Question about the Geartronic shifting. I was told the manual shift wouldn't work without a good blind as it moved a magnet over the PCB. I've replaced the blind but the trans doesn't shift up or down when I move the lever. I had a Jeep Patriot company vehicle with a manual shiftable automatic. It would shift up or down in manual mode. The Volvo doesn't shift whenever I use the manual function. I didn't unplug anything when I replaced the blind, just moved them out of the way.

Any thoughts on this? Bad PCB Trans works flawlessly in automatic mode.
TIA

 

Well does the M light show when you shift it into Manual? My 2006 V50 had a part missing (the bit that covers the inside of the transmission) and the dealer didn't put the magnet back in. Had to go and get it fixed though. Maybe you need to get it assessed.

 

Thanks for the reply, V5024. No, M never is displayed. I guess I'll have it looked at when the time comes to get a duplicate key fob or install factory foglights and get them programmed. Better to get everything done at once. It's no biggie if I can't manually shift. I find it odd that installing the factory fogs isn't 'Plug and Play'.

 

Fixed the problem. Looking at S/V50 pix on the internet, I saw that I'd put the shifter blind upside down, with the ridged side up, smooth side down which is wrong. Put the blind on correctly and now I have manual shifting!

 

That sounds great bv343. Sorry I didn't see your message earlier, I never got an email alert for it. Glad that you're now enjoying your S40/V50. Now regretting selling mine...

If you've got any more V50 questions, don't hesitate to ask me!

-v5024

 

Cool, thanks!

 

I have this too - What's the point of this system anyway ? It's fun sometimes, but really, why do we have it ?

 

Each to his own I guess. I prefer the newer Volvo's with the tiptronic shifting because they have dual clutches like the Volkswagens. V50's had a single clutch transmission therefore when driving tiptronic my V50 used to jolt a lot... Every automatic transmission in a Volvo has tiptronic shifting, santoury, you're not the only one lol

 

But, why ? What's the point of having both auto and "M" mode ?

 

Didn't I explain this earlier? People want the best of both worlds. Who cares if it has Manual or not? I personally like it, I don't use it that much but it's still there I guess. Every car has it.

 

But - WHAT makes it the best of both worlds? What is the "plus" of having it? It's not a question of caring or not.
What do you mean by "every car has it"? Most cars don't.

 

I use it all the time while towing ...keep the car from shifting into a higher gear when I don't want it to. Towing in a high gear is not good specially when climbing hills. Often times on the way down a hill I will keep it in a lower gear to avoid brake fade. Then there are times when conditions are right and I can just leave it in auto and drive.

 

Good call on the towing - although I highly doubt that is WHY geartronic was introduced. It just does not make sense for a car company to offer both, in the same car - what was the thinking behind that? If people enjoy the fun factor, they can just buy a manual - so that's where I'm at a loss.

I use it often in icy / snowy conditions, so I can slow down without using the brakes, and it gives me better control - but again, that's hardly a realistic explanation for offering both in a car.

I'm still trying to figure out WHY a manufacturer would do this. It's not like the "M" mode is a way to save gas, for example, which would be a logical explanation.

 

Myself, I just leave it in drive for the drudgery of stop and go traffic and around town driving. I come from a long line of manual tranny cars ownership and like to use the Geartronic in the times I drive the back roads with switchbacks, hills and a combination of both. In auto trans car I'd driven those roads the manual gear selection from drive to the lowers gears were much slower than the Geartonic manual shifts.

 

I meant every Volvo from 2004-present has it. Everyone has their own reason for Geartronic whether it would be towing or just driving with a manual transmission. I don't tow so sometimes if I'm going uphill I like to use the manual mode for shifting into a higher gear to get up a steep hill. Also with Geartronic you can shift up to 3rd gear at a standstill, making this a third gear start - say if it was winter and there was snow about, this is a pretty handy feature. Volvo probably added this because people wanted to drive both auto and manual but with the one car and one transmission. Manufacturers have been doing this for a long time. Now the newer Volvos have sport mode as well. Sport mode makes the suspension more sporty and changes the behaviour of the car. Why you may ask? Because some people want to drive with a sportier suspension and they have their own reasons. Just as you and I have our own reasons for Geartronic. It's there, you don't have to use it. I wish that you would've made your own thread rather than thread jacking this one.

 

Sure it make sense to me to have both. It give us the ability to control shifts when needed but then the luxury of a completely automatic vehicle when not needed. Its a great feature to have in the mountain areas, The snowy conditions (descending or climbing ), towing, and some people actually find it fun and buy the car just because of it. Plain and simple it gives the user the ability to take control of an automatic transmissions actions so that you can alter them if desired. Thats good enough for me.

 

Not all Volvos have it from 2004 and on. Without it, you can still shift into low gear. And you can use winter mode in the winter for higher gear take off- You don't need geartronic to do so.

I don't see why you are so worried with why it's there though. Competitors have their own version of it so Volvo has it to keep up. Don't use it if you don't want to. It isn't hurting anything.

 

You guys are missing the whole question - but that's OK.

I did start my own thread. My apologies for the hijack. I didn't realize it would be a problem for somebody on a Volvo chat group.

 

I get the question. But guess how many people involved with the engineering and design of Volvos hang out here... none. I don't see why it bothers you so much. Put it in drive and drive if you don't like it. What is it hurting?

 

Agreed. That's pretty much what I said before... 'each to his own' - I feel relieved that someone's on the same page as me.