I have a 240 dl wagon style volvo. i just bought a new shiftknob w/button as the old one was broken. i installed the wires, went down the road and pushed the button once i hit 45-50 mph. Nothing happened. what is the button actually supposed to do? is it a 5th gear? do you know what i could do to fix it?

 

it is the overdrive button. it is 5th gear.
did you install the wires correctly?

wasit for the experts to get on.

 

That is the 5th(overdrive) gear and it should shift into 5th from 4th. Did the green light on the dash come on? You can test it even with the car stationary and at idle-it should light up. However, there is more wiring under there that gets broken and brittle over the years. You'll have to check into that from underneath, and make sure the solenoid is ok too-just hooking up the button unfortunately is a small part of the system.

 

+1................

 

On my 1981 245 DL I need to hold down the button for a second or two before I feel the overdrive engage and the dash light to come on; but if I hold down the button too long it will engage then disengage. Check the dashboard light when you press the button to see if the O/D light comes on or not. Maybe you are not pressing the button long enough or as the others have posted you may not have the whole system working properly.

 

It usually takes a while. In my car at about sixty miles an hour I turn to my passenger and say "are you ready to kick it into . . ." *click*











"OVERDRIVE?" I say as it finally engages.

 

I'm guessing that this is a stick shift? Mine gave me trouble for years. For me, we had chaffed and bare wires in the stick: +2 to tedv. Also to eliminate possibilities check the switch continuity with a multi meter to make sure it is closing when you press it. Then check the relay. See if it closes and check to see if there is continuity when it's closed. Then check the wires to the soleniod. If all that checks fine, then check the fluid level in the OD transmission. If it's too low the system won't work. On the manual trann'y overdrive they use oil somehow the shift in and out of overdrive. If all that checks good, replace the soleniod. Of course this is assuming that you have a manual transmission. Good luck!