I have an 89 740 gl wagon with an automatic trans. the button on the shift selector that disengages 4th gear is stuck on. I thought that I would disenable it in some way but I am unsure of the best way to do that. The hand grip that houses that button seems a problem to disassemble and wonder if someone out there has any ideas.

thanks

The button is really a switch that controls a relay which controls a solonoid valve on the tranny. The button/switch rarely gives problems.
What are your exact symptoms? Is the button physically stuck in the pushed in position?
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David Hunter

Thank's for the reply

the button itself is not stuck on, although it doesn't feel as though it has much physical resistance while pushing it. I rarely use it so i don't have a good feel for it's normal condition.

What is happening is that the indicater light is on and the car will not shift beyond 3rd gear. Yesterday I was able to get it to work a little. Also the indicator light, while always on, would dim a bit when I tried to switch it off .

Hey there -
I've had the same issue with my '91 240 automatic transmission. Sometimes it starts with the arrow on the dash lit up, sometimes not. I seems to spontaneously shift in and out of the 4 gear disengage.

It is particularly annoying when on the highway and it lights up, downshifts into 3rd and stays there...

I pryed out the button from the shift knob and disconnected the two leads that go to the button...no effect.

I looked at the button, and it doesnt seem to have an on or off position (like a click pen might). Looks like all it does is close the circuit between the two leads every time you depress it...so does that mean that you close the circuit, it turns on, you close it again, it turns off?

Anyways, it seems as though its not the button...

Hoping someone out there knows how to disconnect this option b/c I don't mind living without it. Can I remove a fuse? Something easy, anything to keep my tranny shifting into 4th when it gets up to speed.

Thanks,
Marc