New Stella neutral indicator light and shifter issues

stASH · Post by **stASH** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 2:15 pm

I bought a 2012 Stella last wednesday and absolutely love it. Bought it with 15 miles on the clock and now have 180. Since I've been reading here for a few months, I am well aware of some of the minor issues I may encounter while she's breaking in. The first of which was the apparent stretching of the shifter cables. It got to the point where the full twisting range of the shifter was not enough to engage first gear. No big deal, I just tightened both shifter cables a bit to eliminate some of the play and she's shifting just fine now. The problem is now with the neutral indicator. When the shifter is sitting in the neutral position, there is no light. If I twist it a bit towards first gear, almost engaged in first, I can get the light to come on, but it goes out if I let go of the grip. This is only a minor inconvenience as I've gotten quite comfortable with the feel of shifting and don't really need a little green light to tell me I'm in neutral but, I would still like for it to be working properly. Anyone know how to adjust the contact point of the neutral indicator in the shifter?

jimmbomb · Post by **jimmbomb** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 3:42 pm

look near your dipstick. you'll see a single black wire going into the tranny housing. that spade connector comes loose easily. check there first.
good luck..

stASH · Post by **stASH** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:10 pm

The wire for the indicator is connected securely. The indicator will light if I twist the grip towards first gear, but it doesn't stay lit when the grip is just sitting in the neutral position. I suspect there is some kind of electrical contact in the selector box area that needs to be adjusted so that when in neutral, the indicator light circuit is closed.

jimmbomb · Post by **jimmbomb** » Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:49 pm

maybe adjust your cables again... but with the cover off... tighten one and loosen the other so the slack will stay the same (if any) but you are just rotating the cam around a bit. if it gets worse.( the neutral indicator) then go back the other way with the cam...
maybe,, Im just guessing,,, good luck..

Post by **ericalm** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 4:37 am

Oh, that's what that wire is. Mine's loose. Lost the rubber.

stASH · Post by **stASH** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 1:06 pm

jimmbomb wrote:maybe adjust your cables again... but with the cover off... tighten one and loosen the other so the slack will stay the same (if any) but you are just rotating the cam around a bit. if it gets worse.( the neutral indicator) then go back the other way with the cam...
maybe,, Im just guessing,,, good luck..

Good thought, but the part in the selector box that is rotated by the cables has notches in it for each gear and neutral, so I think it's position can't really be adjusted. I'm gonna pull the selector box cover again and poke around a bit, see if I can figure anything out. Or, I guess I could run it by the dealer. They probably know already what might take me a bit of time to figure out...

jimmbomb · Post by **jimmbomb** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 1:47 pm

when your cables are tight.. and you're adjusting them and the box... watch..band you'll see your hand shifter also rotate slightly. I fine tune my wrist indicator this way.. adjust it one way.. .. watch it move.. then the other way... you may be able to center up your neutral light.. I'm guessing though.. good luck..
I do think you are on the right track and you'll get it real soon. as you seem to be almost there.. unless your dealer is close...you'll have it done before they do

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:15 pm

It sounds to me like everyone is on the right track. I think your selesctor batwing is just off a little. There is a notch on the "back" of the bat wing that allows the neutral light to engage. I would just try putting it in neutral, loosening both cables, adjusting the batwing until the light comes on and re tightening the cables.

The easiest way is to just have someone hold the shifter in place while tightening the cables