The fluid was changed a few months ago. Now the fluid is black! Without warning the car lost all gears (forward and reverse). When I went to tow the car home this morning, I put it in gear and it moved...for about 1/4 mile. It took off w/o slipping, shifted through all the gears fine. But as soon as it hit 4th gear, it lost all thoughput.

Does this sound like a filter problem?

What could it have to do with the last shift? If I leave the selector in 3rd....?

What are the symptoms of a plugged filter?

What are the symptoms of bad solenoids? Would bad solenoids prevent engagement?

 

I have just bought a 2000 V70XC with the same problem--- for $800!! I planned to do a flush as detailed elsewhere on this site today, but it will have to wait another day or so, I'll keep you posted on my results here.
By the way, I looked into remote transmission filters. Advance auto parts sells one for $39. I have had one of the mounting heads in my tool box for years. I called Fram and Wix about what filter to use as all of the remote filter kits use what looks like an ordinary spin on filter, but they both said no deal, the filters are NOT the same, but were vague on why. There is a thread here titled "Recommendations for remote trans filter" on this site, that I started last week. I will update that when I have results

 

I found an AWD transmission with 140k miles I'll be picking up later this week.

 

Symptoms on 2000 V70XC were car would run/drive OK for 10-15 minutes then lose drive. Let sit for 2 hours and transmission would again work fine for 10-15 minutes. So, with 3 gallons of Dexron III at $17ea and a quart of Lucas trans treatment at $11 I began trans flush. Figuring that drain plug was the lowest point on trans and more goo would likely have collected there, I drained exactly 1 gallon of burned, stinky, black dirty fluid into a new drain pan for drain #1. I used see through plastic 1 gallon milk jugs to measure output. Trans was filled with fresh ATF and while supported on 4 jackstands with all wheels off the ground car was started and gently run through all gear positions for 1 tenth mile as shown on trip meter. All seemed OK so car was run gently through all gear positions for another 5 miles total. Shifting was abrupt and somewhat harsh. After a cooling cycle of 45 minutes and a level check, car was started and run for another 10 miles. Shifting seemed improved and no loss of drive occurred with no unusual noises or vibration, no warning lights on and arrow trans indicator light worked as designed. Drain #2 collected about 4 1/2 qts of fluid which was somewhat cleaner but still smelly and quite dirty. Car was refilled with fresh ATF and run for another 15 miles gently cycling though all gears repeatedly with no loss of drive and no problems. Drain #3 gave almost exactly 5 qts of fluid which was considerably cleaner and less stinky. Trans was filled with 1 qt. of Lucas trans treatment, (which was extremely thick and viscous), and a gallon of fresh ATF.
Then the problems began.
Again the car was started and run on the jackstands with no problems for 2-3 miles. Engine was stopped and level was checked and found to be 3/4 qt low. Topped off and restarted all seemed OK. Transmission operated smoothly, shifts were much improved, no loss of drive occurred. Then the arrow trans indicator light began blinking and the check engine and service indicator lights came on. engine stopped, all levels OK under hood, no problem found. After a cool down cycle car was restarted and arrow trans indicator continued flashing and trans seemed to not be going into 4th gear consistently. Check engine and service lights stayed on.
I am guessing that the Lucas trans treatment has not mixed completely and it's extreme viscosity has impeded internal flow, turning on the arrow trans light. Also, having the car running in gear while supported on jackstands for extended periods with no load may have disturbed something.
Battery was disconnected in hope lights will be cleared on restart, used to work on my '98 supercharged Buick Gran Sport after fuel tank overfills on hot days would cause evap codes.
I do not as yet have a code reader, (any suggestions/recommendations on which to buy?), so can't give trouble codes. Also, car is recent purchase and is not insured or licensed yet, so not road tested while under load. Plan was to do flush, add trans treatment and drive for 100 miles or so, then drain again, but weather says 8+in snow on the way so there may be delays.
One more thing; auto parts store doesn't recycle trans fluid, just used oil, so I'm stuck with 3 gallons of smelly used ATF.

 

Disconnecting battery did not reset warning lights after overnight. Started car to move it so I could clear snow from driveway and drove around block. OK when cold even with arrow light flashing, but once warm lost all drive. I bought a couple of VADIS discs off EBay. What a freakin' nightmare and total PIA! Hours and hours spent trying to get it to work, finally had to pay neighbor to figure it out and now many more hours spent trying to understand how to use it. I hate it and just wish I could buy a bloody book. Even one of those cheesy Haynes manuals written in whatever language that they write those things in. Somewhere in VADIS I stumbled across a note to "reset the Transmission Control Module (referred to as TCM, but confusingly also called VCT?) after transmission fluid changes". In all I have read on this site about transmission flush/fills no one has ever mentioned this. Is this what is causing the arrow light to flash?
Can anyone offer any info?
Now all I have to do is spend a few more hours cursing and growling at the computer and this VADIS crap to find out where it is located.
If only I had a book!