I'm new to the site so please bear with me. I have an automatic 2001 Volvo s40 ( milage 120,000) and every once in a while when I go to start it up, it does not do anything . When this happens I have two options: 1) I begin to move the gear selector back and forth several times and then try to start the car. When this does not work I go to option 2 which is just wait for while (amount of time varies ) then it starts normaly. Has anybody experienced this and can anyone have suggestion as to what the problrem is ?

 

When it does this will it always start in Neutral? If yes, then I'd guess the shifter is not all the way in Park. Many times this is caused by sticky drinks being spilled from the cup holder above down to the shift lever below. After drying a sufficient time the square button on the front of the shifter won't release out and the shift lever is not all the way in Park. Another symptom is the ignition lock will not turn back all the way off and your keys remain in the ignition. The fix is to remove the shifter surround and spray the shift linkage and shift solenoid with silicone spray.

If Neutral acts up too then I'd suspect a Park/Neutral Safety Switch although I don't know where it is on our cars.

 

Thanks for the quick response. After going through the difffernt steps, it starts up normally in PARK. I took it to a mechanic last week and he said that he adjusted the gear selector base , but it still has gone blank several times.