Hi there. I own a 2008 V50 T5 with automatic transmission. It progressively started to shake a little at highway speeds going uphill. I suspected the CVs were at fault given that I knew the boots were ruptured and already ordered new ones, as well as all the engine supports because the one at the top is cracked.

BUT

Those vibrations added up and turned into noticeable shaking uphill at first, but 60 kms after the shaking suddenly stopped and I totally lost power. For worse, I smelled burning oil and saw it coming from the right side at the engine bay once in the curb for a few moments.

The engine starts and no oil burning fumes or smell.

My guess is a transmission problem. The last oil change the non-volvo technician drained the transmission oil instead of the engine oil. He did have to purchase and refill the spec related transmission oil, but I guess this could cause some leaking down the road and maybe the culprit in top of it all?

It's really bad already so please bear with me.

Anyone have had this issue or give me some light on this please? Thanks in advance.

 

When a CV axle boot comes apart, it flings lots of grease and "oil" everywhere. Once one finally breaks internally, you get no drive to either wheel. Hopefully that's what happened.

That said, if you did drive the car until an axle physically came apart, that can stress out the axle seals where they exit the front transaxle and can cause a transmission fluid leak.

So look at the "oil" that's all over everything. If it's still clear(ish) and red, it's tranny fluid. If it's thick and black and nasty, it's probably CV axle grease.

And one last point - most oil change places won't stock the unusual tranny fluid that a Volvo needs, so the knuckleheads that messed up the oil change may have well filled your tranny with the wrong fluid. It might be worth asking them what fluid they used. Make them show you a bottle to prove that they do have the "right stuff" in stock if there is any doubt.