Hello, everybody!

I am having a problem with smoke pouring out of my gear shifter on automatic transmittion (Volvo 240DL 1987 wagon). And it smells like a burning plastic. Interesting that no fuse is burnt out. I mentioned that this happens if I put the gear shifter to the “R” position. The shifter has some back-and-forth play in the “R” position. Also, the vinyl insulation of a white wire (which comes of out a grommet in the front of the shifter bucket) has come off like a stocking because it was melted. Where is the problem? In the neutral safety switch or in the backup lights switch? Or where?

I far as I understand the above-mentioned white wire is a wire connecting the overdrive solenoid and the overdrive relay. Can this also cause the problem? Or the melted insulation of this white wire is a side effect of the trouble with either switches - neutral safety switch or in the backup lights switch?

Please, help!

Thanks in advance.

Dmitriy.