Thanks Lee, I may get back to you on that.
But here's the temporary fix I did today: stuck the solenoid in the retracted position with a rubber band. Also fixed the minor damage done by the dealer during their inspection. Now I can shift any time without the brake or even a key in the ignition. Not super safe but at least it's better than shifting every time with a screwdriver.
However I had one big problem during the surgery: couldn't get the shift lever/knob and the cover plate completely off the rod. Those can be pulled only part way up the rod because of two wires from the O/D button. They go down through the shift mechanism and are crimped into the back of a wide connector. I couldn't figure out how to disconnect them to give enough slack to remove the lever and cover plate. So this left only enough room to reach in and install the rubber band, but wouldn't be enough room to work on the solenoid. I wonder if you need to actually cut the wires and fix them afterwards. Anyone successfully disassembled this without damage?
BTW, I found a pair of wire cutters under the seat, apparently left behind by the dealer shop. Maybe they had the same idea.
(Answer to my question #1 above: the knob is attached with a 2mm hex bolt below the O/D button... and two pesky wires!)
