# Illumination of automatic gear shift position **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** s70, transmissions, volvo\ **Created:** [December 12, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/illumination-of-automatic-gear-shift-position/58624 "2010-12-12T22:55:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mherbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mherbert](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mherbert)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/illumination-of-automatic-gear-shift-position/58624/1 "2010-12-12T22:55:25Z")
The lighting on my gear shift positions is out, which causes problems driving at night–I can’t tell if car is in R, N, D, 3 etc. I can’t find a fuse that corresponds to this. ---
**Author:** ![mleich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@mleich](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mleich)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 12:04am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/illumination-of-automatic-gear-shift-position/58624/2 "2010-12-13T00:04:35Z")
I wouldn’t worry too much about it. It sounds like a problem that would cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars to fix (tearing apart the dashboard to replace the instrument cluster) yet is not too much of a problem. Just count off: P, R, N, D. Leave it in D unless you are descending a long mountain pass. All my Hondas eventually lost some of the dashboard lights. Sometimes they came back on their own. It was annoying but not a real problem for me. ---
**Author:** ![waterboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/waterboy/32/764_2.png) [@waterboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/waterboy)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 12:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/illumination-of-automatic-gear-shift-position/58624/3 "2010-12-13T00:34:28Z")
One could hope it is a bad bulb or connection. Start simple. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/illumination-of-automatic-gear-shift-position/58624/4 "2010-12-13T01:02:44Z")
More than likely a bulb is burnt out. This circuit is generally tied into the dash lighting circuit. Take the console apart. ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 1:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/illumination-of-automatic-gear-shift-position/58624/5 "2010-12-13T01:41:29Z")
If the shift indicator is in the console, this isn’t difficult job. I have replaced two or three shift indicator bulbs in the console of my 1978 Olds over the last 32 years. It is only a 1 beer job. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/illumination-of-automatic-gear-shift-position/58624/6 "2010-12-13T16:52:05Z")
Leave it to BMW to complicate these things. Many models from the 80’s and 90’s had what was essentialy a "tape’ or film that had images on it and as you moved the shifter you unrolled the tape and the proper image was backlit by a bulb.GM was easy at times, just a cable pulling a pointer across a image of possible gear ranges. On your Volvo look for a fuse labled “odometer”. I don’t know for sure but perhaps this got lumped together with other lighting. ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/illumination-of-automatic-gear-shift-position/58624/7 "2010-12-13T18:27:43Z")
By memory and feel… you CAN tell if it’s in P R N D etc. Shifted my Dodge van with a coat hanger !