I'm trying to replace the gear shift indicator light unit on the for my 1995 940 T. I understand it's a bulb attached to wires. I found the post below on the board... and it sounds like a regular PITA! Anyone know if there's an easier way? Should the four 10mm bolts holding the shifter be removed and just pull the whole unit up? Or should I do as instructed in the post below by norfleet?

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Re: Gear Shift indicator Light -- What Bulb 900 1995
 posted by  someone claiming to be norfleet on  Thu Apr 19 06:44 UTC 2001

depending on the year, the gear shift lever light can be easy or extremely hard to replace.

the 1995 (and possibly 1994) have the light bulb mounted in a small square plastic holder (about 1/4 inch square) with two wires about 24 inches long. The bulb is not replaceable by itself (the entire set up is about 20 dollars). There is no discussion in the factory manual how to replace it (or even where the wires go). It is a real pain -This is what you have to do.

remove every thing from around the shift unit (this includes both side panels, all of the plastic housings, the ash tray and the fuse unit). Do not try to take apart the shift unit itself. Look at the drivers side of the shift unit and you will see two wires (white and yellow) going into the lower part of the middle of the drivers side of the shift unit. pull those wires straight down and the plastic housing and bulb will pop out. The wires themselves loop beneath the fuse unit, then along the passenger side of the shift unit, then beneath the passenger floor mat. You will have to have a narrow snake about 12 inches long to feed the wires beneath a heating duct in the left side of the passenger floor (very tight clearance). The connector is on the left side of the passenger compartment about ankle height (below the carpet). Once you find it, it is easy to replace the wires in the housing.

Feed the new wires back into place. Now comes the fun part. The new bulb housing just snuggly fits into a square hole at the bottom of the left side of the shift unit. If you use a mirror you can see it. You have to get it just right (it takes time) and it is a very aqward hand position - but you can do it. Now put everything back together.

I suppose you could cut the wire just below the fuse unit and splice in the new wires. The bulb is friction welded to the connectors in the plastic housing. I have not yet figured out how to replace just the bulb.

In particular, I was wondering about that white plastic component that protrudes from the side of the shift housing (once it's all exposed). Does anyone know if that somehow disconnects by pushing it down? Somehow it looks like it ought to come off... but how the heck do I know? Haynes manual leaves this part out surprisingly.

On a philosophical note: If indeed this simple bulb replacement requires such a PITA... I would speculate that Volvo engineering is operating from a principle that requires a steady-state of complexity in their designs.

IF they improve and simplify the blower motor access on the 940... this law dictates that the 940 shift bulb replacement and cold start eprom replacement should require a matching amount of frustration added into the equation.

John, this is what I did in my '95-945 na, writing it before I read the procedure you had. It is close This covers a few things a lot of people already know.

Warning, don’t let the car roll because you will be taking the shifter out of park. This sounds stupid and there are no stupid Volvo owners! Chock the tires if you have to or pay carefull attention to the emergency brake and shifter lever.

Put the emergency brake on, key in, to shift the gear shift lever to about drive, so that you can remove the ashtray and the fuse/relay cover. With the emergency brake up a little you can see two torx screws, that can be removed with a flat blade screw driver if you have to. Next, remove the the plastic console cover, lifting it up and slipping it over the emergency brake lever. Put the gear shift lever back in park and take out the key. On the left side, under the shift indicator, about where you think the light would be, you will find two thin wires leading to the plastic lamp holder. I felt a little plastic frame that I thought was the lamp holder and waisted too, too much time trying to wedge it out. The lamp holder is really inside the plastic frame. I saw a past post or this may be in the FAQs, just tug on the two wires a little and the plastic lamp holder will come out. It did for me. Replace with new lamp making sure it works. (You use the same plastic lamp holder.) Getting the lamp base back in was harder than taking it out. Allow plenty of time. It took me about two hours only because my hand became fatigued, I was playing with mirrors which are not needed, and I was not in a hurry. You are working blind and the space is very tight. It is not that hard to do, though. This may be bold of me, but if I had to do it again, five minutes from start to take out the lamp and 20 min to put it back.

The nimble hands of a 12 year old would not have a problem, but we all like a challenge.

The shift light lamp number is #2721 available at most auto parts stores.

About the shifter housing, I was reading the Haynes book and I think you have to start from underneath. No way!

--
Tom F

Thanks for the info!

Ugh! Wonder what those Volvo engineers were thinking. It's the two hours of manipulating some tiny plastic bulb holder upside down and with mirrors that scares me.

I wonder what the tech service manual says...