn't think it would be so difficult.

Inside the shifter, if you were to remove or break off the yellow piece of plastic that is actually the thing you push on for the shift-lock override, it will defeat the interlock and you'll be able to shift the car normally, just as if it's a 90 or earlier. In other words, press the button down and move the lever at any time.

The shift lock was required because various idiots couldn't drive their new Audi 5000's without clobbering the garage door. It's become standard fare on all new cars and I think it's just another case of the government thinking for us. Price out a new solenoid (or "microswitch" or whatever they call it at the dealer) and tell me it's not a good idea to defeat the evil little thing.
--
::: Rob Bareiss, New London CT ::: 92 244 ::: 90 745GL ::: 90 745T ::: 84 242DL ::: 90 745T Parts ::: Used to have : 86 244DL, 87 244DL, 91 244, 88 244GL, 88 744GLE, 82 245T, 86 244DL, 87 244DL, 88 245DL, 89 244DL!

I must agree with you about the nasty little interlock solenoid... it is evil! When I converted our 92 245 from an M47 to an AW-70, I used a 90 shift lever assembly to avoid that nasty little issue. I also bypassed the OD solenoid in the "IPD style" by grinding a passage in the face of the solenoid. Gee with this setup, I haven't had any shift or OD issues... if you can live without the OD button on the shifter, I recommend bypassing it as well, reliability goes through the roof as a result.

jorrell
--
92 245 245K miles, IPD'd to the hilt, 06 XC70, 00 Eclipse custom Turbo setup...currently close to running again!