I have a '96 automatic Volvo 850 Wagon with 100k miles on it. I was parallel parking on a hill last night and I had about 200 lbs of equipment in the back, and as I was reversing I heard this sort of tear and felt the gear go loose. I tried in vain to back into the spot but the reverse would not catch. I had to wait for the cars in front to leave to turn around in drive and get home.

When I put it in reverse, I can hear the transmission engage but when I give it gas nothing happens. I'm hoping this means I need a belt or something and not a new transmission which I understand is essentially a death sentence. I'm parked in a spot where I can get out without reversing so I can drive right to the mechanic tomorrow, does anyone know what happened and how much it's going to cost to fix? THANKS

 

Internal transmission problem. They're all about the same financially, which is why they always recommend an overhaul. Once you get the transmission out, you might as well.

 

Are you sure it's the transmission?

 

No reverse but have all forward gears? Transmission.

 

****. That's a $2000 job to replace the transmission isn't it?

 

So I just tried toggling through the gears 20 times to clean the PNP switch connection because some other threads said it could be a sensor. I still can't reverse but the car did move a little

 

I don't pay a shop to do transmission, but it takes me several days to do my manual swap.

Nice thing about manual trans is, I can take it apart and inspect everything.

 

That IS nice, but I have automatic transmission. Please lord is there any chance this is a simpler cheaper problem? If it's the transmission that's a death sentence, I already have $5k in this car and I can't afford a $2k job right now. Anybody?

 

I put an OBDII scanner on it and no codes are set, hoping this is good news but not particularly optimistic as I cannot reverse.

 

How does the fluid look and or smell?

 

It looks and smells normal, the levels are good and it's not especially thick or viscous. It hasn't been changed in at least 4 years though so I might as well try changing it before I bite the bullet on a new transmission. I'm going to drain and refill the system three times and check back in.

 

It's worth a shot, ensure some miles are driven in between drains though, to ensure fluid is circulated throughout. If the forward gears are functioning normally, can you not get by on those alone while saving for a potential transmission rebuild? Granted, who knows how long those forward gears are going to last at this point, but still, just a suggestion.

 

Exactly, I'm going to put about 50 miles between refills, does that sound right? And yeah I don't have any other options, I've managed to park and get out in drive but if I get stuck on a hill where I can't push it I have to tow it. I had to push it in the rain the other night and it was HEAVY, especially with anything in the back. And true the other gears can't be far behind. I've got it parked where I can leave it for a week, I'm going to change the trans fluid and drive around carefully. I'll check back in afterward. Thanks for the input.

 

Some may recommend more miles between the flushes, just to be sure. When I did my first three part flush, I did a flush once every week, so about every 600 miles. But, that was just out of availability. Your particular situation is much different however. How does the car shift between gears in drive?

 

Save the fluid's money.

I have never heard of a transmission bought back to life after loosing a gear with only ATF change.

 

Yeah I know, I've been reading about transmissions and it really doesn't look like something I want to try myself. I want to do something on my own before I bring it in to a mechanic but it might be a waste of time to try changing the fluid. From what I understand it's like putting oil in a seized engine.

 

It's an automatic transmission, and it shifts fine I haven't noticed any transmission problems at all in the forward gears. It's just reverse and only after a strenuous exertion. I think I may have damaged the reverse gear by catching it while in forward motion. I was on a hill with equipment in the back and I started drifting forward, hit reverse and just blew it. AGH I'll check back in tomorrow, call my local Volvo guy and see if he can take a look at it.

 

 

Yeah screw that but that's the whole engine they're taking out, you could just remove the transmission and attempt a rebuild. But boy does that ever look fun.

 

Haha, you think taking out the trans with the engine is hard. Wait until you have to take out the trans alone while the engine is still in the car. Places that do that usually have a car lift to help them.