So I'm in Denver where the massive blizzard just finished. I got stuck in the snow coming home today when I was trying to park. In the process of revving the engine and rocking back and forth, all of a sudden my car would no longer shift into reverse, however it still went forward. I tried both with and without Winter Drive. I used a shovel to dig myself out (I was just 100 feet from my house). When I was trying to reduce the RPMs a little so I wouldn't dig myself deeper, I went into tip tronic and shifted to 2nd and 3rd in fairly desperate attempts. I finally got out but could only go forward. I made it onto a major road and suddenly the car does not want to shift into 2nd or 3rd now either (out of tiptronic at this point). I end up making it back to my parking spot but there is a bad smells pretty and I get the message "Transmission Service Urgent", and went into the "Limp Home Mode" (I think). It has 58 thousand miles on it, and I understand that there have been many issues with 2001-2003 S60 transmissions. I am going to call for service ASAP, but the problem is I was actually supposed to leave town yesterday for the holidays and my flight got pushed to Monday, Christmas day. All mechanics/dealerships for Volvo are closed tomorrow as well. That means the only thing I can do isdrop the car off/get towed to either the dealership (could be that software recall problem which I was going to take care of but hadn't gotten around to), which I don't necessarily trust bc they have a tendency to overcharge or I could take it to my trustworthy mechanic...
It really could be a case of the computer problem that the recent recall addressed (getting stuck in 3rd which I may have done).

Just wondering if anybody may have any insight and/or advice on how to handle this problem. I plan on checking transmission fluid levels in the morning when there is light. I would be stretched very thin if I had to buy a new transmission at this point.


Thanks in advance.

 

You might have overheated the transmission and set a code.

 

Interesting, thanks. I didn't get the message until I had driven about a mile and I had not been able to go in reverse well before that, curious if that means anything. So the smell could have just been fluid?

 

Yes it could have been.
Have you tried reverse again after it cooled down?

 

Well when I put the key in start position I get the same Urgent Transmission Service message and honestly there are 2 feet of snow on the ground so it would be a worthless endeavor. Im going to wait until the morning.

How much would it cost to get the computer reset if that is the only problem? My budddy said I could probably reset the computer by unhooking the battery for 15 min or so.

Thanks again

 

Unhooking the battery won't work.

Most of the Dealers will charge 1 hour labor.
Some charge 1/2 hour.

 

Well I got the call from the dealership today... apparently a part broke inside the transmission; I have to get a new one, at a factory rebuild cost of $4300...

They said a new one would cost $10,000...

I'm pissed

 

WOW sorry to hear about that.

 

Is that a reasonable fee for work and the part?

It will drain my bank account for two months ...

 

If the $4300 is total for the job sounds about right.

 

Sorry to hear that....is it worth looking into rebuilt trannies or used ones at the wreckers? Although you always run the risk of not knowing what your getting.

 

$4300 is the cost for a REBUILT transmission, it would cost about $10K for a new one.

Insurance is saying I essentially burnt out the transmission and that if stuck I should have left my car parked perpendicularly in the road, so if it got hit it still would be cheaper than replacing the transmission. How counterintuitive!

Anyway, to add injury to insult, my RENTAL got hit by a drunk driver two nights ago, hit and run style, and of course I didn't pay for the extra insurance on it, so that was another $500 out of my deductible.

I need some better luck in my life.

 

ouch.... sorry to hear. I will be in the same boat as you. I will probably have to change my transmission for my v70 t5 in the near future. I will just change it when it completely fails. Is there other options to get transmission rebuilt other else than volvo?