I have been looking for a Volvo for a long time- finally scored one!
Tonite I bought a 1993 850 sedan in Red!
Non turbo, automatic 100300 miles.
What a nice car compared to my Jetta.
Anyway I am busy pouring over posts the dash is lit up like a Christmas tree!
I have a flickering SRS light, A service light, a check engine light, a brake light and the infamous flashing yellow arrow of death!
Gonna be a great project.
I think it started the arrow flashing because I was a quart low on fluid.
The trans actually slipped a coulple of times on the way home like rpm runaway. I nursed it home in sports mode it seemed to be better that way.
After I got it home I added another 1/2 a quart and it seems to drive fine now but the fluid pretty dark.
1st up is tranny flush.

Will try checking the codes this weekend and see whats what...

 

Welcome

 

Ditto! If you need help with any of the issues, you know where to find us <grin>

 

My 1st & 2nd replies may help:

https://volvoforums.com/m_48928/tm.htm


JPN

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Good day here. Went to Mejirs and bought trans fluid, motor oil and Lucas stop slip.
Came home and started the car lo and behoild the arrow of death was GONE!
Must of been because of low fluid level. Still going to do a flush- but it shifts fine now.
Man waht a ride- so much smoother than my Jetta!
SO the lights I have left to worry about are SRS light, check engine and thats it!
This weekend I am going to change oil and flush trans.
Say- if you give a Volvo dealer the Vin can they tell you if the Timing belt has been done?
Theres no stickers on the cover and I have no maint records!
Thanks again!

 

I personally would do a drain and refill of the tranny fluid, just take the drain plug off, replace, and refill about 4 quarts (1/3 of capacity) into the tranny. Drive like that for a tank of gas, then repeat, drive around 1000 miles, repeat again. That's where I am right now and it's been 3000 miles since my last drain and fill, it slowly gets that old gunky stuff out. I've heard some people have had some bad experiences with flushy the old fluid on an old tranny.

Also you can check the drain plug out, it's magnectic and you can see if there is any particles sticking to it.

What year jetta? We have a 98 VR6 with worn rings, I'm looking for a Volvo 850 or S70 to replace it with. You are right there is no comparison the 850 is light years better than the Jetta, even though it is fun to drive.

 

Its a 96 Jetta Celebration with the 4 cylinder and a 5 speed. Very striiped out and like a skateboard compared to the 850!
My flush plan was to drain out the pan ad 3 qts rinse and repeat 3 times. Thers a sticky here I was reading that says to do it that way...

 

You can certainly do it all at once but I was just scared with the high mileage and really old fluid that it churn things up. Just what I did at 142,000 miles and original fluid and I had good results. I also tried Lucas stop slip that didn't help nearly as much as the new fluid.

 

Hmm food for thought. Mine only has just over 100k but it was a quart and a half low when i bought it so it is kinda dark and smelly. Maybe I will do a dran refill drain refill 1st- that should put me at 50/50.
We use the Lucas stuff at work as a last ditch effort- I ahve seen it work miracles and I have seen it do nothing! Kinda a crapshoot- but it never made anything worse.

 

Why was the fluid low to begin with? in 140k miles mine didn't drop a bit.

 

That in itself is a mystery! The PO didnt know anything about the car- divorcee.
Im wondering if the timing belt was evger done!
Thats next weeks project!

 

SOme more intersting twisits. I was able to get the Local Volvo dealer to run the vin and get all the work orders.'
Timing belt done at 98k.
The most intersting one was on 5/25/07@100855 miles. The owner brought it it when the flashing arrow,the dealer scanned it pulled a 232 on the TCM and told her it needed a new trans.
Apparently they didnt bother to check and see it was 1 1/2 qts low on trans fluid and tried to sell her a new trans! She declined and parked the car until I got it 20 mile and almos 2 yrs later.

 

I can feel your excitement....Sounds like a great project!

 

>Timing belt done at 98k.
But if it has been 5 years or more since that time, I would still replace the belt. Other components can be deferred until next scheduled belt change (idler pulley, tensioner pulley, hydraulic tensioner cylinder & water pump if leaking. Genuine Volvo water pump seems to last a very long time).

>The owner brought it it when the flashing arrow,the dealer scanned it pulled a 232 on the TCM and told her it needed a new trans.

Dealers say that kind of stuffeven all a tranny needs is a new cotter pin...[8D]

You are correct in that a low fluid can trigger the arrow & codes, even as little as a half quart. Make sure to use the correct fluid; Dexron-III or Mercon. I would stay away from synthetic fluid, except for engine oil.


JPN

 

Meir had bulk trans fluid on sale so I bought 3 gallons.
The timing belt was done in 2005 about 8000 miles ago.
As to the Lucas I have had great results with it. We had a taurus at work that had a severly leaking front seal and no forward movement. Put in a bottle and let it sit overnite- presto the leak was gone and the car drove fine! We kept the car in the fleet as an experiment and put another 50k on it with no repeat problems!

 

Very intersting day!
Changed engine oil and filter- very easy!
When I went to do the trany flush found that the trans plug was only finger tight!!!
There was no washer on it either. Grrr I guess thats why we call them "Stealerships!"
I would avoid Lisle Volvo in Illinois like the PLAGUE!
Anyway flushed 12 qts thru then added my Lucas and 2 qts of trans fluid.
Drives like a new car!!!What an amazing vehicle!
Got rid of almost all of the bad dash lights too..
I am left with a SRS light- but it lights dim and flickers. I pulled codes for ir and there were none! Not sure what to make of that...
The Service light glows dimly too. I have some lectrical gremlins somewhere.
I am going to clean all the grounds on that terminal strip by the battery as a starting point. The green monster is on al lot of those terminals- maybe I have a feedback loop or something like that...
Anyway having celibritory beer and getting ready to put the Jetta on Craigs List.!

 

>Grrr I guess thats why we call them "Stealerships!"
A member from Argentinaaptly states them as "Rapership". Every timehe uses the term, I get pinned onto the floor, laughing so hard.

The timing belt seems to be good for a while.

If you replace some of the suspension components (unless they have been done lately), the ride & handling improve noticeably as well. The body shell seems to last forever; must be made of high-quality Swedish steel.

The 850 is noted for dimly flickering dash warnings. It seems to be related to the charging circuit, most likely the alternator starting to get weak. Reading the voltage output & output stability with a digital multimeter is a nice touch.


JPN

 

Im jealous! I also long for the day when I can do that as well and there is another 850 or S70 in my garage!

 

>Im jealous!

Wait till you see me putting my R on Craigs List; see attached for heart-aching R.

.....[8D]


JPN

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