I'm about to adopt a 91 240 w/ 145K. I have to drive the car about 1300 miles to get it home and am confident, basically, that it will make it. Except...

The car is an automatic trans and sometimes won't start in either park or neutral. I have been advised that the pins in the shifter assembly may have become mis-aligned and this could be the cause. I've driven the car a few times and it has failed to start on one occasion. I tried shifting around a lot to possible get things lined up to get going. I tried rocking the car, pushing it forward and back with the trans in park and in neutral. No luck. I tried one last time after waiting about 10 minutes and it started without a hitch.

The current owner never puts the car in park and has told me that this seems to minimize the problem. Any ideas? Is there anything else it could be? Would a relay have anything to do with this?

Thanks,

Jeff

99 S70 M 80K
94 945 159K
91 240 145K ?

Jeff,

The safety neutral switch is most likely out of adjustment or defective.

Take a look at th owners manual, I think there's something in there about an override switch for the safety neutral. I think you stick your finger down through the brush guard at the rear of the shift cover as I remember.

Good luck,

--
Bruce S. near D.C.

My 91_240 had a similar, intermittent, starting problem.

Was a loose spade connector on fuse #6.

Might be worth cleaning and tightening all spade connectors on the fuse block.

91_240.

there is a possibility that the pin on the side of the shifter whichconnects to the small slider on the side of the neutral switch is not connected.pull the cover off the gear shift housing(two screws in front of cover,then slide back and lift up) and look to see if the small pin sticking out of right side of shifter is catching the small white slider on left side of neutral switch. i have seen this several times. maybe the former owner never putting in park because it actually pushes slider past the park position. there are two lines on side of switch to indicate the park/start position and reverse light position

The safety switch is on the right side of the console. Maybe pressing the lever to the right, or wiggling it left and right in Park or Neutral might coax another few starts.

It's also the switch for the back-up lights. Not very expensive, as I recall. But getting at connections under the carpet was not a real fun time.

Then too, there's a wire terminal on the firewall, left side somewhere, that will energize the starter with 12 volts applied to it. It's a Blue wire, but I don't think that much of the color is visible. It has a black plastic cover on the end, with female terminal inside.

All you need is a wire that will reach to the battery +, have the Key On, and away you go.
--
Bruce Young,
'93 940-NA (current)
'80 GLE V8 (Sold 5/03)
'83 Turbo 245
'76 244 (lasted only 255,000 miles)
73 142 (98K)
'71 144 (track modified--crusher bound)
New 144 from '67 to '78
Used '62 122 from '63 to '67

Underneath the shifter console there is a safety switch that only allows car to start in park or neutral. 1 or 2 philips head screws and this console lifts up. You can then see the switch. Had problems with mine and can't remember wether I adjusted it or replaced it.

I think you'll need to replace it, unless your lucky enough to take it apart and clean/repair. Probably not worth the hassle. Good luck.