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Volvo XC90 T6 Transmission

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Comments

  • alittleboyalittleboy Member Posts: 14
    Re failed transmission at 67,000kms. When I wrote in my 5th letter to Volvo that I was now ready to tell the world in any way I could that this T6 is Volvo's dirty little secret, they had their lawyers send me a letter warning me to stop making veiled threats! Now nobody at Volvo Worldwide will have anything to do with me because they will not entertain any more corrrespondence as my case has been put in the hands of their lawyers! Easy way out for them, but won't stop me telling everyone I can the story of my personal experience.
  • alittleboyalittleboy Member Posts: 14
    Hi Andrew, I bought my lemon T6 in Brookvale (Australia) and was steered by my mechanic to a transmission specialist too - seems that's not the right procedure according to Volvo. Can you contact me on my email address as listed in my Edmunds profile? Thanks!
  • alittleboyalittleboy Member Posts: 14
    If you're finding it hard to be heard regarding your compensation for transmission failure, try the CTTT (Consumer Trading and Tenancy Tribunal).
  • hcarranzahcarranza Member Posts: 1
    I am also new to the Forum. I purchased a low mileage 04 XC90 from Carmax in 2007 and have had nothing but (extremely dangerous) problems with it from engine "backfires" disabling the vehicle in traffic which took over 2 years and thousands of dollars to fix (I believe a similar scenario with Volvo paying 50%) to most recently a transmission issue.

    It has 61,940 miles on it (~24K when purchased) and the transmission is intermittently "slipping" when going from a stop into first gear. I thought I was imagining it at first until it became a "stutter-like" sound for a few seconds and slammed into gear. this has happened three times and in between it has been occasionally slipping as I noted. It has been going on for about three weeks (at least that is how long I have noticded it).

    I thought about getting the transmission fluid flushed/changed but I couldn't find anything in the owners manual about it so an Auto parts store associate said he had heard of problems with the these transmissions and to look it up on-line and I happened to find this.

    We don't drive the vehicle hard AT ALL. In fact, as you can see we have averaged less than 10K per year on it since ownership. We go through tires and brakes frequently but this transmission thing is scary and I don't have $5-7K to pay for a new transmission! Does anyone have the name, number and/or contact information for the SoCal mfg rep? If so, I will gladly call or write a letter. I am familiar with several class action "incubation" attorneys in the Los Angeles area and if Volvo won't help me with what seems to be such a frequent and dangerous issue I would glady hop on board with such an action. I have two little kids and a wife with cancer and I am through with letting big companies make billions of dollars while seemingly shirking responsibility from such exposures until people die.

    The only reason I purchased this vehicle was because of Volvo's safety record /reputation and I didn't want a minivan. I can't be constantly worrying that I am going to get in an accident with my kids because of this!!!
  • jimddijimddi Member Posts: 11
    I hate to tell you, but Vovlo will blow you off unless you have a valid warranty. We have purchased nothing but Volvos since 1984 but have had regular servicing done at an independent garage that does only Volvos. However I was told that dealer loyalty has nothing to do with how many Volvos you own. Loyalty is based solely on if you have your car services at a Volvo dealer - nothing else. When I appealed my latest fiasco to the USA HQ, after 20 minutes of relating my story, their wonderful customer rep said, and I quote, "Get a lawyer, Mr. Moyer." So, if you want to get a class action suit going, I'm in! I have been told that the lawyer will want the parts that Volvo replaces and most dealers will not give them to you. I do not have the defective parts. At this point we are selling our XC 90 T6 and will never buy another Volvo.
  • djevans99djevans99 Member Posts: 1
    I purchased a 2004 Volvo XC90 T6 new and have had it serviced at the dealer regularly. My transmission failed at 83,000 miles. Volvo covered the entire cost of replacing the transmission, oil cooler and radiator. My dealer Weiss Brentwood Volvo in St Louis, MO facilitated the entire transaction. I brought the car in for repair not knowing of this common problem and the dealer contacted Volvo imediately to resolve, I never even had to talk with Volvo. Thank you Volvo and Weiss Brentwood Volvo.
  • t6troublet6trouble Member Posts: 5
    Same with my vehicle. The colder it gets, the worse the noise. Was -20deg this morning, clanked like crazy. Several different items affected this clanking.
    1. Cold weather = cold square tires, same affect as point 2.
    2. Bent rim, and out of balance wheels: sent shake through the system, causing vibration at the joint. Had the vehicle up on stands on all four wheels - see the drive shaft and hear it clanging.
    3. Worn out cv joint at the front of the driveshaft. Mechanic just took it apart, worn out at 43000 miles.
    Looking for new or rebuilt shaft for delivery to Canada.
  • get240backget240back Member Posts: 2
    Hello, I own the same vehicle. My trans is starting to slip at 72,000.
    I'm curious aren't you out of warranty .

    Thank you
  • verot6verot6 Member Posts: 21
    I am on my way to NJ (Volvo North America) from Florida this mornig to give my deposition in at least one class action lawsuit that is being brought against Volvo regarding as you say their "dirty little secret".

    Same experience for me, local dealer said I had no loyalty to them or Volvo since I had not purchased the car from them nor did I have them ever perform service (I bought my 03 T6 used from 3rd party). I'm out $5,000 for my transmission.

    The mechanic I had do the work used a modified rebuild & I know have over 40K miles on it & no troubles so far (knock on wood).

    Hopefully today will open some doors for the rest of us who have suffered financially & in other ways from this blatant disregard for Volvo taking responsibilty in this problem.

    I wonder how many 03 - 05 T6 are out there that have had this problem. looks like there has been over 600 according the numbers of posts on this forum.

    Wish me luck.

    VeroT6
  • jimddijimddi Member Posts: 11
    Keep all of us informed. I will certainly join the lawsuit.
  • jettblackjettblack Member Posts: 5
    I had to have my 2004 volvo xc 90 t6 awd transmission rebuilt at 68kmiles. I am going on 85k now without problems. I am looking to find out if I can get reimbursed for the rebuilt transmission now. I was told to save the receipt and I have. ALSO I am wondering about the success of the rebuilt transmission as apposed to a new replacement. The transmission was replaced by a mechanic who actually liked the transmission in GM cars and believed it should be sufficient in the volvo. He did not change the radiator and I have had no further problems except when it was very cold this winter the engine intermittently had to warm before it would go into reverse from park. I don't understand the difficulty in figuring out the problems with this transmission. It seems so difficult but this is a simple GM transmission. Perhaps going with the rebuild by a mechanic who knows the transmission is the most reliable choice. Only time will tell. I had purchased this vehicle off warranty by an independent sales person at 63k miles. Looking for feed back. I want to be reimbursed by Volvo for my expense. This should not have happened and certainly they should be able to figure out how to remedy the problem. Right?
  • jettblackjettblack Member Posts: 5
    I had to have my 2004 volvo xc 90 t6 awd transmission rebuilt at 68kmiles. I am going on 85k now without problems. I am looking to find out if I can get reimbursed for the rebuilt transmission now. I was told to save the receipt and I have. ALSO I am wondering about the success of the rebuilt transmission as apposed to a new replacement. The transmission was replaced by a mechanic who actually liked the transmission in GM cars and believed it should be sufficient in the volvo. He did not change the radiator and I have had no further problems except when it was very cold this winter the engine intermittently had to warm before it would go into reverse from park. I don't understand the difficulty in figuring out the problems with this transmission. It seems so difficult but this is a simple GM transmission. Perhaps going with the rebuild by a mechanic who knows the transmission is the most reliable choice. Only time will tell. I had purchased this vehicle off warranty by an independent sales person at 63k miles. Looking for feed back. I want to be reimbursed by Volvo for my expense. This should not have happened and certainly they should be able to figure out how to remedy the problem. Right?
  • MilosantaMilosanta Member Posts: 8
    I first posted back in 2008, when my first transmission went out. I was fortunately under a warrant still. I am now on my 4th transmission and Volvo still hasn't figured out how to corrrectly solve his problem. This transmission will be my first out of warranty and they have offered to cover the parts but the labor is my part. Needless to say I have tried to sell this car or trade it in, but when I go to Volvo they always low ball the trade in price even below the Kelly Blue book, which I think is b/c of the tranny issue. I am very interested in the outcome of the suit,especially since the Customer Service rep I spoke with basically told me that I was wasting my time trying to get Volvo to cover the entire costs. I was told that I was lucky b/c the other replacements didn't cost me anything. I had to remind them that I had to pay extra for that warranty and it did cost me time, aggravation and confidence that it wouldn't happen again. If this was a horse horse I would have shot it a long time ago. Keep us posted on the case.
  • jimddijimddi Member Posts: 11
    I want to join the class action lawsuit. I have been through 5 levels of "customer service." The last lady finally told me, and I quote, "Get a lawyer, Mr. Moyer." They have not been helpful at all. Count me in!
  • 2004_xc90t6guy2004_xc90t6guy Member Posts: 1
    So I have owned this truck for 1 year and 3 months. I purchased it at 109,000Km. Thats about 65,000 miles. Thank God I purchased a full extended warranty for this truck. Here is why :

    After 5000km of owning it :

    DCM Differential control module (2500$)
    TCM Transmission control module (850$)
    Instrument cluster (1280$)
    ECM Engine controle module (1650$)

    All needed to be changed. The truck was basically turning itself off while driving on the highway. I videotaped it when it happened and showed the volvo dealership that I wasnt lyeing... Volvo Canada? they were really sorry about the mess, but they basically couldnt care less that their truck basically turned itself into a death trap every time i was driving it.

    Then... 2000km down the road, tie rods, steering column, driver's side suspention and ball beiring needed to be replaced (2800$)

    And then... another 400km down the road, transmission is leaking fluid from the coolant to the transmission oil. Transmission needs to be replaced. (7800$)

    So what's next sell the vehicule? Who the hell would want to buy this peice of crap? Anyways, if you ever see one for sale and think its a good deal and a nice truck, get whoever you are with to slap you in the face and tell you to wake up, NEVER BUY THIS TRUCK!!!!!!!!!

    Even Volvo knows its a peice of junk, and they couldnt care less about you!
  • pvlaytchevpvlaytchev Member Posts: 5
    Please post more information when you are done with the deposition. I have a 2003 XC90 T6, 108K miles, and it is in the shop for a transmission replacement. This will be the third transmission since the warranty expired at 100k. The first time it happened at 102k. The Volvo dealer, who by the way I bought the car from 4 years earlier, told me that there was nothing he could do about it. Well, I could understand that a Dealer may not be willing to put money into fixing this kind of design issues as the one with the 4 speed transmission on the T6. What I do not understand is how Volvo N.A. could expect to retain customers. They have known about the transmission problems for quite a few years and did nothing to fix it. On contrary, Volvo kept selling a faulty product.
  • gw_4418gw_4418 Member Posts: 1
    I own a 2005 XC90 T6 with about 46K miles and I just received the transmission Service urgent message three days ago. Of course, the dealer indicated it would take $7k to fix the problem. it seems that this is a common theme with this tranny and I agree Volvo should come online and identify this as a recallable issue. My dealer has indicated that it is willing to work something out for me since I have had the vehicle serviced by them I indicated that I was not willing to pay that much. Keep us posted on the Class action lawsuit.
  • pvlaytchevpvlaytchev Member Posts: 5
    I found that Class Action was filed by the law firm Levin, Fishbein, Sedran & Berman, from Philadelphia.

    Here is the link to the court filing - http://www.courthousenews.com/2009/08/14/CarsVolvo.pdf.

    From what I read on the web it seems that a judge has given a "go ahead" on two of the four counts filed against Volvo- II and III. I sincerely hope that this does not stop here. Volvo's attitude has been extremely disappointing in dealing with the problems due to these transmissions.
    In the mean time, it seems that there is a some kind of a change in Volvo's response. It took them only 45 minutes to call me back after I posted on their website that I will try to join the class action. They even offered to help me with fixing my transmission. I do not know what the extend of this "help" would be but it is interesting that Volvo reacted so quickly after two years of totally ignoring me.

    As far as the cars go, I must say that the transmission is not the only weak link. I had to have the two turbos replaced (it was about $5000 job), the rear self-leveling shocks, the bearings on all wheels and something on the oil system that cost about $1500. It is true that my car had 102K when all of this needed to be done, but still...I have had other cars with more miles on them and not even a 10th of the problems. Also, one thing that bothers me about the replacement transmissions is that they are not new and improved, just rebuilt ones and have one year warranty only. So, will they fail in a few thousand miles too?

    Good luck with the Dealer and the transmission.
  • miketobinmiketobin Member Posts: 1
    Please keep me posted on this as my XC90 is also having transmission problems.

    Thanks :sick:
  • baffledtxnbaffledtxn Member Posts: 7
    Here I go again....another transmission is needed on my 2005 XC90. My car was new when I purchased it in late 2004 and serviced by the Volvo in (Richardson, TX) now Volvo of Dallas Dealership. My 1st transmission went out at 76k miles in Aug/Sept 2009. The dealership claimed that my transmission they replaced at 100% was a new transmission. I am now at 128k miles with roughly 52k miles on the new transmission that needs to be replaced. (The car was slow to shift gears and noisey. The transmission pan contains metal debris from the transmission.) I am in discussion with the dealership/corporate office again to pick up the transmission at 100%. However, they only want to pick up the cost of the parts and bill the labor costs to me of $1700. I don't understand why Volvo did not recall these defective cars as they are fully aware of the design flaw in the cars. The maintenance costs (replace transmission multiple times, yearly tire replacement, bearings and etc.) on these vehicles are too expensive for such a pricey car. It was my originally plan to drive a Volvo for life; however, due to Volvo's inability to take ownership of the problems with these cars, I will NOT purchase another Volvo and will trade this one immediately. I am DONE with Volvo for LIFE. And yes, I too will look into going after Volvo in the Class Action lawsuit.
  • oldjim3oldjim3 Member Posts: 13
    It appears that you never received a reply. My understanding is that the 5-cylinder model has a completely different drive train, from engine to rear axle. The problem GM transmission is only in the T6.
  • pvlaytchevpvlaytchev Member Posts: 5
    I was informed by the dealer that as a part of the fix for my transmission they must replace the transmission cooling system. Apparently, this is a common problem with this combination of an engine and transmission and leads to coolant entering the transmission and creating problems. Volvo is willing to pay for 50% of the cost, which still leaves me with $3000 out of pocket. I must say that with the money I have spent during the last two years to keep this car running I could have (perhaps should have) purchased another used 5 cylinder XC 90 easily.
    By the way, I was told by the dealer that Volvo does not replace the broken transmissions with news ones; only with rebuilt ones, one year warranty. I guess, given the history of these machines, they are assuring repeat profitable business for their shops, since most of us will be back there very soon.
  • pvlaytchevpvlaytchev Member Posts: 5
    I have heard the same - the only one with such problems is the XC90T6. The V8 and the 5 cylinder cars seem to be spared from this kind of problems.
  • imissmy850rimissmy850r Member Posts: 7
    I was greatly dissappointed in the Results I had with my Volvo XC90 T6.
    Essentially they covered 75% of the cost, no loaner car. My cost was 1684 or something like that. Volvo Customer Service Sent me a Rebate coupon that would send up to 250.00 for parts. You might want to call and see if you can get them to send you the same coupon. They sent the rebate quickly. when all was said and done there was also a 2 year warranty on the transmission. After I read and saw so many issues even after the replacement I sold the car that weekend after I got it back. I don't believe after this I will ever own another Volvo. Not because they didn;t fix my car for free, but because of all the inconsistent results people have had getting their car fixed. Some 100% some 50% some none at all, some 75%, some parts only, Seriously come through with some real method of helping Volvo owners out.

    Good luck everyone, I own a BMW now, and love it!
  • smokin6smokin6 Member Posts: 9
    I am in the middle of this very problem with my XC91T6(2004)--this will be the cars 3rd transmission. I have spoken to the Dealer and the facotry rep. (who is not going to do much). I just got off the phone with Volovo USA costomer service and will see what can be done(not expecting much as I went this way last time. I would be very interested if you could forward me the link to post on the website that you rec'd such prompt service--I would like to tell my story as I think most people are running into the same corp. stonewall as I am. Thanks for any help you can give.
  • baffledtxnbaffledtxn Member Posts: 7
    Update on my XC90 T6 2005 3rd transmission problem.

    I spoke with a supervisor at the Volvo Customer Service who reached back out to the Servicing Manager at Volvo of Dallas in an attempt to reduce the labor costs of $1700. The servicing manager's response was that they had already reduced it as far as they could and it is rare for them to provide assistance to cars this old. They further explained that the repair method for replacing the transmission changed in 2009 after they replaced mine in 2008 (hence the reason why my 3rd transmission should be free as it was not done properly in the first place). Also, they mentioned that the warranted is now 2 years and not 1 year previously and they claim they have seen a reduction in the number of complaints of the transmissions going out. I was appalled with this response as Volvo is fully aware of the designed flaws in these cars. They need to start advertising (disclose) that the transmission are sure to go out on their vehicles and to purchase them at your own risk. However, they won't but expect the consumer to pick up the tab of these defective cars.

    The transmission problems are not only with XC90 but others Volvo cars (station wagons and other sedans). My friend's transmission went out on her station wagon and Volvo refuses to provide any financial assistance.

    Please let me know of all the avenues available to us so that we can all get the word out to the public of the problems with these Volvo cars. We need to impact their bottom line.
  • sugreesugree Member Posts: 6
    Something must be changing with Volvo. Maybe it has something to do with this suit??? I have a 2004 xc90 T6. At almost 100,000 the transmission went out. I immediately got o line and started searching. Not happy with the results I found- I was one of many with the same problem and it looked lime I was going to be "&@!ed! To my surprise I called Volvo corporate, spoke with Betty and told them what was going on. I was also quite emphatic that I could not afford to pay for a new transmission. Betty told me I had yo bring it to a Volvo dealership for them to assess the problem. I called AAA and they brought the car to Fields Volvo. Yes, the transmission is shot and yes I need a new one!! I am picking up my xc90 today with a new transmission and no cost to me!! I hope this helps others with the same problem !!
  • baffledtxnbaffledtxn Member Posts: 7
    Sugree, please provide the contact number you used to contact Volvo Corporate. As I was only able to reach the Volvo Customer Care number at 800.431.1552. Thanks!
  • sugreesugree Member Posts: 6
    I did call customer care at 1-800-458-1552. The key is, make sure you do not tell them if your car has over 100,000 miles on it. They won't even consider helping you if you are over 100,000 miles on it. ASK FOR BETTY and play on her sympathies!!

    Also, I have to mention that my dealership went above and beyond to fix this problem at no cost to me. I now have a new transmission, hoses etc. I am on my way to pick it up. I will report further findings if there are any.
  • sugreesugree Member Posts: 6
    I am in my xc90 with it's new transmission! I am copying directly from work order what was included:
    1 automatic transmission
    1 radiator
    1 oil cooler
    1 # 8 oil line
    1# 1 oil line
    1# 3 hose
    2 transmission O
    1 anti freeze
    1 ECM gasoline U
    1 TCM UPGRADE
    1 sealing ring
    4 SEMS SCREW
    1 # 2 O-ring
    3 cable ties
    1 # 4 O-Ring
    1 spacer sleeve

    NO CHARGE!! Where there's a will there's a way. Don't give up!!
  • maromaromaromaro Member Posts: 1
    I bought the used car of production XC90 T6 in the middle of February this year in April, 2004.
    It was running K of the about 103,420 miles.

    The transmission of XC90 began to slip at about 500 miles.

    The former owner has exchanged transmission•radiator at 74,248 miles in January, 2009.
    I think that the exchange with the new article and breaking at 30,000 miles are abnormal.

    It brings it in to the check repair the dealer of Volvo in this coming Monday.
    I think that Volvo should have it of cost.

    The owner of other XC90 T6 seems also to be experiencing, and give good advice to this problem, please.
  • lee115lee115 Member Posts: 1
    We had the same issue and Volvo offered us the same 50% discount and we are out of $4000.00. This is the second time that this transmission broke down in 20 months. The first time we were charged $6500.00. This is absurd and we have hired an attorney. Apparently this transmission/cooling issue has been recalled in Europe but not in the US. We need to get the message out that this is not acceptable.
  • bwc7bwc7 Member Posts: 1
    Hello Sugree,

    Thanks for sharing your experience. I am in the exact situation as you, except I had to go overseas because I lost my job back home in the US last year. I am trying to convince Volvo that you should be treated the same no matter where you live.
    Is there any chance you will be able to provide me with a copy of the work order, of course hiding your personal details? if so, please let me know and forward to bwconrad747@gmail.com.

    I have been quoted $11200 by the local dealer here, and have pressured them down to $3950. They tell me that they will still provide the GM transmission, is that what they put back in yours?

    Any help you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

    BWC7
  • sugreesugree Member Posts: 6
    I emailed you a copy of my invoice. I hope it helps. I feel so fortunate that my dealership went above and beyond to help me get this problem fixed!!

    Good Luck and let me know how this turns out for you.

    Sugree
  • smokin6smokin6 Member Posts: 9
    I am back after many phone calls and really getting a handle on the Volvo USA corp. position from the Customer service side. Please understand that this is what I have now and that I am waiting for two more responses. The phone # to call is 1-800-458-1552-this is customer service and you will only get to the manager level here. I spoke to Jordan and he was very helpfull in that he made sure the Regional Rep. heard the situation and gave his ruling. This was verified and then I asked for another way to go--He gave me the number to Volvo Corp. USA in N.J.--#1-201-768-7300. Here I experienced a very understanding person (Donna) yet, she would not or could not make any suggestions that would help. My understanding is that she is the Executive Asst. to the President MR. Doug Speck who I asked to speak to-Her reply was "Mr. Speck does not talk to customers" I then asked if she would make sure he gets the message to call me. She did agree to and promised she would deliver the message. I am not expecting a phone call from Mr. Speck but either way his non-response will let us know how he feels about the situation. I did not mention this before-I am a first time Volvo owner and made the change in 2004 primarily because I was looking for a safe, reliable, high quality car and a company noted for the same. I asked Donna WHY I should stay a cutomer?, Why I should buy another Volvo?, Why the company is not standing behind the product they put out to the public? Why they would knowingly put a defective part in a car--hoping that I would not still own this car when the part would fail a second time? Her response was "I am sorry I do not have an answer for you." My dealer has written an email on my behalf and will let everyone know the final outcome. I wish I had more for you at this time.
  • rich1davisrich1davis Member Posts: 1
    which dealership did you use?
  • wasagabeachwasagabeach Member Posts: 9
    Does this class action law suit apply to Canadian drivers of XC90s (2004 TR 6) as well? My transmission went at 126km. or 76,000 mi. I had it repaired by an exceptional local mechanic for just under $3000.00 and am still going strong at 180,000 km. or 108,000 mi. Like everyone else who thought they had purchased a quality vehicle, I was totally blindsided when the tranny went. I hope someone who has a finger on the pulse of this legal action can contact me and let me know if in fact it applies above the border.
  • sugreesugree Member Posts: 6
    I used Fields Volvo in Illinois. They were wonderful! They went above and beyond to help me get a new transmission! If I ever buy another Volvo, it will be from them! IF being very subjective!
  • elwelw Member Posts: 1
    I agree with the point about a class action. Whenever I hear the word, I think of the scene from the Jerk with Steve Martin's character writing numerous checks for One dollar and Nine Cents.

    Here is my dilemma. I have a 2004 XC90 T6 - I have consciously taken great care of the vehicle in an effort to maintain the high resale value that is prevalent with Volvo cars. I took mine in for its annual spring check and decided that I wanted it appraised because it is time to start looking for a new car. The one I have has 71K miles and I'm in the mood for better gas mileage.

    The Volvo dealer I have used since 2005 says they won't even stock that model year on their lot because it is a lemon. So even if I get a new transmission, the vehicle has NO resale value. They said they'd give me $10,000 for the car and ship it to auction.

    I am not going to be an irresponsible car owner and try to sell it to someone else. It isn't my fault that there is the problem.

    If it costs $6000 for a new transmission then Volvo should give me the best they can give me for the cost of the vehcile. They should give me an additional $6000 toward the cost of a new car and they should give me a 60 months NO INTEREST loan.

    Why? They sold me a lemon and then have done NOTHING about it. Including notify me in advance. Now I am in a situation where I feel I need to get rid of this car as soon as possible.

    But of course, thanks to Volvo, I have a car that is of limited value and worth NOTHING as a trade in.

    Makes me really not want to buy another Volvo.
  • veggiekimveggiekim Member Posts: 1
    Hi, read your notes and story on forum and wanted to know if you could send the pdf files regarding the manual for the transmission. My car has 87K miles and my mechanic has advised that I will need a new one. Volvo wants me to bring it in for them to look at so they can determine if anything they can do??My mechanic advised they were vague on whether the transmission is under warranty or not ( I have a 2003 T6) and it appears that there have been an unusually high number of failures for this transmission between 2003 & 2005.
    Thanks, for the info.
    veggiekim
  • smokin6smokin6 Member Posts: 9
    I have just completed the journey to a 3rd tranny in my 2004xc90t6. It was not until I showed the GM of the dealership the social network and what was being said about this issue. She was very nice and wrote an email to the regional Rep. who then made an offer of 50/50 on the part and I still had to pay labor. I have since called a friend who owens a volvo dealership and asked him for some advice. He came up with the same answer I got in about 20minutes. We must find a way to get to the decision maker. This lack of policy has cahnged. If your car has 100,000 miles or less they seem to be replacing and fixing the problem. If anyone can get the service bulletins to show that volvo knew this was a constant problem and replaced bad trannies with the same bad tranny--It was not until late '06 that volvo put a different tranny in the T6. Yet, they still put the bad trannies in as late as 2008 which were to replace the previous one that failed(were they betting that you would not owen the car when this one failed? Were they using up old inventory and hoping this one would not go bad? or Were they just people who did not cared about the customers who purchased the cars they produced? We do not know the answer to these questions and niether does VOLVO. Please respond with any information that will give us what we need to make VOLVO do the right thing!!!!!!. This is a WRECKLESS move on the part of volvo--knowingly putting people in arms-way.
  • thetruth8thetruth8 Member Posts: 1
    no, they don't require old parts. They haven't asked for our old parts. However we have been involved for over a year now so I don't know. My story is that I bought a 2003 xc90 in 2007 from a reputable dealer. 1 month after purchasing the car the transmission fails. The dealership only had a 30 day warranty and the car had 40 thousand miles so the factory warranty wasn't any good because it was only for 4 years and the it had just expired. It was only 1 month post expiration date and Volvo still wouldn't honor it. We had to pay 5 thousand to have our car repaired. We have had so many issues out of this car from the inside falling apart to even the rod under the car that holds it together. It is by far the worst car I have ever owned and I hate that I bought it. I bought it for the safety features because it had such a high rating. Boy was I wrong about everything else. I can't trade it because its worth less than its value so I will be upside down. I am basically stuck. Over the course of the last 4 years we have put close to 10 thousand into this car. DO NOT BUY THIS CAR. I will be glad with litigation is over with our case and I hope that we can atleast get some of our money back.
  • volvoom1volvoom1 Member Posts: 1
    The transmission on my 2004 T6 was replaced twice by the dealership, Don Beyer Volvo of Falls Church, Virginia, under my warranty and service contract. Don Beyer Volvo is a well regarded dealership in the DC area, where Volvos are as popular as BMWs. DBV is rated highly for both sales and service. High quality, similarly sized loaners are generally available, especially with reservations. Loaners are usually new cars, with a few thousand miles, or recently introduced models, such as the redesigned XC70, or now, the XC60. The loaners are a marketing strategy.

    The first transmission was replaced at no cost during a recall; as was the second when the first one rapidly failed. After the second transmission was replaced I was told by my service manager that the real problem had been with the radiator (cooling system), not the transmission. The second time they replaced the radiator as well as the transmission, and indicated that they had this choice the first time, but did not want to do more than was necessary. I paid nothing for both repairs, and thought that the fact that my transmission had been replaced and the low miles on my car would bring me high blue book or above, should I decide to sell my car.

    Volvo later offered an extended warranty which expires soon. The warranty was a good investment, but did not cover the cost of repairs for replacing the leaking sunroof or drying out my car.

    After reading these posts, I am becoming more concerned that the transmission is not the only reason why Consumer Reports has placed the 2003-2007 XC90 on their list of used cars that should not be purchased if shopping in the range of $10,000 to $15,000 USD.

    Because I do not wish to have large expenses for a car that is 7 years old, I decided to sell it even before I read these posts. This was my second Volvo, having purchased a certified 2001 in 2003. I still own this car and have no plans to sell it in the foreseeable future.

    In 2007, I had a one car accident in my XC90. I recall putting the car in park, but did not engage the emergency brake. There were about $3000 USD in repairs, of which I paid $500 under my insurance policy. The accident was ruled by my highly regarded insurance company as driver error, because I could not provide legal proof that the car had slipped out of gear. The next time the car was serviced, I reported the possible slippage to my service adviser who agreed with me that I would have no way to show the possibility that the transmission had malfunctioned. The $500 deductible, and higher rates for insurance have been additional costs of driving this car, but my injuries were minor, and could have been much worse.

    The car fax report shows that there was an accident, not that it was body damage at 5 mph or less. For another cosmetic repair that would cost $2,000, but which does not affect appearance or drivability, I was advised to deduct an additional $500. Even with the receipt from the body shop, I was offered less than low bluebook by a Volvo dealership; I was offered mid bluebook by the dealership where I purchased it and where it is serviced, and could probably get more if I purchased a second Volvo. An independent foreign car service company provided an informal appraisal of $15,000.

    Now that I am ending the time period for the extended warranty, I am again having some of the same problems I had before the second and third transmissions were installed. The car sometimes will not start, perhaps a separate issue, and the steering wheel has locked, a simple fix. But there remain some strange sounds emanating from underneath the car. All in all, something unexplainable happens about once a week. The first time I took it into the dealership, a $100 computer analysis was performed at no cost and there were "no problems" with either the brakes or the transmission. I believe the issues I am experiencing may be related to a recently replaced fuel pump (?), again under warranty, with a $100 deductible.

    I would consider participating in a class action lawsuit, but do not expect to accomplish more than sending a message to Volvo and to others that the design and execution of the XC90 was not Volvo's best effort. They were the second or third to produce an SUV like this, and newer models (2008 and newer) compete well with the Acura MDX, for slightly less money for the same safety and other high tech features.

    Volvo has been responsive to requests from Don Beyer Volvo to cover repairs that are arguably covered by the extended warranty. Occasionally I receive coupons via email or internet that cut the costs of the oil changes in half. (In addition to premium gas, the Volvo XC90 requires oil changes twice as the same age Acura MDX. ) So my experience with the company, as represented by Don Beyer Volvo of Falls Church, has been favorable -- more favorable than any other dealership for sales or service, including the ones I am contacting now about replacement vehicles, other than a Volvo.

    Regarding the change in ownership of Volvo since 2003, when I purchased my first Volvo, this has not been a problem from the standpoint of service or sales, based on my own observation and the reports of Volvo employees. I recall that the XC90 was manufactured in North America, and the XC60 I am considering is manufactured in Sweden. In fact, I was pleased to introduce two new drivers to the dealer ship in order that they might attempt to find the same level of service in other parts of the country.

    New and used car sales persons at Acura and Volvo have advised me to make a decision about a vehicle to replace my XC90 sooner rather than later, because all car manufacturers depend to a certain extent on parts that may be difficult to obtain because of the tragic events in Japan. The effect of this tragedy on the supply chain is difficult to predict at this time.

    I appreciate the time everyone has taken to share concerns, and hope that this post is helpful. Yes, this has been one of the most expensive cars I have driven, given the purchase price, premium gasoline, frequent oil changes, regular maintenance, and repairs -- but it has been one of the safest, other than a Chevy Suburban, and most rewarding, other than....well, my other Volvo.
  • tradez25tradez25 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for your posts. My xc90 2004 has 99,250 miles on it, and the transmisson service urgent light just came on. should i bring it to my local dealer first, or call customer service first? totally freaking out....thanks
  • tradez25tradez25 Member Posts: 2
    Just picked up my 2004 xc90 from Stillman Auto. My car had 99,984 miles and Volvo replaced my transmission for free. They also gave me a free loaner car. I was afraid that I would have to pay out big money, but they took care of everything, and never once tried to get any money out of me. I didn't even have to bring up the class action suit. The magic number seems to be 100,000 miles or less...i was saved by 16 miles!! Thanks Volvo..very happy!!
  • trouble18trouble18 Member Posts: 1
    just purchased a 2004 xc90 from dealer lot- transmision serv lgt came on after one day- been back to dealer twice still coming on- he says he will fix - i asked if he was sure it was not transmission- he said yes- what is the deal with a class action suit regarding the transmissions in this unit?
  • smokin6smokin6 Member Posts: 9
    I would take thwe care to the dealer and ask a few questions. 1). How many transmissions have been put in this car? 2). Is this a gm transmission? If the answer he gives you is that this is not the original or that it was replaced with a gm part-I would ask for my money back ASAP. Make sure your car has less than 100,000 miles on it. If so, you have a great chance that they will fix it at no cost to you. If you need more help please email. Is your car a T6 if so you might have a problem if not you may be ok. Good luck.
  • gerri2gerri2 Member Posts: 1
    This is interesting. I have just found out my 2004 XC90 needs a new transmission. I have asked my volvo dealer check with the factory to see if I can get this replaced after reading this and the class action.
    Is there anything else I can do to support this claim.
    Gerri
  • smokin6smokin6 Member Posts: 9
    If you can explain your specifics I can try to help. Volvo is very picky as to who they help. They have no set parameters as it is a moving target. I would be happy to help you get what you can out of them. You can email me directly if you would like--
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    You can mark your email "public" in your Profile and members can reach you that way. That feature has been a bit buggy this week so shoot us an email if it doesn't work for you.
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