no reverse
#1
01-10-2012, 02:58 PM
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no reverse
When shifting my 1996 turbo Volvo 850 into reverse, nothing happens, the car doesnt move, though the reverse lights in the back get lit.
Pressing the gas causes the engine to rev up, but no motion. Also, when I shift into neutral and try to push the car, it would
not roll, the front wheels somehow got locked. Just before I noticed the problem there was some noise from underneath, as if some garbage was picked on the road and the
car was dragging it. But the noise did not last more than several seconds. Another thing that I noticed is that I can move the gear
shifter from P to R to N without pressing the ****; to move it further to D and lower the **** has to be pressed. The car drives forward and prior to this
the transmission did not show any sign of a problem whatsoever. Could that be something less expensive than transmission replacement, something like a bad shifter cable?
Thank you!
Regards,
Alex
Pressing the gas causes the engine to rev up, but no motion. Also, when I shift into neutral and try to push the car, it would
not roll, the front wheels somehow got locked. Just before I noticed the problem there was some noise from underneath, as if some garbage was picked on the road and the
car was dragging it. But the noise did not last more than several seconds. Another thing that I noticed is that I can move the gear
shifter from P to R to N without pressing the ****; to move it further to D and lower the **** has to be pressed. The car drives forward and prior to this
the transmission did not show any sign of a problem whatsoever. Could that be something less expensive than transmission replacement, something like a bad shifter cable?
Thank you!
Regards,
Alex
#2
01-10-2012, 04:07 PM
The "shifter cable" is usually related to the PNP switch. If you have had no warning, my guess would be that something else is wrong. There is also a computer that controls the tranny.
Try running the gear selector through the gears about 20 times at a normal shifting speed back and forth. Then see if anything else happens.
When my tranny went out while in R the car would try to go forward. Have you replaced the fluid lately? Have you checked the fluid level? Is the fluid red or smell burnt?
Try running the gear selector through the gears about 20 times at a normal shifting speed back and forth. Then see if anything else happens.
When my tranny went out while in R the car would try to go forward. Have you replaced the fluid lately? Have you checked the fluid level? Is the fluid red or smell burnt?
#4
01-10-2012, 04:22 PM
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The car does drive forward. But when in neutral it cannot be rolled either way.
The fluid seems to be normal: level, color, and smell. I got this car 4 months ago and I have no idea when and if the tranny was flushed. There were no warning lights, but I suspect that something is wrong with the OBD since the code reader does not pick anything as if the codes were recently erased, i.e. no frame stored. Its been like this since I've got this car. Initially I did not worry about it since I've been told the codes were reset during the battery change and prior to buying the car I took it to mechanic who was able to read the codes using some professional device. But now I tend to think that something is wrong with the warning and OBD systems; for example, when the air blower motor controller or a bulb died there was no light on the dashboard. I did try running the gear selector through the gears about 40 times back and forth with no result. Very frustrating....
Thank you for your valuable input!
The fluid seems to be normal: level, color, and smell. I got this car 4 months ago and I have no idea when and if the tranny was flushed. There were no warning lights, but I suspect that something is wrong with the OBD since the code reader does not pick anything as if the codes were recently erased, i.e. no frame stored. Its been like this since I've got this car. Initially I did not worry about it since I've been told the codes were reset during the battery change and prior to buying the car I took it to mechanic who was able to read the codes using some professional device. But now I tend to think that something is wrong with the warning and OBD systems; for example, when the air blower motor controller or a bulb died there was no light on the dashboard. I did try running the gear selector through the gears about 40 times back and forth with no result. Very frustrating....
Thank you for your valuable input!
#5
01-11-2012, 08:03 PM
Administrator
Resetting the codes does not keep them from coming back. If there is a "hard fault" you can reset it and it pops back up immediately. A hard fault would be something like a bad MAF sensor that isn't giving the right signal or any signal to the computer. You reset it and as soon as you try to start the vehicle that check engine light with a MAF code will pop up. With your transmission acting the way it is you have a problem and the transmission computer should know it. On your 96 you don't have the luxury of the underhood diagnostic panel that does transmission specific codes. Some of the cars that are OBDII (yours) don't share the transmission info and codes with the engine management system. That means transmission codes won't light up the check engine light.
I'm not sure on a 96 Volvo 850 if that's the case. I'm generalizing but it would explain you having the problem and no check engine light or codes to read. That's when you need to have the two thousand dollar diag unit from Snap-On or OTC to go into the transmission. Same as most scanners we can afford don't do suspension codes or SRS (air bag) or ...... they just do the engine management system.
Pull your air box and have someone shift the car gear by gear and watch the cable to see if it moves the PNP switch with each gear. Make sure the shaft in the center of the switch is also moving.
The fluid looking normal is a good sign as that would indicate you didn't have the transmission burn up or "shell out" internally. If you do want to try to change fluid to see if makes a difference I would save some of the fluid in case it ends up at a shop so they have an idea of what it was like. Make note of any metal shavings you might get as those would be the more important thing to save for them.
You can also take it to a transmission shop and take advantage of a free test drive to get their opinion. Just make sure you don't have to back up to get out of their lot
I'm not sure on a 96 Volvo 850 if that's the case. I'm generalizing but it would explain you having the problem and no check engine light or codes to read. That's when you need to have the two thousand dollar diag unit from Snap-On or OTC to go into the transmission. Same as most scanners we can afford don't do suspension codes or SRS (air bag) or ...... they just do the engine management system.
Pull your air box and have someone shift the car gear by gear and watch the cable to see if it moves the PNP switch with each gear. Make sure the shaft in the center of the switch is also moving.
The fluid looking normal is a good sign as that would indicate you didn't have the transmission burn up or "shell out" internally. If you do want to try to change fluid to see if makes a difference I would save some of the fluid in case it ends up at a shop so they have an idea of what it was like. Make note of any metal shavings you might get as those would be the more important thing to save for them.
You can also take it to a transmission shop and take advantage of a free test drive to get their opinion. Just make sure you don't have to back up to get out of their lot
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