My son just recently purchased an '03 XC70.

Yesterday on his way to school the car suddenly stopped moving, RPM's increased with no forward motion. The car showed no signs of slippage prior to that and would pull strong under hard acceleration.

Here is what is happening:
Start car and place in any gear - no movement
Return to Park position and we get a sort of grinding/profound clicking noise.
With car in any gear it will roll - have to use side/emergency brake to hold car in place.
No signs of leaks, fluid level is normal

Any ideas as to what maybe happening would be greatly appreciated.

 

You have lost final drive. The grinding noise is just park trying to stop the transmission from spinning, as if you had put it in park while moving. Likewise with an axle broken, park doesn't work and the car just rolls away.


If you're lucky, you'll find that an axle just popped out of the transmission or that an axle broke from rust. Axles are very cheap and easy to get to.

 

Thanks for the info...Here is an update.

Got home from work after the car sat for a bit.

I disconnected the battery to try and reset the computers. Started the car and began to shift out of park. The engine RPM's dropped as if it was going to drive but still no movement. It then started to whine/grind in all gear selections.

Do you still think it is the final drive. I tried to look at the half shafts and drive shift but did not see anything obvious.

thanks again.

 

I guess I should have added that the AWD is not working so the rear wheels are not driving.

 

I think one of the axles broke in two. Which is GREAT news because axles are easy to replace.

 

Sorry about your car not drive, but I have to say your trany is toasted or the gears in angle gear box; The axles don't break all at once, if the axle to the rear is broke in two the car still drive from front drive shafts and you'll see it drop down or spin the front half. Start the car, get the stethoscope to isolate and pin point where are the grinding noise, if you don't have one, get a long metal rod or long screw driver hold one end in your fist put it against your ear, have some body help you to shift the gear in park and drives in all gears, touch the other end of the rod on the trans. and angle gear box, the rod will amplified the noise and you can tell where it came from.

 

Ok so I will be lifting the car this weekend to try and determine which CV is the cause.

With that what would be the best way to determine this.

 

I guess I would google some pictures of the drive axles so you know what they look like, then inspect them.

 

i have looked up some vids on how to change them. I figured I could lift one side and be able to validate which is the bad one.

 

My son bought a 04 xc70 for the extra room to haul his hockey gear. Same thing happened to him and it turned out to be the gearbox (transmission). Every mech that we've talked to says it need replacing or rebuilding. Master rebuild kit is $700+, tranny swap is $500-1200. Depending on the tranny and if we swap it ourselves. Son is set on doing it ourselves...so let the games begin!