Okay, I have an 87 240 DL with automatic transmission. So, ever since i've driven this car, ... i get in, start it up, put it in reverse, and back out of my driveway. Today, while trying to research my OD problem I'm being told by the haynes manual that my morning ritual is wrong. Let me explain.

As per the owner's manual, when the car is first started it is always reset to OD engaged mode (light on dash off). My problem is that the light is on when i start up (started yesterday). Validating on highway, the car will not jump into OD gear and is running at high rpm's. When pressing the switch on the shifter I do hear "clicks" but the light on the dash stays on regardless and there is no change in the gears. So obviously my problem is that the OD is not engaging.

When reading the Haynes manual I came across a troubleshooting section and in boldface type it says "Overdrive will not release - ...Above all, do not reverse when overdrive is engaged as this will cause considerable damage."

So, my problem is that my OD will not engage right now (light always on, on the dash). Yet I'm being lead to believe now that when it was working fine, when starting the car and backing out of the driveway, I should have first been disengaging it (light on dash on), before backing out. Perhaps this is a rule for driving manual tranny's, don't know, bit I found it interesting.

Comments on this would be appreciated. Also any help on how to fix my non-engaging OD will help. I plan on checking the solenoid. Just thought that if any one else has gone through this, they might be able to help. Here's a funny little detail. When starting the car, when the dashlight is supposed to be off, it is on but a little dim. When i click the OD to supposedly disengage, the light is on at full brightness (as it should be). Click again, (light supposed to be off), light dims slightly.

Again any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance bb'ers.

87 240DL