Hi all,

I just bought a cheapo '90 240 wagon; runs great, looks good, but has an auto tranny issue.

The OD indicator light is flaky, going off and on randomly. The OD switch on the shifter is squishy, like nothing is happening. I suspect the relay or the solenoid.

I researched and found in another thread that you can pull the relay, jump terminals 30 and 87, and thereby eliminate the relay and have OD all the time. But I also remember warnings that going into reverse while in OD can cause damage.

So: is this jumper thing a risky move, or is there a safety mechanism somewhere that prevents the OD/reverse disaster?

Oh, and also: since the whole trans feels a little sluggish, I went to have the fluid and filter changed at a local Jiffy Lube. They refused due to the high miles on the car, saying "it could actually make it worse." Huh? True?

Thanks,

Doug

 

Drain and refill the fluid.

Replace the relay is the best way to fix it.