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Volvo V70 Transmission Problems

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Comments

  • ricksvolvoricksvolvo Member Posts: 6
    CEM module, not ECM module may be the cause of the transmission/electrical issues
    In my earlier posts I stated it was the ECM, it was not but the CEM module was replaced and appeared to clean up the transmission shifting. However once the two 02 sensors were put in I am now getting an ECM fault 4801 for the catalytic converter.
  • 629693629693 Member Posts: 1
    Where is the CEM module located and what does it stand for?
  • sushimansushiman Member Posts: 1
    Now I have read most of the posts in this forum (should have seen it before...), my heart started to give out. I'm just gonna suck it up and pay for my negligence.

    I would like to ask for some opinions.

    First, if I would like to just fix it for a trade-in, what would be the most economical fix to get the car into a trade-in condition?

    Second, how and where do I file a complaint with hope that someday in the future consumers (like you and me) will get a fair treat.

    (permission to vent...)

    well... I just bought a 2001 V70 2.4T three days ago from a used car dealer. I was running just fine around the dealer. I have driven it for a total of 100.7 miles and the transmission just went bad. It started by slipping between 1st and 2nd while I was running across a highway. The slipping occurred again at the very next traffic light minutes later. About 5 miles before I got home, there was a big thump when it tried to shift from 2nd to 3rd, and the message "Transmission Service Required" showed up on the display. It was running LIMP-HOME-MODE until I got home.
  • caliberchiccaliberchic Member Posts: 402
    Correct me if I'm wrong but most states have a 3 day rescission period on contracts. You may be able to return the car to the dealer.
  • njones1njones1 Member Posts: 2
    Hi - Bought my first Volvo, a 2004 V70 15 months ago used. It has 64000 miles. Mechanic said upper motor mount has a crack. Also said that I need to have the transmission fluid completely flushed out because it's a little dark. After reading these horror stories about V70 transmissions, I'm worried about future transmission problems. For the meantime, though, can anyone tell me if $270.00 is a reasonable price for changing the transmission fluid? Mechanic said that even though tranny holds 12 quarts, they will use 16 quarts to flush it until it runs clear. Can anyone tell me if this rings true? Also, does anyone know what a reasonable price would be to replace the upper motor mount? It doesn't look too hard to reach. Do you think that it has to go to a dealer mechanic to have the upper motor mount replaced? It really doesn't look all that involved to me. What do you think? Thank you! :)
  • vibe1vibe1 Member Posts: 2
    That sounds about right for the tranny. I paid $235 to have my 2003 V70 wagon flushed at a Volvo dealer and I am told it is smart for them to add more fluid to the flush and ensure a cleaner result.

    Motor mounts are another thign altogether...

    Goo dluck!

    Vibe
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    $270 - depends on whether you are a do-it-yourselfer or not.

    If you are even a little handy and able to follow instructions, you can save +/- $100 and do it yourself in a couple of hours. You can purchase a case of 12 plus 4 additional quarts of Mobil 3309 ATF for $115 from www.ipdusa.com (or 2 cases from www.avlube.com for $120). I also recommend adding ipdusa's well designed $25 hose kit.

    You can review detailed instructions on how to do it yourself here:

    http://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/chat/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8767

    It may seem a little daunting in words, but in reality, it's only a little more complex than changing your engine oil.

    At the very least, read over the procedure a couple times until you can visualize it, then decide if you're up for doing it yourself or would rather pay someone else. Even if you decide to have the shop do it for you, you'll have a good understanding of the procedure to ensure that the shop does it correctly and uses the right lubricant (which is critical).

    Good luck!
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    I forgot to mention - pay no mind to the "transmission horror stories" you've read.

    The internet is a fantastic resource for sharing information with others, but it is also a breeding ground for misinformation.

    Am I saying that the V70 has not had it's share of transmission failures? No, absolutely not. What I'm saying is that the V70 has had its share - no more, no less. Do research on ANY CAR EVER SOLD and you'll find complaints, anecdotal testimonials, and lemon law/class action lawsuit furor.

    In fact, just for grins, I just checked the NHTSA website for complaints about a paragon of quality, the 2007 Lexus ES350. I found 74 complaints filed - and 18 (that's 25%!) are about the transmission slipping/clunking. The 2007 Volvo V70 had one complaint (and it wasn't the transmission).

    Don't let an angry, vocal minority sour your ownership experience. After 4 years and almost 70,000 miles, my 2004 V70 is still going strong (and the transmission is as sweet as ever - especially after a fluid flush 2 months ago). It's a fantastic car and I plan to keep mine for a very long time.
  • wildriderwildrider Member Posts: 3
    I have sent a letter to the BBB about Volvo and their transmissions and to the Attorney Generals office in my state, these are things everyone should do that are having these similar problems. If people dont then they cant compile the complaints to start a recall or fix them.
  • njones1njones1 Member Posts: 2
    Thanks fedlawman, that does make me feel better! I was so excited to get a Volvo, and it was truly the nicest car I've ever had, so I was a little shaken to hear about these problems. The best part about it is the heated leather seats. I don't think I can go back to an economy car after this. But, you're right, every car I have ever owned has had its detractors. I'll start with having the transmission fluid changed (I'm not a do it yourselfer). Thanks again.
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    No doubt your Attorney General and the NHTSA will get right on the case against Volvo - that is, as soon as they're done throwing the book at Nissan, Lexus, Chrysler, Ford, Volkswagon, Mazda, Saab, Hyundai, Jeep, BMW, Audi, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Subaru, Chevrolet, and Mitsubishi.

    fedlawman, "Volvo V70 Transmission Problems" #66, 13 Jan 2008 11:31 pm

    Whatever the outcome, I sincerely hope it works out for you and the others who have had this problem.
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    Ah, the seats. Yes, that's what my wife and I first fell in love with during our first test-drive. She leaves the heat on almost year-round - me, use it during the winter, but only for about 3 minutes until it starts to hurt (I'm sensitive, I guess!).

    Enjoy.
  • kirstenmkirstenm Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I just bought a 2001 on 2/18 and haha guess what same problem with the transmission in the lower gears as I'm reading all over this site and many others. The car only had 63K miles on it so I thought wow I could drive this car a good 7 years. Thankfully the dealer I bought it from is taking care of it for me but after doing reasearch, it looks like this model has major problems until you get to 2004, though even those have some issues. I'll hold onto it for a while as other than that its an awesome car but I think I'll trade up for a 2005 or above, those all rated high with consumer reports. or maybe even go for a subaru. I called volvo too with absolutely no help from them. Its too bad, they are such beautiful cars. :(
  • crappyvolvocrappyvolvo Member Posts: 1
    Dear fedlawman,

    Most of the transmission problems associated with the V70 have been reported on earlier models than yours. As someone who is currently in the middle of this battle, I would like to assure you that these concerns are real. I have read literally thousands of complaints that are eerily similar to mine. I have a 2001 V70 Cross Country and have spent almost $10,000 with no real result. My transmission was replaced in November of 2006 and I have an appointment tomorrow because I'm pretty sure I dropped 2nd gear on Saturday night. While I am very happy that you have not experienced the nightmare that I and many others are going through, I would urge you to do a little more research before telling others that these are normal concerns. These problems are not normal.
  • specespece Member Posts: 11
    The transmission on the 01 V70 is a lemon. There are none being built, you can get only re manufactured units. It has been replaced by a different tranny in newer models. This tranny has an unusually large number of "Bulletins". I'm not saying all Volvo trannys are problems, but this one is!
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    "I would urge you to do a little more research before telling others that these are normal concerns."

    And I would urge you to read what I actually wrote and not misquote me. I have clearly stated in prior posts that the transmission problems you and others have experienced are real and not trivial in nature.

    But I have also pointed out that many of these anecdotal incidents have been posted by owners of V70's that were purchased as used cars, without any knowledge of the cars service history. If someone purchases a used car with 60K, 70K, 80K or more miles and has no knowledge of how the car was broken in, driven, or serviced, how can they then claim a manufacturer defect when something fails?

    I also previously mentioned that I researched complaints at the NHTSA website and other enthusiast forums for MY 2001 cars from Nissan, Dodge, Honda, Toyota, Audi, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi and others and found numerous complaints from owners describing the very same transmission problems found in the various Volvo forums.

    So again, I'm very sorry that you and others are experiencing problems with your transmissions. But, I never said that your problems are not real - I simply said they are not unique to Volvo and not necessarily caused by a manufacturer defect.
  • meepdrmeepdr Member Posts: 1
    I own a Volvo V70 2.4T with 70,000 miles. I have experienced intermittent transmission problems for about 3 months. Dealership provided the usual doubletalk and did the software download others on this site have talked about. Since then (about a month ago the transmission seems worse. On 2 or 3 occasions recently I have started the car and noticed that instead of seeing a "P" illuminated in the dashboard there is a dash. When I put the car in drive the dash stays fixed instead of switching to "D" None of the other manual transmission functions work when the dash shows in the dashboard (using the "Weather" switch or manually changing gears). The car drives like it is stuck in low gear when this happens and does not switch properly from gear to gear. Twice the engine light came on. I stop, turn the car on and off, and wait. After a while everything goes back to normal. Is this a software problem or a failing transmission? Is anyone experiencing a similar problem? Does anyone have a solution suggestion? Thank you in advance for any information.
  • soupyxsoupyx Member Posts: 2
    We are 178 miles from 100K and just had the 3rd transmission put in our 2001 V70. Is this a common problem? Are there any recalls or service alerts the we missed??
  • taylormade4metaylormade4me Member Posts: 1
    I am experiencing the same problem that MANY Volvo XC70 owners are having with their transmissions! Mine starting "acting up" at around 84,000 miles with the tranny service light going on. I was told to either flush the transmission fluid (a charge of $400 +) or replace transmission - 5K). I decided to go to another dealership and had them upgrade a computer software. It fixed the "jerking" movement for a little while but now it's back and seems like its getting worse at 100,000 miles (the bucking and banging when changing gears). This dealership also concluded I need a new transmission and the cost would be $3900. I'm still not satisfied and am in the process of complaining to Volvo. I never heard of so many Volvo transmissions going (that is with this year and model). Something must be wrong and Volvo needs to take some responsibility for it!
  • leav02leav02 Member Posts: 1
    Hello,
    I have a 2001 Volvo V70 with 91k miles on the clock. The problem I'm having is with the transmission when shifting between 2nd and 3rd gears (it's an autom atic). When cold (in the morning) and only when accelerating very slowly, the car revs 500 to 100 rpms when shifting between 2nd and 3rd. It take about a second or two before the car drops into gear. If you are accelerating quickly and not hovering around the 18-20 mph range, it shifts fine. It's only in the morning and only when cruising between 18 and 20 mph.

    Any thoughts? I've seen lot's of post on the problems with these transmissions on other sites and was hoping to get technical feedback. We've replaced the transmission recently. The problem was there prior to the replacement but was few and far between. Now it's consistent.

    Thanks,
    Doug
  • specespece Member Posts: 11
    I have exactly the same car, the same problem, and a new tranny. I agree Volvo should take responsibility. Write to them, your State Attorney General and anyone else you can think of.
  • rhed1rhed1 Member Posts: 1
    The way things like transmissions and locking systems break on this car as soon as the warranty is up is evocative of the planned obsolescence that drove Detroit into the ground. This car may do great on the crash test and it's as sure-footed as they come. But try not to get killed when the tranny slips or flares in heavy traffic. Also, electronic door locks fail catastrophically rendering door entry impossible except by key which only works on driver's side. There is no keyed entry at any other door. So, when your receiver (located in rear view mirror) fails, or the relay in the door fails, they want to charge you 1000 to replace both as the dealer-stealer claims to be unable to diagnose except by replacement of both!!! So, if you want to open the rear gate, you may have to take your life into your hands by inserting key in driver's side door to access door unlock button inside. Did I mention the failure of the gas cap door lock? Another killer not revealed in the crash tests. If you find yourself unable to open the gas cap door, you may be able to reset by inserting key in the good old driver's side door lock, twisting left twice and right once (no kidding) then inserting in ignition. Unbelievable, but true enough. They take these things that should be simple and make them lethal. I am original owner and would gladly participate in a class action.
  • fabricefabrice Member Posts: 1
    The V70 Transmission is beyond what is acceptable.

    We are the owner of a 2001 V70 XC and have experienced extensive transmission problems.

    We are the original owners and have completed all recommended maintenance at the Dealership.

    We first started to experience the jerking at low speed at arround 10K miles. We mentioned this to the dealership and did some software upgrades. This aleviated the problem for a while until the transmission suddenly died on us at around 50K miles. Thankfully we were covered by our extended warranty and the transmission was changed at no direct cost to us.

    Soon after the change of transmission the symptoms reappeared, until at 70K it was getting enough concerning to have the dealer look at it again. The transmission needed to be changed AGAIN! This time we were out of warranty...

    On this car we have changed transmission as often as we have changed tires! This is very surprising considering that I would assume that you would not expect to change transmission more than once in the life of a car...

    I thought that my story was an exception, but reading this forum really tells me that Volvo has a problem in its hand, and refuse to look at it.

    This car has been costing us way too much, we are parting from it.... :mad: and we are not buying Volvo anymore.
  • specespece Member Posts: 11
    I've had two tranny's also. Please write to the Better Business Bureau, State attorney General (if you are in the US. Otherwise wherever you can lodge a complaint), and Volvo. They have a badly designed transmission that you cannot replace because it is no longer made. What you got, I suspect, were rebuilds. Volvo knows there is a problem and is hoping we will all go away.
  • dixon1edixon1e Member Posts: 6
    I have a 2001 XC70 as well, and the transmission is also failing. As I have noted in previous postings on this forum, I am keen to begin a class action against Volvo (Ford) for what is obviously a widespread and known set of defects.

    I received a mailer the other day about a recent settlement with Volvo on a class action for a different set of reasons. I think it would be quite interesting to approach the same law firm that sued Volvo, and present them the evidence just from this forum alone.

    I am tired of the faults (all of the ones listed above happened on our car as well, the gas cap, etc. Oh yeah, and the turn signal - did that one happen to you too?). But the transmission problems are truly ridiculous. That is life and death we are talking about. Which is why I think it is appropriate at this time to bring up the matter in a legal way.

    If we know about all these problems, and we do nothing, and then someone's family has a tragedy ...?
  • vengeanceisvengeanceis Member Posts: 9
    hah, gas cap? :)
    i'm just laughing because a week ago I arrived at the pump, stepped out of the car, walked around, wanted to open gas cap lid and the whole plate broke off!
    I couldn't believe what I've done :) I just touched it.

    I hope next time I try to open a door, it won't fall off.

    I have 2001 XC70. almost 120K. there is a wierd jerk up-shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear, started at ~80Kmiles. this is sooo annoying you can't believe it. fortunately, or unfortunately, the car still drives. and I have to live with it.
    I'm just waiting until it dies.

    I'll never buy volvo ever again. Ever. you heard me.
  • cmp4cmp4 Member Posts: 1
    Just over 89K miles on a 2001 V70 and need a new transmission. Gotta' love that. I have never gotten rid of a car with less than 150K miles on it and have never replaced a transmission. Unbelievable.

    As for the class action related to the throttle module, it is ridiculous. You could receive a refund from the company if you already had it replaced. However, if it has not yet been replaced, three things must be present to have it covered under warranty. 1) The ETM codes come up showing that it needs to be replaced 2) the variance has to be outside of 13 degrees from the polemetrics(??), 3) the Check engine light has to be on. Any one of these items missing and guess what, no replacement, even though failure is certain and imminent.

    The fact that Volvo, which markets itself as a safety oriented car company, would rather wait for a part to fail, endangering all passengers, than fix the problem when the problem is evident, is so very disappointing. I expected more.
  • kimberlyrtkimberlyrt Member Posts: 1
    I have also been victimized by Volvo, except I wish that I would have thought to check out online forums like this one to be warned of problems like this before I bought this car. Lesson learned! I bought my 01 Volvo earlier this year at a very nice Volvo dealership in Alpharetta, GA, Northpoint Volvo, who would have ever thought that they would sell me and my family a LEMON!!! They knew the car had problems and they didn't care to disclose this information.
    Volvo's whole thing on being a "safe family vehicle" yeah right, they didn't care too much for my family's well being, even though I had my one year old son with us when we purchased the car. We found out the next day that it would have to have the transmission replaced and since Georgia has no lemon laws on used cars, we were stuck with the car and Northpoint Volvo didn't care to do anything about it, it was our problem now. BEWARE OF THIS DEALERSHIP!!!
    And I know that we should have tried to get a warranty on the car, it was "as is", but we weren't as savvy about buying cars as we are now, the price was good on the car and i've had 3 Volvos previously so I've always had a very good perception of the Volvo brand. I just would have never thought the very next day there would be a problem!!!
    I have annoyingly driven the car up until now and it is definitely on its last leg, the light is on saying Transmission Service Urgent and it will stick in one gear, you have to turn it off and back on to get it back changing gears. It is in the shop right now and it will be about $4500 to replace the tranny, so i'm car-less for awhile!!! I just HOPE that there is a Class Action Suit, Volvo really needs to fix this problem!!! :mad:
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    It's an 8 year-old car. Volvo has no control over how the previous owner(s) treated (or mistreated) it.

    If you bought the car with a major pre-existing problem and the dealership didn't disclose it, then shame on the dealership.

    It has nothing to do with Volvo.
  • rockginxcrockginxc Member Posts: 13
    Buying a used car from a dealer is a tough one if there is a problem...because they are usually sold "as is". However, I'm surprised that this was a Volvo dealer since their used cars are supposed to be certified and they should have run a diagnostic report on their VIDA system to see if there were any error codes that should be addressed. If they did sell you a lemon, did you notice the problem right way or did it surface after you bought it. Did you communicate this issue to them soon after you bought the car? I had the same problem - a lemon of a Volvo V70XC sold to me by an Audi dealership. They would not do a thing for me even though I voiced my issues the day after I picked up the car. I even asked them to check the transmission before I picked it up. It was a very frustrating experience. I had to do a lot of work to get them to understand that they cannot do this and expect no repercussions. I posted just about everything I was going through on the Audi Forums...under Dealers. I also found out the 3 top people in Audi America corporate and contacted them. I basically became the extremely squeaky wheel that they had to grease or address. I'm finally getting resolution from this dealership in the form of either a fully fixed car or a comparable used Audi wagon. If you'd like to read all that I posted on the other forum, here is the link:

    http://www.audiforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=113227
  • rockginxcrockginxc Member Posts: 13
    Very true -- it's all about the dealership.

    I only focused on the dealership that sold me my Volvo lemon. I never went after the brand. The dealership has the control in regards to addressing your issue...fixing the problem or replacing the part. It's true that they make a small margin on a used car, but that isn't the point...is it. They are responsible for selling a solid automobile. You buy from a dealer because you want a reliable purchase process.

    The dealer is all about their bottom line.

    If they truly sold you a lemon...a car that had pre-existing issues that they did not disclose, then go after them and post your opinion and issue with the car on every car blog and forum you can. After a while, make them aware that there is increasing negative press (that could affect their sales traffic). Don't threaten, just continue to spread the word of this negative situation that they put you in. Write to corporate and make them aware of this dealerships bad practices:

    Anne Belec
    President and CEO
    Volvo
    1 Premier Place, Irvine, CA 92618
    949-341-6500

    It may take some time and may also take a lot of energy on your part, but for me...it was eventually worth it.
  • susan53susan53 Member Posts: 2
    I have a V70 with about 87,000 miles. My transmission began slipping - revving up and then jerking forward - about 10,000 miles ago. I asked my Volvo dealer to check out my transmission when I went in for my regularly scheduled maintenance and was told that the transmission was "within guidelines." Today, the "check engine" light and the "transmission needs service" warning came on - and my car stays in 2nd gear. I would be happy to join a Call Action Suit and will be sure to document all my interactions with my dealer. I will also write Volvo and the BBB.
  • volvovibevolvovibe Member Posts: 1
    I've got a 2001 V70 T5 wagon: after 4 years of surging and lurching, volvo finally caved in and replaced the throttle module -- 5 dealer visits and numerous "software uploads" later.
    a few weeks ago the locks began randomly locking and unlocking themselves. phantom warning lights flickering on and off.
    now, a couple months later, the surging and lurching is back -- this time with afresh warning codes "service engine" and "transmission needs service." and a scary second gear freeze that nearly caused an accident.
    I'm guessing it's like "game over"
    As a newspaper editor, I've put twice the mileage 220,000 on my 1997 honda accord -- and it still runs beautifully and cost a fraction in repairs. what is this car company thinking-- are all Volvos this glitchy?
    Love comfort, design, but mechanics are nightmarish. I'm thinking major investigative reporting on this ;-)
  • rockginxcrockginxc Member Posts: 13
    You are definitely not the only one - all Volvo dealers know of this weekness in the 2001 - 2004 models. There 2 issues, the ECU brain of the car malfunctioning and a few of the transmission solenoids. If you've been having this problem for 4-years, your transmission is done. The ECU malfunction for this long in the transmission has caused permanent damage to your transmission and both need to be replaced. Volvo dealers will not admit to this issue been a common problem, but I'm sure every dealer knows and will try to sidestep it so that they/Volvo doesn't have to pay thousands in repairs to each car.

    You should at least post your complaint on the NHTSA site:

    http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/
  • bsettenbsetten Member Posts: 1
    I have the same issue. My transmission was replaced at roughly 95,000 miles with a used transmission (my extended guarantee refused to replace the transmission with a new one). I'm now at 120,000 miles, my Volvo is in the shop and it appears that the transmission will need to be replaced again. The repair shop says this is a very common issue with this particular year and model. If you filke a class action suit, I'd be glad to support you in this
  • cwells3cwells3 Member Posts: 1
    Hi,
    A year ago I put in a new rebuilt transmission. I have filed a complaint with Volvo of North America ( no ownership of the problem) I also filed a complaint with the Attorney Generals office stating there needs to be a recall on the failed transmissions. I suggest you all do the same, file a complaint and request a recall. Whether you decide to replace your transmissions is up to you. Save your receipts.
  • susan53susan53 Member Posts: 2
    Thank you for the information and advice. Can you tell us how to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office?
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    Every state is different. Just do an internet search for your state AG office.
  • volvov702001volvov702001 Member Posts: 1
    Hi, did you ever manage to fix this? I have the exact same problem? What was required to fix it? Thanks!
  • rockginxcrockginxc Member Posts: 13
    The fix depends on how long the problem has been going on. If in fact you have the issue of the engine surging between gears and then clunking into the next higher gear. There's a good chance that you'll need the entire transmission replaced as well as the TCM (transmission control module). There is also an upgrade for the TCM that sometimes helps to "fix" this problem. It's part #30677036. Whether or not you get the transmission replaced, you should have this upgrade installed. Most of the time the problem goes on long enough that the transmission is too far gone internally. One or a couple of the internal solenoids become damaged. I've never heard of Volvo taking apart the transmission to fix this - they seem to just replace it. I can only assume that every Volvo dealership's service dept. knows of this issue and will recommend the replacement. Volvo corporate has not stepped up to the plate to address the issue and will (in most cases) not offer any financial assistance to get this fixed.
  • khood1khood1 Member Posts: 3
    My 2001 Volvo has 123,000 miles and started acting up about 5,000 miles or so. Clunking, not getting power between 2-3, I was afraid my transmission was going to fall out of the car at any moment. After the first two mechanics telling me it was my transmission I found this blog site and was utterly amazed. Upon my third mechanic he drove it around for days and had several other mechanics in the car with him. He was positive it was not my transmission. He replaced all 4 wheel bearings, my engine mount and a few bushings and now my car is as good as new. I just couldn't understand how I was getting all those noises and clunking and bucking and it was just the wheel bearings. He said they were so bad that coming off the line the back of my car couldn't get enough power. My Volvo is running as smooth as the day I bought her now. I'm hoping this might help a few other people out there, although I could have just been lucky it was not my tranny. Let me know if this helps anyone else out!
  • dixon1edixon1e Member Posts: 6
    Please describe your "clunking" in more detail. It would be great to compare to what I am seeing.

    In our 2001 XC, 100K miles, the car will lose the power to the wheels, as if it is suddenly interrupted. Then WHAM, the power to the wheels kicks back in with a neck snapping jolt if you don't get your foot quickly off the accelerator. It seems to do this in random situations, though most often when coming out of a turn.

    One would assume this is the transmission, which is perhaps why no mechanic (until yours) tried another approach. If this is all true, you may have to name names so this mechanic can try fixing my car.
  • khood1khood1 Member Posts: 3
    My car did the exact same thing regarding the power. The clunking was heard mostly when I would move the car from park to drive and vice versa both always making me feel like it was the tranny. My mechanic who happens to be a Subi mechanic was the one that figured it out and sent it down to his mechanice who fixes Volvos. I found him in Sacramento CA, don't know if you are close or not, you could always give him a call. Let me know. It was such a cheap fix as opposed to a new tranny.
  • vengeanceisvengeanceis Member Posts: 9
    Are you serious? You're saying replacing bushings made clunking and jerking go away??? I am amazed.
    Can you tell what exact parts were replaced? How much did it cost you?

    And what kind of problem you had with 2-3 gears you mentioned?
    Thanks.
  • khood1khood1 Member Posts: 3
    I replaced all 4 wheel bearings, a few bushings (I'm a chic not exactly sure which ones.) and the engine mount. My total cost was $1300 (a very inexpensive mechanic.) I had major clunking and jerking between 2-3. If I was at a stoplight and came off the line at about 20-25 my car would almost give me whiplash and sound as if it was missing gears.
  • dixon1edixon1e Member Posts: 6
    Alas, I am in Texas, so Sacramento won't happen. Still, if it's a phone call I need to pay for so _your_ mechanic can tell _my_ mechanic what to do, it would be worth it. Please let me know who did the fixing. You can send msg to my userid at gmail.
  • thedantefactorthedantefactor Member Posts: 1
    Oh my god,, I have a 2001 Volvo V70 T5 Wagon and I am having problems with car jerking and clunking noises,,,,when I take off,, its not getting any power,, it feels very sluggish and jerks between gears,, also when I hit bumps in the road I hear a rattle :cry:
  • vengeanceisvengeanceis Member Posts: 9
    You know what is really amazing, I bought my car at 82kmiles, and drove fine for more than a year. I had no problems whatsoever.

    After a year I decided I'd do "some maintenance" on the car, although honestly there was no real need for that. But I took it to a shop and they advised to replace front lower BUSHINGS (! ding!), they did ATF flush (transmission fluid) and something else minor. Total bill was close to your figure, $1200 (ding ding!).

    When I drove out of the shop the car was fine. But after about two weeks after that one morning it started doing just this: starts going fine, but when it comes to upshifting from 2 to 3 it (damn!) gives a freaking kick accompanied by loud metallic clanking somewhere underneath. This is so annoying.
    I was at around 98kmiles I think. This was 2 years ago.
    I drive like this up until now.. it's 120kmiles almost, and it's neither going away, nor getting worse.

    I took it to same shop and two other dealerships. They keep saying it's solenoid in the transmission, and whole transmission needs to be replaced.

    But, I've lived this world for to long not to see correlation between the "maintenance" they've done, and transmission starting doing this thing. It's not just a coincidence. Things just don't happen by themselves.

    You made me very curious, because two things they've done on my car were: ATF flush and bushings. So, either they screwed with changing the fluid, or it's really suspension that makes the car act like this between gears.
    But that would be really weird if bushings or other suspension parts can affect the way transmission works etc.

    HAD ANYONE here on this forum who has similar problem with transmission (kicking and jerking between gears) done any work on suspension / bushings shortly before they started noticing these symptoms??? Anyone recalls something similar?
  • Nicky_WooNicky_Woo Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 v70 2.4T wagon. It consistently had a weird lurching problem after a took my foot off the brake at a stop sign. Recently had 2 separate software upgrades done (adaptive road + tranny) and the problem went away. BUT b/c of how long it took for this to get figured out (6 different mechanics saying i needed a new tranny, 2 of them being volvo dealers), my fluid was burnt which could've led to other problems. Make sure that you get the fluid changed to help your tranny! Also most transmission guys just check the fluid to find out if there is a problem with the system. Volvo fluid, even though it's synthetic, gets darker and can be flushed. Talk to multiple sources b4 investing thousands!
  • fedlawmanfedlawman Member Posts: 3,118
    The transmission fluid for these cars (JWS 3309 or Toyota T-IV) is mineral based, not synthetic.

    Don't top off or flush these transmissions with regular or synthetic ATF unless it specifically states it meets JWS 3309 specifications. If you do, you will likely void your warranty and probably ruin your transmission.

    If you buy a CPO or used car with an Aisin AW transmission that requires this fluid, make sure it's been serviced properly. If it hasn't or you don't know, start saving for a new transmission. :blush:
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