“Valet” Switch
Some people worry about leaving their car for service or loaning it to a friend or relative, concerned that the driver might knowingly or inadvertently put the shifter in autostick and drive without manually shifting, resulting in unnecessary wear and tear on the engine. This How-To will give you a method of easily locking out the autostick function with a hidden toggle switch.

Required materials:
• Qty. 1 SPST toggle switch (SPDT or DPDT switch can be used)
• Qty. 3 to 6 feet (depending on switch location) 20 or 22 gage stranded wire
• Qty. 2 red T-taps and insulated crimp-on male spade lug connectors or other suitable means of splicing (see NOTE 1)
• Solder (63/37 tin/lead or equivalent, rosin core) as needed for connection of wires to switch

NOTE 1: If T-taps are used for connecting wires, the correct color of T-tap *must* be used to match the gage of the wire. For the autostick or Puttstick (see http://300mclub.org/forums/viewtopic...=20059&start=0) wires being connected to for this modification, the red T-taps must be used. Spade lugs must be properly crimped for a reliable connection.

NOTE 2: If a Puttstick is being or has been installed, the wires from the toggle switch can be tapped or spliced into the orange and black (or green) wires of the Puttstick cable instead of the autostick wires at the back of the shifter in the below instruction steps - steps 2 and 10 would be skipped, and the orange and black (or green) wires of the Puttstick would be substituted for the light green/red and black autostick wires were mentioned.

1. Decide where to mount the toggle switch so that it is somewhat hidden but easily accessible.

2. Remove gear shift **** (single allen screw facing forward - loosen enough for tip of allen screw to clear hole in shifter plus 1/2 to 1 turn) and shifter bezel.

3. Locate the light green/red and black wires at the back of the shifter (coming from the autostick hall effect sensor module connector).

4. Determine the minimum length the two wires need to be to reach from the toggle switch location to the autostick wires routed over a safe path. 

5. Cut two lengths of wires at least as long as the length determined in step 4., and solder them to the toggle switch terminals.

6. Mount the toggle switch.

7. Route the wires as need to reach the autostick wires.

8. Cut excess length off of the toggle switch wires, and splice them into the light green/red and black autostick wires (doesn't matter which toggle switch wire goes to which autostick wire) using the T-taps and spade lug connectors or other reliable method of choice.

9. Secure the toggle switch wires as needed using wire ties.

10. Reinstall the gear shift bezel and ****. Be sure that the **** is located (height and rotation) such that the tip of the allen screw goes into the locating hole on the shifter - tighten allen screw snuggly.

11. Test the valet switch.

Operation of the autostick valet switch:
When driving in valet mode (the valet switch on and the shifter in autostick), the transmission will operate just as if the shifter were in the 'D' position. The first time thru the gears when in valet mode, the instrument cluster gear indicator will indicate the individual gear until the transmission reaches 4th gear. Upon reaching 4th gear, the gear indicator will switch to 'D' and stay there. If the shifter is moved out of and then back into autostick with the valet switch on, the gear indication cycle will repeat. Once in valet mode, the valet mode will remain in effect even if the valet switch is turned off, *unless/until* the shifter is moved out of and then back into the autostick position with the valet switch turned off.