O/D Off light coming and going, sorta (but not flashing)

[BenWA]

I'm hoping it's really nothing... but lately I have noticed my O/D off light coming on. At first I thought my darn transmission was failing. It seemed to stick in O/D off. I couldn't get it to shut off by pressing the button! (Still can't actually). I have to screw around with it by putting it into park and sometimes the O/D off light comes on when I put it INTO park. Simply pressing the button does nothing, even when in park. The light stays on or off. I have to shift in/out of park to make it come or go.

There is no apparent drivability or shifting issues when the light is off, nor does it suddenly come on when I'm in drive. The fluid seems fine and the transmission was serviced less than 4,000 miles ago.

So what's the deal? A sensor going bad? Is this is just how O/D off works on these cars? Maybe related to the recent recall work done near the shifter for the airbag module?

Or maybe I'm just I somehow accidentally bumping the button and not noticing, which is possible I suppose; but shouldn't O/D turn on/off on the fly when you press the button, not requiring you to shift to park to change the setting? At least that's how other vehicles I've had worked, namely an F150 where I'd turn O/D on/off as needed for hills when towing.

EDIT: I wonder if it's this issue that happens on Tundras... http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/t ... ns-itself/

[vibrologist]

My first thought was: bad switch. But a short in the wires would be a good guess as well.

[BenWA]

My first thought was: bad switch. But a short in the wires would be a good guess as well.

It could be bad wire routing done by the dealer when they did the airbag work. Might be they undid it and put it back when they were messing around in there.

This 04 manual (should be the same as my 03) shows, under reassembly for OD switch replacment, that it runs out at the base of the shifter. Maybe it's now rubbing against something since they dug around in there:

http://workshop-manuals.com/pontiac/vib ... /page_806/

[BenWA]

I guess I'll tear into it sometime soon and see if I can find where it's screwed up. While I'm in there, I'll replace all the burned out bulbs... the gear indicator and the one or two behind the HVAC controls.

I see that the library nearby has the Matrix/Vibe Chilton manual (which can be checked out) as well as a Factory Service Manual for the Vibe (reference only), but I'm not sure what year it's for since it states 2002 as the year but then the reference number says Pontiac 2006, unless that's just an order of books number and not referencing a year.

Usually I prefer Haynes and/or factory service manuals, but the Vibe's is very expensive for FSM still. Chilton is often not so good, from what I have seen.

[vibrologist]

I have only once worked on an automatic shifter with od switch. It was on a Ford, therefore not applicable here.

Go to viewtopic.php?f=20&t=44875. Here you find some references on how to take the dash panels and bezels off. Don't forget the screw under the center dial of the HVAC controls. It is not difficult but take your time so you won't break anything.

[BenWA]

Yep, it's a shorting wires problem at the shifter someplace. With the engine running and still in park, grabbing the shifter shaft at the base and moving it side to side slowly but firmly makes the "O/D OFF" light come and go. Once I'm in drive though it's not so bad (yet..) that it suddenly drops to O/D OFF, but I'll get that done ASP before it gets any worse.

Earlier I found a good video that shows how to get the panels off for changing the shifter bulb, which is the same labor to get to the O/D switch harness end: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44UV_UF-_Wk

For now I'm probably going to simply unplug the O/D switch since I don't do any towing (no hitch) and O/D on is acceptable for even the steepest of hills around here. Pressing the gas drops it to third and it climbs hill hills at highway speeds fine where they have an added truck lane. If I was climbing mountains constantly where OD kept kicking in and out, then it would be another matter.

That is, if I can't easily find the place it's messed up, where I can wrap it heavily in electrical tape and see if it corrects the problem.

It's too bad i can't just remove the drop open storage compartment below the shifter and reach up in and unplug it. Hm... now I wonder if i can. I will have to get a flash light and look! I have long skinny fingers and slender hands, I might be able to work it, if it's reachable. (I have changed FWD V6 Ford minivan spark plugs on the firewall side, when you normally have to tilt the engine to get to them due to the tight space!)

But I'm not 100% sure where it is. Diagrams are too primitively drawn and I can't find any photos pointing out where the harness for the OD switch is. Anybody got one they are parting out where they have that taken apart the plastic below the shifter off already and could take a pic of that for me of where the OD switch plugs in for the A/T shifter?

[BenWA]

Well, perhaps THIS is why the O/D off switch was no longer working and why it was coming on/off at will.



The GM dealer (Chevrolet of Puyallup) that did the airbag recalls in January who cut my carpet, broke my OEM stereo's display and didn't assemble the lower center console compartment properly (until I went back and fussed) also broke my O/D switch, lost one of the screws for the back side of the shifter cover (the lower one for the chrome piece) and just stuffed it back together with bare wires occasionally contacting each other.

I wrapped one wire down away from the other since the center shifter shaft is plastic (won't short the two wires together) and just put the shifter handle assembly back on for now since I don't need O/D off any at the moment. When I go to fix it, I'll just splice into it right there so I don't have to tear the entire shifter apart.

But yeah, mystery solved.

This kind of crap is (partly) why I hate GM.

[tpollauf]

Well, perhaps THIS is why the O/D off switch was no longer working and why it was coming on/off at will.

That really S U C K S Just another reason to avoid dealerships wherever possible. I swear if I ever have to lower myself to where my Vibe needs to go to a dealership, there will be a minimum of FOUR cameras (5mp minimum quality) mounted throughout the car and set to record on motion WITH volume. This way when the punk mechanic breaks something and says under his breath "well the customer won't ever know that this broke or that broke" you'll have the proof to nail him to the cross

[vibrologist]

Small claims court? It should be an option.

[BenWA]

Small claims court? It should be an option.

What evidence do I have? My word against theirs. It's a 13 year old car I bought used for under $4,000 from a private party shortly before I took it to them. However, I drove it from Arkansas through California up to Washington within 5 days or so, I used the O/D switch a few times on steep hills where there were truck lanes, so I know it worked.

Small claims for a $65 switch? (online price) Not worth it. I don't trust them to touch it again. I'll go to the junkyard and get one, or buy one off of someone here parting out a car. They can clip the wires to get it off (as long as they leave enough slack) since I will splice it in myself anyway. It's not a polarized switch or anything so it doesn't matter which wire is which.

When I had the shifter cover removed like in the photo, I started the car up and contacted the wires for a moment and then took them apart and the O/D OFF light on the dash worked as it should. I did it on/off a couple times to be sure and yep it works fine manually contacting the wires, in lieu of the switch (but simulating it). So, they are separated for now, keeping O/D on by default like it should, until the switch gets replaced.

[lannvouivre]

This kind of crap is (partly) why I hate GM.

It isn't GM, it's shitty mechanics who don't care. When I had my airbag done, the technician didn't put so much as a scratch anywhere and did a bloody good job. I removed my dash earlier this year and found nothing amiss whatever. I've found that if the car is clean and well-kept, the technician is more likely to care about going a good job (I am saying this in general, not to insinuate anything about you). But other than that and telling the service adviser how much you love your car and how it's your baby so if there's a scratch anywhere you're going to destroy everyone's lives, you can't really do anything except take pictures of "before" service.

[BenWA]

This kind of crap is (partly) why I hate GM.

It isn't GM, it's shitty mechanics who don't care. When I had my airbag done, the technician didn't put so much as a scratch anywhere and did a bloody good job. I removed my dash earlier this year and found nothing amiss whatever. I've found that if the car is clean and well-kept, the technician is more likely to care about going a good job (I am saying this in general, not to insinuate anything about you). But other than that and telling the service adviser how much you love your car and how it's your baby so if there's a scratch anywhere you're going to destroy everyone's lives, you can't really do anything except take pictures of "before" service.

People who represent a company at a dealership who do shotty work and tear things up equates to the company itself. So yes, it is a problem with GM if their dealership network is full of mechanics to cut up your carpet with a box cutter, damage your stereo and rip the wires out of switches then stuff it back together hoping you won't notice.

[lannvouivre]

You should consider calling GM corporate and complaining. I believe someone else did that and GM moved mountains and rained fire upon the dealership.

Meanwhile I'm in awe that a technician managed to damage the shifter. I left mine in and just used the "tow" button in the shifter bezel to move the shifter out of the way when I pulled the dash (which you don't even need to do to service the airbag).

[BenWA]

They were doing the module in the center console behind/under the shifter, as well as one of the airbags themselves.

When I feel like it, I'll maybe see about contacting GM. Problem is, I'd probably be expected to take it back to the same dealer.

Plus, I'd hate to be accused of trying to extort money/repairs out of the dealer since they already sent a $100 check to compensate the damaged stereo. If I go to them over a month later, accusing them of further damage/problems I never mentioned (that's my fault for not doing so) then it's going to look fishy. However it was a week or two before I noticed the O/D problem, and it was a month before I found the problem. They might accuse me of breaking it then wanting them to pay for it. *sigh*

To be honest though, I'm probably better off just eating the cost of a used switch, splicing it in myself and being done with the whole damn thing. $65 to $90 (new prices) for nothing more than a momentary switch is insane, I must say, so I'll get used.

[vibrologist]

Small claims court? It should be an option.

What evidence do I have? My word against theirs. It's a 13 year old car I bought used for under $4,000 from a private party shortly before I took it to them. However, I drove it from Arkansas through California up to Washington within 5 days or so, I used the O/D switch a few times on steep hills where there were truck lanes, so I know it worked.

Small claims for a $65 switch? (online price) Not worth it. I don't trust them to touch it again. I'll go to the junkyard and get one, or buy one off of someone here parting out a car. They can clip the wires to get it off (as long as they leave enough slack) since I will splice it in myself anyway. It's not a polarized switch or anything so it doesn't matter which wire is which.

When I had the shifter cover removed like in the photo, I started the car up and contacted the wires for a moment and then took them apart and the O/D OFF light on the dash worked as it should. I did it on/off a couple times to be sure and yep it works fine manually contacting the wires, in lieu of the switch (but simulating it). So, they are separated for now, keeping O/D on by default like it should, until the switch gets replaced.

Small claims court has a number of advantages for the plaintiff. The requirements for evidence are much less stringent than higher level courts. The pictures you have here are already pretty darn good. Combine that with the receipts for the work done. Those wires don't get busted by regular wear and tear. The value to go for is also greater than the retail price of the switch. Add labor, add loss of use and you are already at a few hundred.

But the biggest value is this: if you know what you could achieve through small claims court you have leverage while you talk to them.

Of course the court should be the last resort. compain to the GM service manager, use up all other paths to rememdy.