Hello,

Just picked up my uncle's '92 940GL (which he replaced w/ a nice 850T) only two days ago and was very, very happy - until last night.....

I started the car and moved it to a new spot on the snowy, driveway incline (slippage was present), sat idling while waiting for the engine temperature, etc. to warm - when i noticed the nasty smell of what i believed to be a shorted wire/hot wire casing. I quickly glanced at the dash lights - nothing - and shut the car down. At this point, I saw the slightest little wisp of smoke (like that of a ghost) come through the shift lever slot (automatic trans). I looked over the fuses, twice, and found no problems. Consequently, the car would no longer turn over (any suprise there?), and aside from the dash and accessory lights, there is no sign of life - no starter spinning, no cranking.....

At this point, I can no longer move the shift lever further than P to N, nor can I depress the shift lever's thumb button. I wiggled the lever back and forth - P to N to P etc.- and repeatedly turned the key, in the hopes that the car had disabled itself thinking that it was positioned in park - my foot was on the brake the entire time. While wiggling the lever, I could hear a small electrical clicking sound coming from the shift lever area (micro switch?).....still no luck. After a couple of minutes the clicking stopped altogether.

Can anyone out there try diagnosing this, a wee bit specifically, as any of the following:

-microswitch(at the lever)...is this the shift lock solenoid?
-gear position switch or solenoid(PNP?)
-brake switch
-alternate solenoid/switch

Would these switches/solenoids smoke? Shorted wire? Gear oil smoke (didn't smell like gear oil)? The transmission was rebuilt/replaced less than 12000 miles ago, but I do not know about the PNP switch or solenoids. I've heard of a bypass switch (shift lock override button?)....is this present on a '92 940 GL? If so, where would that be located?

It has been an interesting 40 hour learning curve, with no manual as of yet - so, any help at all would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks much!