Auto/Manual switch next to the gear doesn't work

[elbasha]

Since I bought this car the switch never does anything when you play around with it, I don't know if it is suppose to click in when you change between the A and M, but it just stays in the center and if you move it up or down it would go back to the center. It does not work though, any ideas?

[attack eagle]

bad switch.

if you have a sedan, the sunroof switch will interchange to confirm.

[LunatiC]

Doesn't the 'E D' display change under your rev counter?

If it doesn't, it's just a bad switch that might need cleaning up or replacement.

[elbasha]

Nope it doesn't change, I am guessing to replace it all what I need is to open up that part and take it out to clean it? How do you take that thing out to clean it and re-insert it?

[Ferret]

Nope it doesn't change, I am guessing to replace it all what I need is to open up that part and take it out to clean it? How do you take that thing out to clean it and re-insert it?

Just get a small flat bladed screwdriver under one of its upper or lower edges and you can lever it out gently. Careful not to damage your plastic though.

Quite common for the auto box switch to pack in, both of my prior autos went on strike!

[632 Regal]

if it isn't the switch its the dash bulb. Mine burned out and when I replaced all the dash bulbs it worked again.

[elbasha]

Okay now it works after I cleaned it. Now a quick question, when it is on M, do you actually start driving from 1 to 2 to 3 to D (as D is the 4th gear?). First time I try this and when it is on M and at D it drives as if it is in some late gear.

[///Sniper535]

M mode disables 4th gear so D is just 3rd gear.

[attack eagle]

M mode is for starting and staying in a higher gear than normal. Such as starting in 2nd or 3rd gear in icy conditions.


it is NOT for psuedo-manual shifting like a tiptronic. Do that and you will be buying a new tranny or converting to manual sooner rather than later.


M 1 -M3 = gear number. M D = is still M3.

Put the shifter in E D and leave it there.

[elbasha]

lol thanks attack eagle, I was going to be buying a new tranny soon if you didn't tell me that!

So why would they have the Auto/Manual switch? Because you can go to 1 and it will be S1 then S2 then S3.

[attack eagle]

Because when it snows or slushes even with an LSD you spin out... a lot. Especially on wide performance tires...

And an auto will otherwise never let you choose a higher than 1 starting gear, and would downshift when slowing which again could cause you to slide off the road.

I had to inertia coast up my driveway last time it snowed... even in M3 at <5mph it would just spin out on throttle application of more than 1/8th inch.