'93 240 automatic - where is the relay/switch for the fifth gear?

[Someone]

I got stuck in the snow last Friday and now the car doesn't go in the
fifth gear. I know on a previous '91 240, the relay/switch had burned
(the dealer changed it). So I guess it could be the same thing and I
would like to do it myself.

Can someone tell me the exact location of that relay/switch which
allows the car to go to the last gear?

Thanks..

 

[Mr. V]

On my 1982 244, the relay is to the left of the glove box, under the
top of the dashboard.

Undo the screw that hold the glove box, remove the glove box, and it
is accessible.

Not sure if your year is the same.

 

[James Sweet]

On my 1982 244, the relay is to the left of the glove box, under the
top of the dashboard.

Undo the screw that hold the glove box, remove the glove box, and it
is accessible.

Not sure if your year is the same.

It is. Once you get it out, it's easy to repair if you know how to solder,
the same thing goes wrong on all of them.

The wire to the solenoid under the car is a common problem as well.

 

[Someone]

I got the part, I opened it and it looked fine inside. I was stuck in
the snow and I put the car in Reverse and Drive a few times to get
myself out of the snow. Do you think it is very likely that it is the
relay? It will cost me $100 to find out (the cost of a new one).

P.S. In case you wonder why I didn't get out of my car and find
another way out of the snow, I broke my leg while skiing and walking
isn't my strong point right now.

Thanks.

 

[James Sweet]

I got the part, I opened it and it looked fine inside. I was stuck in
the snow and I put the car in Reverse and Drive a few times to get
myself out of the snow. Do you think it is very likely that it is the
relay? It will cost me $100 to find out (the cost of a new one).

P.S. In case you wonder why I didn't get out of my car and find
another way out of the snow, I broke my leg while skiing and walking
isn't my strong point right now.

Thanks.

A new relay is more like 40 bucks.

Look closely at the solder joins on the bottom of the circuit board, the
heavy connections for the plug contacts and the mechanical part of the
relay. There will probably be hairline cracks around some of the pins.

If the arrow light on the dash is illuminated, the problem is in the relay,
if not, it could be the wiring under the car or some other problem.

 

[Someone]

Thanks for the reply.

Here's what I've done: I removed the cover from the relay and plugged
it in. I drove the car around and observed the relay as I drove at
speed where it should go into 5th gear.

As soon as I start the car, the relay closes and stay closed all the
time. If I press the button on the the gear selector to disengage the
last gear (arrow illuminated) the relay opens. Pressing the button
again closes the relay. I repeated this operation many times and it
always work.

So it seems the relay is closing and opening when pressing button on
gear selector. Does this mean the relay is working fine? If yes,
where should I look next?

Btw, I called the local Volvo dealer and the part is $85 + taxes!

Thanks.

 

[James Sweet]

Thanks for the reply.

Here's what I've done: I removed the cover from the relay and plugged
it in. I drove the car around and observed the relay as I drove at
speed where it should go into 5th gear.

As soon as I start the car, the relay closes and stay closed all the
time. If I press the button on the the gear selector to disengage the
last gear (arrow illuminated) the relay opens. Pressing the button
again closes the relay. I repeated this operation many times and it
always work.

So it seems the relay is closing and opening when pressing button on
gear selector. Does this mean the relay is working fine? If yes,
where should I look next?

Btw, I called the local Volvo dealer and the part is $85 + taxes!

Sounds like the relay is probably fine, it's behaving as designed, the only
other thing to check electrically is that 12V is present at the wire to the
solenoid on the side of the transmission. All it does is close a hydraulic
circuit which locks out overdrive, it's 4th gear actually, there is no 5th
on the auto box. The electrical side of things behaves exactly the same with
the car parked and the ignition on as it does while driving. Wouldn't hurt
to check the fuses as well, I forget if the power for the relay comes from
the same source as the power it controls.

Have someone listen under the car, turn on the ignition but don't start the
engine. When you push the lockout button, the solenoid should click
underneath, if it does, then something else is screwy, misadjusted linkage
or internal transmission problem, that's rare though.

Never buy stuff like that from the dealer, it's far cheaper from IPD and
cheaper still from online places like FCP Groton. The dealer is a last
resort when a part simply cannot be had from anywhere else.

 

[Ross G]

Since the problem started after the adventure in the snow, it might be
useful to check for damage to electrical connections under the car.
Auto boxes are not my strong suit - I don't know exactly were the
connections to the auto trans are located.

 

[Mr. V]

Never buy stuff like that from the dealer, it's far cheaper from IPD and
cheaper still from online places like FCP Groton. The dealer is a last
resort when a part simply cannot be had from anywhere else.

Or, if you have some U Pull It junk yards in your area with some old
Volvos, do what I do: grab a bunch of relays and small parts to keep
at home "just in case."

 

[Someone]

I did as you suggested and there is no noise whatsoever coming from
the solenoid.

Thanks.

 

[James Sweet]

I did as you suggested and there is no noise whatsoever coming from
the solenoid.

That's a good sign. I'm leaning towards the wire under the car, it goes from
the solenoid up into the tranny tunnel into the car. If it isn't that, then
the relay or the fuse.

 

[Someone]

Sorry, forgot to mention that fuses were checked first and they are
fine.

Maybe I misunderstood your earlier reply, but since the solenoid
doesn't make any noise when pressing the button on the gear selector,
I thought it meant that the solenoid could likely be defective?

 

[Allen]

Sorry, forgot to mention that fuses were checked first and they are
fine.

Maybe I misunderstood your earlier reply, but since the solenoid
doesn't make any noise when pressing the button on the gear selector,
I thought it meant that the solenoid could likely be defective?

It sounds like the solenoid could be defective or, as has been suggested, a
problem with the wiring. Was the snow deep enough it might have loosened
the plug or pulled wires loose? think the next step is to check for voltage
at the solenoid.

 

[James Sweet]

Sorry, forgot to mention that fuses were checked first and they are
fine.

Maybe I misunderstood your earlier reply, but since the solenoid
doesn't make any noise when pressing the button on the gear selector,
I thought it meant that the solenoid could likely be defective?

It could, but that's rare, the only solenoid failure I've ever seen it was
leaking, it still clicked. Either the relay or the wiring under the car is
very likely the problem.

 

[Someone]

Is there a way to measure the voltage at the pins of the overdrive
relay? I mean while it is plugged in, using a voltmeter and doing it
very carefully.

Yesterday when I looked at the solenoid, the wire seemed fine, It was
properly connected to the solenoid.

And yes, I drove for an hour with snow as thick as the clearance under
the car (I was on my way to hospital - emergency).

IPD isn't an option here in Canada. And Volvo dealers love to sc#$%
you with high prices (I recently found out that a front wheel caliper
for a 240 sells for ~$170, but the dealer pays ~$85. They made a
mistake - first time ever - and sold it to me at $85. It was too
late when they realized and NO I wasn't going to pay for their
mistake...).

I once triewd a scrapyard located close to Toronto. They sent the
wrong tachometer and ending up killing the speedometer. Pricey those
darn things...

P.S. If you want shitty service from the Volvo dealers come to
Canada. Makes me sick enough, I'm not sure I'll ever buy another
Volvo. This 240 is my 6th Volvo.

Thanks for the help and listening to my rant.

 

[James Sweet]

Is there a way to measure the voltage at the pins of the overdrive
relay? I mean while it is plugged in, using a voltmeter and doing it
very carefully.

Yesterday when I looked at the solenoid, the wire seemed fine, It was
properly connected to the solenoid.

And yes, I drove for an hour with snow as thick as the clearance under
the car (I was on my way to hospital - emergency).

IPD isn't an option here in Canada. And Volvo dealers love to sc#$%
you with high prices (I recently found out that a front wheel caliper
for a 240 sells for ~$170, but the dealer pays ~$85. They made a
mistake - first time ever - and sold it to me at $85. It was too
late when they realized and NO I wasn't going to pay for their
mistake...).

I once triewd a scrapyard located close to Toronto. They sent the
wrong tachometer and ending up killing the speedometer. Pricey those
darn things...

P.S. If you want shitty service from the Volvo dealers come to
Canada. Makes me sick enough, I'm not sure I'll ever buy another
Volvo. This 240 is my 6th Volvo.

Thanks for the help and listening to my rant.

You could measure voltage and continuity at the relay socket, but I forget
which pin is which. You can also bridge two pins and force the solenoid on.

There's lots of options besides IPD. I usually use FCP Groton or
alloemvolvoparts.com, there's at least one other big online seller which I
forget. FCP lists the OEM Bosch relay for US$31, and Hella relay for $30.
Brake calipers are $44.

 

[clay]

Is there a way to measure the voltage at the pins of the overdrive
relay? I mean while it is plugged in, using a voltmeter and doing it
very carefully.

Yes. Don't even have to be careful... it's only 12V.

Touch all the joints on the relay with a clean hot soldering iron. Just
because you can't see a bad joint doesn't mean there aren't any.
My OD relay on my '83 looked fine under a jewelers loop but I touched
them up anyway. Been working fine since.
Same with the turn sigiginal relay.

Run a hot wire out of the fuse box and poke it on the terminal on the
solenoid... see if it goes click.

 

[Someone]

Thanks for the info about online stores. I'll check them out. So
sick of Volvo dealers. Here's one more tip about Volvo dealers, I
recently found out that the owner of the Volvo dealership I go to was
charging customers for the time the techs are on break/lunch. And
they charge more than $100/hr.

Could you please expand when you say bridging two pins? Which ones?
Removing the solenoid to check voltage isn't an option.

I might get a relay from FCP or Hella, just needs to check that they
ship up North...

 

[James Sweet]

Thanks for the info about online stores. I'll check them out. So
sick of Volvo dealers. Here's one more tip about Volvo dealers, I
recently found out that the owner of the Volvo dealership I go to was
charging customers for the time the techs are on break/lunch. And
they charge more than $100/hr.

Could you please expand when you say bridging two pins? Which ones?
Removing the solenoid to check voltage isn't an option.

I might get a relay from FCP or Hella, just needs to check that they
ship up North...

I don't remember which pins, I'd have to look at it to tell.

You don't have to remove the solenoid, though it's only two bolts, the wire
unplugs.

 

[Someone]

I received the OD relay from FCP and it doesn't solve the problem.
Unless the part is defective, which is unlikely. I would have
prefered a Bosch or OEM, but mine is a Kaehler. In the end, I think
the part is fine, so my problem is elsewhere.

FCP sells an OD solenoid for $95. Would you suggest I order it?

Or do you have another suggestion?

Thanks.