Read This First - car is with my son in New Mexico, I'm in Washington state...

1995 940 Turbo with approx 213K miles. Overall runs well. We drove it from Seattle area to Las Cruces, NM in August.

For the past year we had to use the shift lock override to get out of park. Recently my son told me he also has to use the button to get into park now. Likely unrelated to issue below.

This morning he texted & called to let me know the shifter is now smoking. When I called he explained it is making a nasty noise - And he can see it glowing orange down through the shift console. I'm assuming it must be out of transmission fluid...

Not much I can do 1600 miles away. First I'll have him check the tranny dip stick. Then add trans fluid (Dex/Merc III correct??). It's the AW71 automatic.

My son is not mechanically inclined, he is a full time student working part time as well. If there is much to be done I'll probably sell as-is and cut my losses.

Just looking for any insights from the Volvo brain trust.

Thanks

Mike

"This morning he texted & called to let me know the shifter is now smoking. When I called he explained it is making a nasty noise - And he can see it glowing orange down through the shift console. I'm assuming it must be out of transmission fluid..."
Glowing orange and smoking...no possible connection to low tranny fluid. "Nasty" is not a useful descriptor of noise.

"First I'll have him check the tranny dip stick. Then add trans fluid (Dex/Merc III correct??)."

Dex III or better but likely he will find Dex IV which is fine.

Without a useful set of information my GUESS would be your glow and smoke is a short of the shift position light. The "nasty" noise is the exhaust hitting stuff or the tranny mount sheared or the rubber on the driveshaft bearing support.

Thanks Onkel Udo II, he sent me a picture this afternoon, unfortunately I can't recall my Brickboard password so not sure if my attachment will work. Definitely an electrical short - and on left side so I bet you are right about the shift position light. He was also able to check tranny fluid level which is good.

Yea I wish I had a better description on the noise, he said it may be one of the belts, like a squeel. Strange that it would coincide with the shifter issue though. I'll get him back out later on the phone to start the car & let me hear/see it.

Thanks for the advice, he doesn't feel comfortable taking the cover off shifter so I'll have to wait till he finds someone to do it.

Mike

Smoke coming from under the shifter sounds like Neutral safety switch gone bad.