I own a 2001 XC70, bought it brand new off the lot in 2000!!! I have done ALL of the tune-ups, check-ins etc.....at all the mileage points it had to be serviced on. It has been a great car, I mean I love it.....loved it. It has 94,000 miles on it and it recently started to "clunk" into gear. I took it to the dealership and they flushed the transmission and upgraded the software, same thing that everyone else does. I have a 4 hour drive home from the dealership, and about 30 minutes into the drive, BAM!! loses power, wont shift, wont go above 20 on hills, and I almost got run over by 3 semi-trailers on I-80!! I pushed it over to the triptonic side and could shift into each gear manually. At each shift though, it was bucking and clucking, it was pretty unnerving to say the least. I did manage to get it home, but I was pissed off! I got online and found this blog along with a few other blogs with many people with similar problems. I found a class action lawsuit against volvo intetnational ( or Ford) online regarding a faulty throttle that has been going on since 1999 I believe, I'm not sure of the status of it, but Volvo waged a big campaign to not let the lawsuit leak to the press. I think we should get together and start our own class-action lawsuit for faulty transmissions. I called the dealership and stopped payment on the charge for the flush and the upgrade. They called me back and offered a FREE rebuilt transmission, if I would pay the labor to install it. That would be about $1000 out of my pocket. I think I am going to take them up on it, and then SELL THE CAR!!! Its such a bummer because I loved my volvo up unitl now, but don't trust them anymore (((( If you have the same problem with your car, get really informed with the blogs and stuff so you will have ammo when you tell volvo they need to give you a free tranny too! Good luck!!
I have a 2001 XC70 with 95k miles. Transmission Service Message and Engine Service light came on yesterday. Had recently noticed a little lurching sometimes at stop lights. Dealer stated car is starting to leak pressure out of the valve body. Cost to replace would be $1600 but no assurance that I will not need to replace the whole transmission for approximately $3200 at some point in the future. Dealer said I can drive it for now but I'm not too happy incurring a nice expense here at some point especially since this does not appear to be an isolated issue after reading this board. We also have done all the recommended servicings, etc. Car overall has been good - one major repair but it was under warranty. We have an 06 XC70 as well.
My advice to you is don't start fixing a problem that is inevitably going to get worse. Keep driving it until the transmission needs to be replaced, then try to get your volvo dealer to help you out with it. I've read far too many blogs stating simililar transmission problems to know, you can't really service them, they either work or they don't. I can actually still drive my car, although its annoying. I'm ready to replace the whole transmission, which will be warrantied also.
Thanks Noelwhitney - probably will hold off fixing it for now. I put a call into Volvo NA and am working my way up the executive ladder there. Not very happy reading this thread and seeing a similar issue (not isolated) with a part that represents approximately 8%-10% of the cost of a $40k car from a manufacturer that supposedly touts the quality of their product.
I have 240k on my 2001 XC and although it has not been a painless journey to this point, I have not had the unfortunate luck of needing to replace teh Tranny. Upgrades yes numerous times, clunky periods yes, frustrated of course, but knock on wood no need for a new tranny. Best part is that the car looks and drives great, all highway mileage.
As for the problems people have mentioned in the thread regarding the throttle body, I had three replaced and one instance almost caused my wife, who at the time was pregnant, to get in an accidednt as the car lost power on a major highway in CT. 65 down to under 30 in a matter of moments.
I have only driven Volvos, like the brand, but its not always as kind in return.
Got my transmission replace through my Volvo warranty a couple of months ago and the subtle signs of failure are already showing.
Rough shifting is beginning to occur again between 1st / 2nd and 2nd / 3rd - not consistent big clucking just yet - though I had my first fairly significant one the other day.
It's been 2500 miles since the transmission was replaced - crazy... I'll just have to wait until it's clearly happening on a regular basis before I take it back in to see what they're going to do.
I don't want to deal with the hassle anymore - and only 65,000 miles on my 2001 XC 70 - which otherwise is a great drive and great looking car...
And even if I trade it in, what about the poor sap who buys it off the used lot just like I did mine?
I feel as if Volvo needs to fess up and offer us something in return for a whole line of lemons - I'd most prefer for them to give me just about what I paid for the car last year off a Volvo lot so I can get rid of my 3rd Volvo and go buy my first Subaru.
I bought a used 2001 v70xc with 49,000 miles. Had to replace the transmission first, then took it in several more times for odd idle and shifting. They cleaned out the throttle and now it finally runds great. Of all the work they did, that was the one thing that seemed to make the biggest difference. I guess it really did need the new transmission, but check the throttle first.
I believe you have an AW55-50 gearbox. Is it a 5 speed auto. What year and what engine. There has been some trouble with this unit. This transmission is built by Aisan Warner, a division of toyota. They don't use this trans is any toyota to the best of my knowledge. It is also used in the late model saturn VUE of course under a different name tag. Before anyone thinks about putting a Saturn Vue trans into a volvo I doubt they will interchange. These units are having a lot of trouble but what do you expect from a toyota. I can't think of any one specific problem to this trans as were just starting to see them in the shops.
I got my tranny fixed for $2500 plus $200 towing from a mechanic in Queens, NY who knows how to rebuild these trannies. He also has the equipment to do software upgrades. So far I've only driven 100 miles so..... — I have a 12,000 mile warranty... but I may sell it.... Don't want to wait till I need the ABS module.
Had the ETM fixed and reimbursed (via the class action)...but then the gear box failed and then car continued to surge and accelerate at low gears and stop sometimes! Took it to the dealer and they said they were willing to eat the prior service ~$400 to go against the $3600 tranny they were quoting me. This alls goes together! I have been a loyal VOLVO owner for over 20 years. This VOLVO 2001 XC70 has issues when it hits 55-75k miles.
Its an 01 with about 70,000. don't know about service. Volvo says they try 3 things in order of price, Drain and refill, update software, new tranny. The tech I spoke with, didn't have much hope for the first two.
"Its an 01 with about 70,000. don't know about service. Volvo says they try 3 things in order of price, Drain and refill, update software, new tranny. The tech I spoke with, didn't have much hope for the first two."
I think 70,000+ miles is a lot of miles to expect oil (especially non-synthetic oil) to perform at peak effectiveness. Since you don't know the service and (ab)use history of your car, a transmission fluid flush is highly advisable. A drain and refill will only replace the dirty/contaminated oil in the pan (less than 1/2 of the total oil capacity). The remaining oil is in the cooler and lines, and will not be affected by a drain/fill.
As you might guess, replacing only a portion of the oil with fresh oil will simply dilute the dirty oil a little bit and may not solve your problem. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself (you can do it easily (and inexpensively) in less than 1 hour with some basic tools and instructions), I recommend you have the dealer do a complete flush of the transmission and cooler to replace ALL of the fluid.
Since your model is an 01 and you don't know if it's ever been done, the software update may also help a lot too. Check back and let us know how everything worked out for you.
I have the exact same problem. Happened suddenly when I dropped it off at my trusted mechanic. I hadn't noticed any problem with shifting the day before but when he took it for a test drive he noticed that third gear wasn't working. Have you had any success fixing your transmission? I just drove from Brooklyn to Syracuse using geartronic to shift from 2nd straight to 4th. I wonder if somethng got knocked loose.
Just wanted to follow-up regarding my tranny problem. After a few discussions with Volvo and e-mailing them to tell them about the tranny problem and that they were going to lose a loyal Volvo customer (we also previously owned an 87 240DL and lease an 06 XC70), I received a call from my Volvo dealer stating that Volvo would replace the tranny if I covered the labor ($1k). It was replaced last week and works fine (cross my fingers). Given what I've read on this board and heard from others regarding XC70 tranny's, I really am going to think carefully before buying my other XC70 when it comes off lease. Seems like Volvo needs to fess up to a real problem. Good luck to all.
Drivers door will not unlock, there is a clicking sound coming from within the door. The door locks fine. I feel there must be something loose or apart in the linkage. To check this I must remove the door panel. How would I go about taking the door panel off?
I'm so glad you got your tranny replaced, because I just did also. I picked up my car yesterday, drove it the 4 hours home and it drove like a brand new car. I had to pay for the labor for the transmission, a new mass airflow sensor as well as two back wheel bearings. My car has 95 K miles on it, so I wasnt too surprised to have to replace those other things. My volvo dealer treated me very well, as he also credited me $600 for the transmission flush and other small things they did the last time I took my car in. Obviously because they didnt fix the issue the first time around. I can see both sides to the volvo problem. Not all transmissions seem to be going out, just a select few and the fact that volvo is willing to give the transmission for free says a lot. Volvo international will eat the cost of the trannies, while the local dealer still needs to make a profit, so I can understand the need for the owner to pay for the labor. In the end, volvo probably doesnt really know why a few transmissions are going out and a few arent. They probably cannot detect if it is the owners fault, the manufacturers fault or the dealers fault. Its tough. BUt I have to say I am so excited because my 2001 XC-70 is driving and sounding like it did when I first bought it, its like a new car! Fingers crossed that it doesnt break down again!! Good luck to everyone else, and my advice is to DEMAND a new transmission, pay the labor out of pocket, its so worth the expense, and enjoy driving your new car!!
purchased our 2001 XC 70 with 47,000 miles and in 60K miles the ETM has been replaced thru recall, the left front wheel bearings have been replaced and now the trans has failed...along with numerous bulbs, computer code upgrades, motor mount failures, tie rod end failures...I thought this car was supposed to be reliable and rugged?
My mechanic is going thru the trans and noticed the ID numbers for the tranny start with an "8" which indicate a replacement trans from Volvo, rather than a trans ID number starting with a "9", which indicates a new OEM trans...the local Volvo "specialist" here in town may have sold me the car with a second trans in the vehicle and did not disclose that vital bit of info!!
So, we're researching the ID numbers and wondering if anyone else out there may have the same situation as we do and what action did they take.
$4,000 for repairs is not making us happy, so we'll repair and sell, take the loss and buy a Honda CRV...screw Volvo and Ford.
What were the circumstances behind your demand for a new transmission? Do you have a warranty? If not, what number did you call? What exactly did you say? Please inform the rest of us who are in this horrible situation so that we can do the same.
I am happy for those of you who did better than I did getting compensation from Volvo. However I must say I am even more disappointed in Volvo based on the inconsistent approach (offering me $1000 off buying a new Volvo - B.S.)
I have had the bevel gear fail, ECU fail, ABS module fail, catalytic converter fail, a gazzilion tie rods fail, this transmission failure issue, CD Player fail (2x), hood latch fail, and many more things I am forgetting.
Hi Ainsworth, It looks like you possibly bought a used lemon. My circumstances are completely different than yours. I bought my 2001 XC new from the dealer, had all the servicing done through them at 10,15, 30, and 60 K miles. The warranty ran out at like 75,000 miles. I have been a very good customer to them, and they knew this and didnt want to lose my business I think, so they gave me a tranny at cost, and I paid the labor to install it. You have got to find a good volvo dealer to help you though, my dealer is really good, where-as I am betting that there are plenty out there that suck! Like yours? When my tranny went out, they had serviced it two hours before and then sent me on my way, on a 4 hour drive, and it was very dangerous. I called them immediately and got right on the phone with the service manager, who was very professional and good to me. I do know that each volvo service manager has an amount of "free service" they can give to customers every year, they have a limited amount to "spend" and I think they chose who they give the free service to, based on what tehy can get back from the customer in later years. I will probably use this volvo dealership again in the future based on how they treated me. It sounds like yours isnt treating you very well, so maybe find another one that will. The key is to be nice but firm, and dont take no for an answer. You cant get mad and mean about it, because then they will tell you to F-off. I hope this helps.
Is the car a 5 speed auto? If it is first thing to do is to retrieve codes with a volvo scanner. The fluid is full, right. This trans has had some problems with the input drum cracking causing no fwd. There is a pressure check which can be done by removing the left front wheel and installing a pressure gauge in the fwd tap. Carefull though, these threads are metric so you need a adapter for your gauge. Any questions please call 952-884-5211 Eric Streed
I flushed the transmission fluid, changed the engine oil/filter/spark plugs/air filter, flushed the coolant, flushed the brake fluid, replaced the rear brake pads, rotated the tires, installed a new cabin air filter, and of course I inspected the undercarriage (suspension, exhaust, seals, leaks, etc).
I have never done a transmission flush like this before (the need to flush the oil cooler - not just drain the case), so I did a bit of research on the internet before tackling the job (there are lots of write-ups on the Volvo enthusiast forums). I took my time and proceeded methodically and it ended up going very well. I used 16 quarts of Mobil ATF 3309, and I also picked up a handy flush kit from IPD. The kit includes a long clear drain hose that fits perfectly in the transmission oil cooler outlet, and new gaskets and lock clip for the transmission oil line - the added convenience was well worth the $25 they charge for the kit.
One method I devised was to use 2 identical one gallon plastic water jugs to measure the oil. I cut the top off each one, and labeled one jug "old" and the other one "new." That made it easy to make sure I always replaced the drained/flushed "old" oil with the same amount of "new" oil. It also kept things pretty clean and drip-free.
With the recent talk on here about transmission issues, I thought I'd point out that the old fluid that came out of my 60K mile transmission was very dark brown, and there was also a nice build up of metallic sludge clinging to the magnetic drain plug. We can debate the validity of "lifetime fluid" all day long, but personally, I think you're asking for problems if you let a transmission go 90K or 100K miles without changing the oil.
I have an engine surge to just under 4000 rpm when shifting from what appears to be 2 to 3 gear , doesn't always do it , just sometimes . there is 83000 miles and I just recently bought the car , our volvo mechanic says he has ran a computer check and made adjustments to get good readings , however when I picked it up it was still having the periodic surge , any recommendations
Mine started out the same way, just kept getting worse. Eventually I had to get a new transmission. I wrote to my state attorney general, who sent two letters to Volvo. No response. Their are a large number of alerts on this tranny. It is poorly made. I suggest you complain. There should be a recall. Making a left turn could be hazardous. I'm also going to write to: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 400 7th St SW Washington DC 20590 They have the power to enforce a recall
That was the very first symptom I experienced. Later I got the revving between gears when shifting. I will give you the same advice I gave to the person with clunk between second and third: Mine started out the same way, just kept getting worse. Eventually I had to get a new transmission. I wrote to my state attorney general, who sent two letters to Volvo. No response. Their are a large number of alerts on this tranny. It is poorly made. I suggest you complain. There should be a recall. Making a left turn could be hazardous. I'm also going to write to: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 400 7th St SW Washington DC 20590 They have the power to enforce a recall
70k miles, automatic transmission. At first very slight and only occurred infrequently. Becoming more frequent. Seems fine except during shifting. Where to get the problem diagnosed and repaired? MY2004
Mine started out the same. Eventually I got a new tranny. Parts are not available. Please take the time to write the National Traffic Safety Board. Volvo knows about this problem. Any transmission shop will tell you here are a number of Bulletins on this transmission. As it gets worse it will become a safety hazard. Make a left turn and lose power for example.
Wow, I guess it isn't just Volvo. All 2001 cars have defective transmissions!
From the NHTSA website...
2001 Lexus RX300: "Transmission went out on a busy interstate at night with myself, my husband and our 8 month old daughter. Had to get the highway patrol to follow us to an exit. This car had 98000 miles on it at the time and according to all my internet research this is a common, known defect with the lexus rx300 that they refuse to address. Its a safety hazard. Lexus of course refused to do anything since it was out of warranty. Cost 3600.00 in repairs. Never had a transmission go out this early, actually never had one go out period on cars with many more miles."
2001 Honda Accord: "Gears started slipping on 2001 accord ex around 80,000. I had fluid changed often and last changed at 105,000 and gears are still slipping. Car jerks really bad and 2nd gear changes harshly. I can't afford another car now but when i am able to get another car, it won't be a honda. This 7th generation of accords 1998-2002 are the worst. I'm not sure what honda has done. I also hear that the 2003-2005 are experiencing the same transmission problems. Transmission has not failed as of yet but am sure it will and if me or my family is hurt, i hope honda is ready for a serious law suit. Trust me when i say this!!"
2001 Volvo V70: "Beginning january 2007, our 2001 v70 would "shift hard" when shifting from "p" to "d" or from "r" to "d" or when accelerating from a low speed. We thought it was the weather causing the issue due to it being intermittent. It became worse and shift became harder. Appt in april concluded it "may be" the tcm. Software was upgraded and we were told there would be an "adjustment" period. All under warranty. Took a week to fix what was noted as only needing 30 minutes to fix. End of june, called to state same thing is happening that the issue wasn't fixed. Volvo checked warranty and contract ended just three weeks prior. July 10, took v70 in for "diagnostic" and we need a "new transmission". Volvo will not take responsibility nor see the problem as pre-existing."
2001 Nissan Maxima: "My nissan maxima (2001) began to hard shift between 1st and 2nd gear at approx. 55,000 miles. When i reported it to the dealer (tim dahle nissan in sandy, ut) at the 60,000 maintenance service, i was told there was nothing wrong with the transmission. The shifting problem got steadily worse. The car began doing it randomly at any gear. At 74,000 miles i finally had time to take it to the dealer again...the dealer assured me that this was the way the transmission was supposed to work. Apparently, nissan released a bulletin to its dealers, explaining that there was a known problem in the maxima 2000 to 2003 (and other models as well)."
2001 Dodge Intrepid: "My automatic transmission failed at approximately 57,000 miles on my 2001 intrepid r/t. I was at a stoplight and it was like i hit something. I could only move in 3rd gear at that point. I took my car to a transmission shop, and they proceeded with repairs. After removing and completely tearing down my transmission, i was offered two options. The first was a stock rebuild, just as it came from the manufacturer. It was the option i chose and cost me $1800 after taxes. The other option was replacing the same parts, but with updates that are recommended by daimler chrysler. That option was $2200 before taxes. The interesting thing is that daimler chrysler knows about the problems if they recommend the updates. I have been in contact with daimler chrysler through their customer assistance website and have complete documentation of our discussions, word for word. This is obviously a problem they are aware of, other customers are having, and will continue to be a problem as long as they use the 42 le transmission."
2001 Chevy Lumina: "The contact stated after coming to a full stop at a crossover, the automatic transmission seized completely. A rattling noise, then a bump was heard inside the vehicle prior to the incident. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealer who determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact expressed concern because the vehicle only had 40668 miles. The contact planned to notify the manufacturer after filing a complaint with the nhtsa."
2001 Audi A6: "Consumer is upset because he had to have a brand new transmission replaced. After taking transmission to mechanic, he was told that he needed transmission replaced because it was not working properly. Also, it was hesitating at slow speeds, clumping when it was going in and out of 1st to 2nd gear. In addition, vehicle was revving at 6000 rpms before shifting into gear."
Oh the software upgrade? Well, thats what they did to mine, they did the upgrade and it didnt help at all, in fact after I picked my car up and they told me it was"all fixed", it broke down right after on the highway. Tell the service manager about the blogs you have been reading, about all the transmission problems that you read about in '01 XC's and that you know a person that got a free transmission, but had to pay the labor costs. Tell them that's what you want and be very firm about it. My car is running like its brand new, I am very happy with my new transmission, even if I had to pay to have it put in!
My new transmission put in less than 8,000 miles ago (under warranty - at 62,000) is already showing signs of slipping.
I can't believe it. And now I have to wait for it to get bad enough so that it shows consistently enough so that I am able to go back into the Volvo dealership with my warranty and start the process all over again.
I can only imagine no one, including Volvo, will be none to happy about putting a 3rd transmission into a car that at this moment has less than 69,000 miles on it.
Clarification: I should have originally posted this message in a V70 forum and not an XC70, since both models have different transmissions.
I'm happy to report my issue was finally resolved. I wrote a letter to the CEO Volvo NA in Dec 07. [I'm called up for military service in Kosovo and have been pre-occupied since my origal post.] The dealership where I bought the car contacted me and we exchanged several e-mails. While no one will admit fault with the car, they agreed to refund 2/3 of the repair cost (about $2700) because I had a poor experience at the dealership. I had to go to great lengths to explain I was not as unhappy with the dealership as I was with Volvo NA. I think they were trying to lay a guilt trip on me. I laid it right back and reminded them of the harranging they give me to max out their customer service scores every time I go in for service. I think it helped that I copied the state Attorney General where I live. All of this could have been avoided if Volvo NA would recognize this issue, upfront. They key to success is: professionally worded and brief pesonal letter to the CEO, cc: GM of dealership and your state AG. Remain professional in all correspondence and dialogue no matter how much they piss you off. I included copies of posts from on line forums.
A used Lexus LS 430 looks awful good right now for my next car. Saw it in a BBC series called MI-5 and it looks very cool. Probably doesn't have many technical issues.
Bought my 01 XC 70 in March of 06 from auction with about 60k miles on it., spent about 1000.00 making it roadworthy, rear bearing etc and thought I was happy. However a month later on the highway at 110 kph it stalled out into safety mode and would only go 20 k. Stopped my trip, restarted car and returned to dealer at normal speeds. Was told it was a possible ETM problem or software upgrade. Paid the money and the car appeared to work ok for a period of time. Next I was on a long trip 3000 km, was using the cruise control, and going up a hill, passing another vehicle, it quit and went into safety mode (20 kph). Stopped the car, restarted and continued driving. Have been unable to get that problem fixed, Therefore I do not use cruise control. I have the "rear ended bump" occurring when i am stopped at a light, and take my foot off the brake and move to the gas. I can reduce this if I shift into first. I am told there is a software adjustment for this.... really? Today i was stopped at a light and bam the :rear end bump" occurred in the transmission resulting in a transmission service and check engine light coming on.
Problems: Engine/transmission -inconsistent operation, bumping at stops continues, I have done partial and full flushes, trying to alleviate the problem. Electrical - drivers door lock/left rear door lock - either work inconsistently or do not work. Electrical - temperature gauge on mirror - 600.00 fix, i am debating the value of replacing this. electrical - rear window wiper - inconsistent function Electrical - battery draws down resulting in failure to start once every 2 weeks (it is a new battery) Rear hatch door lock - was sticking - asked the repair shop to adjust the cable, it now works. Other repairs included front struts (probably normal for mileage - now at 113k miles)
Do I like the car -yes, do i like the repair cost - "not so much!" I am looking at an 04 or 05.. is it going to get any better?
My heart sank as I read all these postings about Volvo transmission issues. I recently purchased a 2003 V70 and soon noticed it would "flare" between 2nd and 3rd gears. I had them flush the tranny and it seemed to work great for awhile, but the flares are returning.
I log lots of miles as an outside sales rep and I am concerned I will be stranded far from home. With no warranty, I am on my own and I hoped there would be a recall of some sort, but seems to be a fantasy.
This was my second Volvo and I had fond memories of my 1993 850 GLT. That one got up to 180,000 with minimal care and cost. This is my last Volvo for sure. Sorry Sweden, but I am going back to my German sedans once again. Having had three BMW's and one Audi, I think another Audi is going to be considered...
If anyone has suggestions on how to get help from Volvo...please respond.
I wrote to Volvo North America and was turned down flat. My local dealer called after the letter, and offered me a reduced price on a replacement tranny. Nobody I can find will repair that tranny. It is replaced with a rebuilt as new ones are not available. I can see why they are not made anymore.
In early September of 2007 I became the owner of a used 2001 V70 XC it at the time had 127,000 miles. The overall car was garage kept and in immaculate condition. Prior to owning the Volvo I owned a 1998 4wd Toyota Tacoma, however I am in college and while in my apartment someone broke into my truck, stole various items and rolled my vehicle off of a 10 ft cliff at the base of my apartments parking lot. Owned the Toyota for 4 yrs never had one problem with it and only paid for routine service. Since owning the Volvo I have had numerous problems, fuses blowing on my tail lights constantly, failure of my alarm system, and the most recent and worst problem occurred last night when having to make a trip home from college for the weekend. Going up a hill while in cruise control last night my volvo slipped out of gear and the odometer approached redline, as this happened a series of lights lit up on my dash message board stating transmission service urgent and check engine light. Being halfway home I decided to try to make it home, despite only having only 4th gear ( I am assuming b/c I had to be at 2500 rpm for my vehicle to engage and make forward progress) I was able to make it. Before making the trip home from school I was experiencing some issues w/ my transmission, like slight slippage and surging at around 2500- 3000 rpm in 1st and 2nd gear. I would have had my vehicle looked at prior to making the trip, but the area of my school is lacking in import mechanics or any mechanics I would put my trust in. the next step is taking it to the Volvo dealership where the vehicle was initially purchased to have them try fix the problem, wish me luck.
I have a 2001 XC 70 Cross Country Wagon with about 90,000 miles. I bought it new and did all the routine service required. I am very good about keeping up with that, as I really value my cars. I absolutely love my wagon; however, I have been having some issues with the transmission. Last November it was making a bucking motion when I was driving home in stop and go rush hour traffic. I brought it straight to the dealer who performed various tests and found nothing. The software upgrade had already been done previously. They told me if it continued I'd have to get a new transmission. I've had intermittent problems but nothing nearly as bad as that day.
Yesterday I was driving down a hill and then had to make a slight turn and go up another hill. I, of course, slowed down when I got to the bottom of the hill to make the slight turn and then when I gave it gas it jerked. I haven't called my dealer yet - I wanted to see if there were others that had similar issues and how they proceeded.
How did you go about getting a free transmission? I can't believe I'd have to buy a new transmission when I've been faithful with my routine service appts. I love my car and would prefer to hold off buying a new one so I'm not anxious to put a lot of money in to it. Can you please let me know how I should proceed?
I didn't get a free transmission. I bought one from the dealer. It lasted about 1 month and then I got another under warranty. The second one was free, but not convenient.
Also send a complaint to the Attorney Generals office in your state, i have done this and they compile the complaints to take action. Please make sure you do this it will definetly help.
Also send a complaint to the Attorney Generals office in your state, i have done this and they compile the complaints to take action. Please make sure you do this it will definetly help. I posted this already once to another posting, but this will help get the ball rolling
It may not be the transmission, it could be the electrical system. I took my 01 back in this week and was considering replacing the solenoids on the transmission a 2,000.00 repair, Instead they reviewed my modules, and replaced the main ECM module which failed during a software upgrade, adding in the diagnosis time for the electrical draw from a right passenger window module, it cost me 3,000 to fix,which included the Oxygen sensors, The transmission is working fine at this point, it appears the ECM was part of the problem.
Check your electrical components.... see my post regarding the main ECM , it may be causing some of the issues. There are more software upgrades for the ecm and the transmission Also check to see if these components have extended warranties too.
Why do you need a transmission? my 01 xc would bump when i went from brake to gas at stop signs, i flushed the tranny trying to eliminate the problem. This week i went in because the bumping was getting worse,options were to replace the solenoids 1500.00 or try software upgrades. We upgraded the two softwares, the first worked, the second wiped out my ecm module. 3000.00 i have an new ECM and more things now work in my car, still have a two wonky window moulator/regulators600.00 and a non functioning exterior temp gauge 600.00. It may be electrical...either way its expensive!
Comments
It has 94,000 miles on it and it recently started to "clunk" into gear. I took it to the dealership and they flushed the transmission and upgraded the software, same thing that everyone else does. I have a 4 hour drive home from the dealership, and about 30 minutes into the drive, BAM!! loses power, wont shift, wont go above 20 on hills, and I almost got run over by 3 semi-trailers on I-80!! I pushed it over to the triptonic side and could shift into each gear manually. At each shift though, it was bucking and clucking, it was pretty unnerving to say the least.
I did manage to get it home, but I was pissed off!
I got online and found this blog along with a few other blogs with many people with similar problems. I found a class action lawsuit against volvo intetnational ( or Ford) online regarding a faulty throttle that has been going on since 1999 I believe, I'm not sure of the status of it, but Volvo waged a big campaign to not let the lawsuit leak to the press.
I think we should get together and start our own class-action lawsuit for faulty transmissions.
I called the dealership and stopped payment on the charge for the flush and the upgrade. They called me back and offered a FREE rebuilt transmission, if I would pay the labor to install it. That would be about $1000 out of my pocket.
I think I am going to take them up on it, and then
SELL THE CAR!!!
Its such a bummer because I loved my volvo up unitl now, but don't trust them anymore
If you have the same problem with your car, get really informed with the blogs and stuff so you will have ammo when you tell volvo they need to give you a free tranny too!
Good luck!!
Cost to replace would be $1600 but no assurance that I will not need to replace
the whole transmission for approximately $3200 at some point in the future.
Dealer said I can drive it for now but I'm not too happy incurring a nice expense here at some point especially since this does not appear to be an isolated issue after reading this board. We also have done all the recommended servicings, etc. Car overall has been good - one major repair but it was under warranty. We have an 06 XC70 as well.
As for the problems people have mentioned in the thread regarding the throttle body, I had three replaced and one instance almost caused my wife, who at the time was pregnant, to get in an accidednt as the car lost power on a major highway in CT. 65 down to under 30 in a matter of moments.
I have only driven Volvos, like the brand, but its not always as kind in return.
Rough shifting is beginning to occur again between 1st / 2nd and 2nd / 3rd - not consistent big clucking just yet - though I had my first fairly significant one the other day.
It's been 2500 miles since the transmission was replaced - crazy... I'll just have to wait until it's clearly happening on a regular basis before I take it back in to see what they're going to do.
I don't want to deal with the hassle anymore - and only 65,000 miles on my 2001 XC 70 - which otherwise is a great drive and great looking car...
And even if I trade it in, what about the poor sap who buys it off the used lot just like I did mine?
I feel as if Volvo needs to fess up and offer us something in return for a whole line of lemons - I'd most prefer for them to give me just about what I paid for the car last year off a Volvo lot so I can get rid of my 3rd Volvo and go buy my first Subaru.
Look here:
http://fazmiclaw.com/Volvo.html
— I have a 12,000 mile warranty... but I may sell it.... Don't want to wait till I need the ABS module.
I think 70,000+ miles is a lot of miles to expect oil (especially non-synthetic oil) to perform at peak effectiveness. Since you don't know the service and (ab)use history of your car, a transmission fluid flush is highly advisable. A drain and refill will only replace the dirty/contaminated oil in the pan (less than 1/2 of the total oil capacity). The remaining oil is in the cooler and lines, and will not be affected by a drain/fill.
As you might guess, replacing only a portion of the oil with fresh oil will simply dilute the dirty oil a little bit and may not solve your problem. If you're not comfortable doing it yourself (you can do it easily (and inexpensively) in less than 1 hour with some basic tools and instructions), I recommend you have the dealer do a complete flush of the transmission and cooler to replace ALL of the fluid.
Since your model is an 01 and you don't know if it's ever been done, the software update may also help a lot too. Check back and let us know how everything worked out for you.
Thanks,
Bill
I had to pay for the labor for the transmission, a new mass airflow sensor as well as two back wheel bearings. My car has 95 K miles on it, so I wasnt too surprised to have to replace those other things.
My volvo dealer treated me very well, as he also credited me $600 for the transmission flush and other small things they did the last time I took my car in. Obviously because they didnt fix the issue the first time around.
I can see both sides to the volvo problem. Not all transmissions seem to be going out, just a select few and the fact that volvo is willing to give the transmission for free says a lot. Volvo international will eat the cost of the trannies, while the local dealer still needs to make a profit, so I can understand the need for the owner to pay for the labor. In the end, volvo probably doesnt really know why a few transmissions are going out and a few arent. They probably cannot detect if it is the owners fault, the manufacturers fault or the dealers fault.
Its tough.
BUt I have to say I am so excited because my 2001 XC-70 is driving and sounding like it did when I first bought it, its like a new car! Fingers crossed that it doesnt break down again!!
Good luck to everyone else, and my advice is to DEMAND a new transmission, pay the labor out of pocket, its so worth the expense, and enjoy driving your new car!!
My mechanic is going thru the trans and noticed the ID numbers for the tranny start with an "8" which indicate a replacement trans from Volvo, rather than a trans ID number starting with a "9", which indicates a new OEM trans...the local Volvo "specialist" here in town may have sold me the car with a second trans in the vehicle and did not disclose that vital bit of info!!
So, we're researching the ID numbers and wondering if anyone else out there may have the same situation as we do and what action did they take.
$4,000 for repairs is not making us happy, so we'll repair and sell, take the loss and buy a Honda CRV...screw Volvo and Ford.
Do you have a warranty? If not, what number did you call? What exactly did you say? Please inform the rest of us who are in this horrible situation so that we can do the same.
I have had the bevel gear fail, ECU fail, ABS module fail, catalytic converter fail, a gazzilion tie rods fail, this transmission failure issue, CD Player fail (2x), hood latch fail, and many more things I am forgetting.
Sigh.
It looks like you possibly bought a used lemon.
My circumstances are completely different than yours. I bought my 2001 XC new from the dealer, had all the servicing done through them at 10,15, 30, and 60 K miles. The warranty ran out at like 75,000 miles.
I have been a very good customer to them, and they knew this and didnt want to lose my business I think, so they gave me a tranny at cost, and I paid the labor to install it.
You have got to find a good volvo dealer to help you though, my dealer is really good, where-as I am betting that there are plenty out there that suck! Like yours?
When my tranny went out, they had serviced it two hours before and then sent me on my way, on a 4 hour drive, and it was very dangerous. I called them immediately and got right on the phone with the service manager, who was very professional and good to me.
I do know that each volvo service manager has an amount of "free service" they can give to customers every year, they have a limited amount to "spend" and I think they chose who they give the free service to, based on what tehy can get back from the customer in later years. I will probably use this volvo dealership again in the future based on how they treated me. It sounds like yours isnt treating you very well, so maybe find another one that will.
The key is to be nice but firm, and dont take no for an answer. You cant get mad and mean about it, because then they will tell you to F-off.
I hope this helps.
Any questions please call 952-884-5211
Eric Streed
I flushed the transmission fluid, changed the engine oil/filter/spark plugs/air filter, flushed the coolant, flushed the brake fluid, replaced the rear brake pads, rotated the tires, installed a new cabin air filter, and of course I inspected the undercarriage (suspension, exhaust, seals, leaks, etc).
I have never done a transmission flush like this before (the need to flush the oil cooler - not just drain the case), so I did a bit of research on the internet before tackling the job (there are lots of write-ups on the Volvo enthusiast forums). I took my time and proceeded methodically and it ended up going very well. I used 16 quarts of Mobil ATF 3309, and I also picked up a handy flush kit from IPD. The kit includes a long clear drain hose that fits perfectly in the transmission oil cooler outlet, and new gaskets and lock clip for the transmission oil line - the added convenience was well worth the $25 they charge for the kit.
One method I devised was to use 2 identical one gallon plastic water jugs to measure the oil. I cut the top off each one, and labeled one jug "old" and the other one "new." That made it easy to make sure I always replaced the drained/flushed "old" oil with the same amount of "new" oil. It also kept things pretty clean and drip-free.
With the recent talk on here about transmission issues, I thought I'd point out that the old fluid that came out of my 60K mile transmission was very dark brown, and there was also a nice build up of metallic sludge clinging to the magnetic drain plug. We can debate the validity of "lifetime fluid" all day long, but personally, I think you're asking for problems if you let a transmission go 90K or 100K miles without changing the oil.
I'm experiencing the same problem The Shifting from Reverse to Drive takes a couple seconds and is not smooth.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
400 7th St SW
Washington DC 20590
They have the power to enforce a recall
Mine started out the same way, just kept getting worse. Eventually I had to get a new transmission. I wrote to my state attorney general, who sent two letters to Volvo. No response. Their are a large number of alerts on this tranny. It is poorly made. I suggest you complain. There should be a recall. Making a left turn could be hazardous. I'm also going to write to:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
400 7th St SW
Washington DC 20590
They have the power to enforce a recall
From the NHTSA website...
2001 Lexus RX300:
"Transmission went out on a busy interstate at night with myself, my husband and our 8 month old daughter. Had to get the highway patrol to follow us to an exit. This car had 98000 miles on it at the time and according to all my internet research this is a common, known defect with the lexus rx300 that they refuse to address. Its a safety hazard. Lexus of course refused to do anything since it was out of warranty. Cost 3600.00 in repairs. Never had a transmission go out this early, actually never had one go out period on cars with many more miles."
2001 Honda Accord:
"Gears started slipping on 2001 accord ex around 80,000. I had fluid changed often and last changed at 105,000 and gears are still slipping. Car jerks really bad and 2nd gear changes harshly. I can't afford another car now but when i am able to get another car, it won't be a honda. This 7th generation of accords 1998-2002 are the worst. I'm not sure what honda has done. I also hear that the 2003-2005 are experiencing the same transmission problems. Transmission has not failed as of yet but am sure it will and if me or my family is hurt, i hope honda is ready for a serious law suit. Trust me when i say this!!"
2001 Volvo V70:
"Beginning january 2007, our 2001 v70 would "shift hard" when shifting from "p" to "d" or from "r" to "d" or when accelerating from a low speed. We thought it was the weather causing the issue due to it being intermittent. It became worse and shift became harder. Appt in april concluded it "may be" the tcm. Software was upgraded and we were told there would be an "adjustment" period. All under warranty. Took a week to fix what was noted as only needing 30 minutes to fix. End of june, called to state same thing is happening that the issue wasn't fixed. Volvo checked warranty and contract ended just three weeks prior. July 10, took v70 in for "diagnostic" and we need a "new transmission". Volvo will not take responsibility nor see the problem as pre-existing."
2001 Nissan Maxima:
"My nissan maxima (2001) began to hard shift between 1st and 2nd gear at approx. 55,000 miles. When i reported it to the dealer (tim dahle nissan in sandy, ut) at the 60,000 maintenance service, i was told there was nothing wrong with the transmission. The shifting problem got steadily worse. The car began doing it randomly at any gear. At 74,000 miles i finally had time to take it to the dealer again...the dealer assured me that this was the way the transmission was supposed to work. Apparently, nissan released a bulletin to its dealers, explaining that there was a known problem in the maxima 2000 to 2003 (and other models as well)."
2001 Dodge Intrepid:
"My automatic transmission failed at approximately 57,000 miles on my 2001 intrepid r/t. I was at a stoplight and it was like i hit something. I could only move in 3rd gear at that point. I took my car to a transmission shop, and they proceeded with repairs. After removing and completely tearing down my transmission, i was offered two options. The first was a stock rebuild, just as it came from the manufacturer. It was the option i chose and cost me $1800 after taxes. The other option was replacing the same parts, but with updates that are recommended by daimler chrysler. That option was $2200 before taxes. The interesting thing is that daimler chrysler knows about the problems if they recommend the updates. I have been in contact with daimler chrysler through their customer assistance website and have complete documentation of our discussions, word for word. This is obviously a problem they are aware of, other customers are having, and will continue to be a problem as long as they use the 42 le transmission."
2001 Chevy Lumina:
"The contact stated after coming to a full stop at a crossover, the automatic transmission seized completely. A rattling noise, then a bump was heard inside the vehicle prior to the incident. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealer who determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact expressed concern because the vehicle only had 40668 miles. The contact planned to notify the manufacturer after filing a complaint with the nhtsa."
2001 Audi A6:
"Consumer is upset because he had to have a brand new transmission replaced. After taking transmission to mechanic, he was told that he needed transmission replaced because it was not working properly. Also, it was hesitating at slow speeds, clumping when it was going in and out of 1st to 2nd gear. In addition, vehicle was revving at 6000 rpms before shifting into gear."
My car is running like its brand new, I am very happy with my new transmission, even if I had to pay to have it put in!
I can't believe it. And now I have to wait for it to get bad enough so that it shows consistently enough so that I am able to go back into the Volvo dealership with my warranty and start the process all over again.
I can only imagine no one, including Volvo, will be none to happy about putting a 3rd transmission into a car that at this moment has less than 69,000 miles on it.
I'm happy to report my issue was finally resolved. I wrote a letter to the CEO Volvo NA in Dec 07. [I'm called up for military service in Kosovo and have been pre-occupied since my origal post.] The dealership where I bought the car contacted me and we exchanged several e-mails. While no one will admit fault with the car, they agreed to refund 2/3 of the repair cost (about $2700) because I had a poor experience at the dealership. I had to go to great lengths to explain I was not as unhappy with the dealership as I was with Volvo NA. I think they were trying to lay a guilt trip on me. I laid it right back and reminded them of the harranging they give me to max out their customer service scores every time I go in for service. I think it helped that I copied the state Attorney General where I live. All of this could have been avoided if Volvo NA would recognize this issue, upfront. They key to success is: professionally worded and brief pesonal letter to the CEO, cc: GM of dealership and your state AG. Remain professional in all correspondence and dialogue no matter how much they piss you off. I included copies of posts from on line forums.
A used Lexus LS 430 looks awful good right now for my next car. Saw it in a BBC series called MI-5 and it looks very cool. Probably doesn't have many technical issues.
Next I was on a long trip 3000 km, was using the cruise control, and going up a hill, passing another vehicle, it quit and went into safety mode (20 kph). Stopped the car, restarted and continued driving. Have been unable to get that problem fixed, Therefore I do not use cruise control.
I have the "rear ended bump" occurring when i am stopped at a light, and take my foot off the brake and move to the gas. I can reduce this if I shift into first.
I am told there is a software adjustment for this.... really?
Today i was stopped at a light and bam the :rear end bump" occurred in the transmission resulting in a transmission service and check engine light coming on.
Problems:
Engine/transmission -inconsistent operation, bumping at stops continues,
I have done partial and full flushes, trying to alleviate the problem.
Electrical - drivers door lock/left rear door lock - either work inconsistently or do not work.
Electrical - temperature gauge on mirror - 600.00 fix, i am debating the value of replacing this.
electrical - rear window wiper - inconsistent function
Electrical - battery draws down resulting in failure to start once every 2 weeks (it is a new battery)
Rear hatch door lock - was sticking - asked the repair shop to adjust the cable, it now works.
Other repairs included front struts (probably normal for mileage - now at 113k miles)
Do I like the car -yes, do i like the repair cost - "not so much!"
I am looking at an 04 or 05.. is it going to get any better?
My heart sank as I read all these postings about Volvo transmission issues. I recently purchased a 2003 V70 and soon noticed it would "flare" between 2nd and 3rd gears. I had them flush the tranny and it seemed to work great for awhile, but the flares are returning.
I log lots of miles as an outside sales rep and I am concerned I will be stranded far from home. With no warranty, I am on my own and I hoped there would be a recall of some sort, but seems to be a fantasy.
This was my second Volvo and I had fond memories of my 1993 850 GLT. That one got up to 180,000 with minimal care and cost. This is my last Volvo for sure. Sorry Sweden, but I am going back to my German sedans once again. Having had three BMW's and one Audi, I think another Audi is going to be considered...
If anyone has suggestions on how to get help from Volvo...please respond.
RS
Yesterday I was driving down a hill and then had to make a slight turn and go up another hill. I, of course, slowed down when I got to the bottom of the hill to make the slight turn and then when I gave it gas it jerked. I haven't called my dealer yet - I wanted to see if there were others that had similar issues and how they proceeded.
How did you go about getting a free transmission? I can't believe I'd have to buy a new transmission when I've been faithful with my routine service appts. I love my car and would prefer to hold off buying a new one so I'm not anxious to put a lot of money in to it. Can you please let me know how I should proceed?
Thank you.
I posted this already once to another posting, but this will help get the ball rolling
I took my 01 back in this week and was considering replacing the solenoids on the transmission a 2,000.00 repair, Instead they reviewed my modules, and replaced the main ECM module which failed during a software upgrade, adding in the diagnosis time for the electrical draw from a right passenger window module, it cost me 3,000 to fix,which included the Oxygen sensors,
The transmission is working fine at this point, it appears the ECM was part of the problem.
Also check to see if these components have extended warranties too.
my 01 xc would bump when i went from brake to gas at stop signs, i flushed the tranny trying to eliminate the problem. This week i went in because the bumping was getting worse,options were to replace the solenoids 1500.00 or try software upgrades.
We upgraded the two softwares, the first worked, the second wiped out my ecm module. 3000.00 i have an new ECM and more things now work in my car, still have a two wonky window moulator/regulators600.00 and a non functioning exterior temp gauge 600.00.
It may be electrical...either way its expensive!