New member question!
I just replaced the complete original shifter assembly in my 94 940 (After the old one would no longer shift into park), with a used one I obtained online from a Volvo parts place. The process was straightforward and I am confident I did everything correctly. However, the car now will not start in park or neutral (no crank or noise), and I am wondering if the Neutral Safety Switch in the replacement shifter may be at fault or if there is some other issue. I am hoping someone out there can help.
Here are some clues that may help: 1.) The backup lights do not come on when the car is shifted in reverse. 2.) The light does not work that illuminates the shifter. 3.) I had a hard time connecting the large wire harness by the foot-well, as the wires on the replacement shifter do not appear to be as long as the wires on the original shifter. 4.) I am not sure what the wire cable is for at the head of the shifter, but the replacement shifter did not have the plastic piece that holds the cable in place. It does not appear that it ever was there, no broken pieces etc, although it does have the hole that the cable goes through. 5.) The button on the shifter that disengages 4th gear does work, the arrow on the dashboard goes on and off when he button is pressed.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

Hi bondijam, welcome to volvoforums. I gave you a free lift to the Volvo 240/740/940 specific forum so you will get a few more views from the experts.

 

jump the connector for the PNP switch
One of the connectors is for reverse lights and the other is for the park and neutral positions, so no harm in trial by error. Simply unplug one and jump it at the wire harness side and try to start the car. For safety keep the parking brake engaged in case the car decides to start rolling in drive or reverse.

Hopefully some adjustment in the switch is all that is needed.

 

the park-neutral switch is in that shifter assembly, and goes to a 4-pin connector. from the switch, there is a blue wire to connector pin 3, and a pink wire to pin 4.

the other side of this 2x2 pin connector, pin 3 is blue-green, and pin 4 is pink or white.

these colors aren't 100% reliable. if you unplug this connector, and attach a continuity meter (ohm meter, or a beeper, whatever), it should only read connected (0 ohms) when the shifter is in park or neutral, and it should be open circuit any other time. if you jumper those same two pins together on the 'car' side of the connector, the car should start no matter what gear its in (duh, don't ever start it in gear, its bad for the starter and everything else).

that pink wire comes from the ignition key, and is hot in 'Start'/'III'. the blue-green wire goes to the solenoid after passing through a couple more harness connectors.