Can anyone enlighten me on how the overdrive switch on the auto TownAce should work? It seems that the previous owner removed the spring from the button switch and jammed the butto in, so o/drive was permanently engaged. Have fitted a new spring. Now find that the OD operates OK, but the button switch needs to be held in, otherwise as soon as the button is released, the OD disengages. Does this button operate a latching relay of some sort, or should it be a "latching" type button i.e it stays on when pressed, and switches off only when pressed again.

- (#12837) gordon, 17 Aug 04 15:12

The button should latch. There will have been a tiny "U" shaped wire inside the switch that engages with the latching mechanism, it's generally held in place by the coil spring.
If you withdraw the switch and pull the spring back, you should see a hole in the casing near a matching curved track on the actuator. The wire link acts as a follower in this track, pivoted in the hole in the casing. You might be able to fabricate a replacement from a piece of paperclip, or else it's scrappy time for a switch...

- (#12837) David Miller, 18 Aug 04 02:02