I rode in my sister-in-law's XC70 today for the first time in a long while. It's got ~114k miles on it. Under light to moderate acceleration near highway speeds it has some tranny hesitation/slipping - if you get on it, it'll downshift a couple gears and pull just fine, but it seemed to hesitate on the single downshift out of overdrive. My brother says the tranny fluid has never been changed, which doesn't surprise me too much - he's a knucklehead when it comes to vehicle maintenance.

There may be something else wrong with the tranny, but I figured changing the fluid would be a good place to start. Is it worth paying someone to do a system flush with one of those tranny flush machines? Or can one just drain and refill the system? Is there a transmission filter to change out like some auto trannies have? I found this procedure over on the VS forum - are the AWD cars significantly different from this?

Thanks for the help!

 

I would mess with it. Volvo does not recommend changing the fluid unless there is something wrong....i.e. burnt or discolored. Check it and see. As for changing it there is a special proceedure.

My guess is you hesitation is from something else. Carbon build up in the throttle body or maybe it needs a tune up.

I know when i had my 03 in for service they cleared a bunch of codes and the car ran like new after. I suspect it had gone in to limp mode for some reason or other and i just got used to it.

Jim

 

I bought an 01 XC that had some nasty dirty fluid 110K. I had it changed once and a thousand miles later I changed it again myself, drop and refill. This little bit of effort made a world of difference in my car. I would highly recommend changing your tranny fluid at least every 30K. It does not make good sense to "not" change your fluid "unless there is a problem". Fluid type is very important, if you are not very familiar go get it from the dealer.
Good Luck!

 

Don't do a power flush. You can do either a drain refill, the drain plug is at the bottom of the transmission next to the angle gear, or the gentle flush procedure by removing the upper transmission-oil cooling line from the radiator and inserting a plastic hose, turn on engine, allow it to pump out 1L or so, refill and repeat until clean. The flush procedure will use about 16quarts of transmission fluid, the drain refill substantially less, 3-4. In either case you must obtain JW3309 compliant fluid, I buy from avlube.com but you can also get from IPD, your dealer (hah!) or buy Toyota T-IV or Mobil 1 multi-vehicle ATF, both of which are JW3309 compliant.

 

Thanks for the feedback, guys.

 

Mobil 1 Multi ATF is not JWS 3309 Compliant. That is why Mobil has a special, ATF 3309

 

The newest Mobil 1 Syntheic Multi-Vehicle ATF is indeed JWS 3309 and Toyota T-IV compliant. I have six quarts of it at home and I have read the back of the bottle multiple times to be certain. Other forums (XC70.com, and V70r.com) have many threads discussing this fluid.
Everyone using it, including me, are having great results.

Al. Wise

 

Where does it say it is "compliant" or " Approved "

"Recommended for" doesn't mean it meet the spec.

Call Mobil, ask them this.

1) Is the Multi ATF JWS3309 compliant or approved??

2) Does the Multi ATF meet the requirements of Volvo Warranty ( doesn't matter if you are in warranty or not ).

Just because it say something on the bottle, it doesn't always mean what it says.

 

I never said "recommended". The container states that it meets the following specifications .... Why don't you go onto the Mobil website and research it yourself instead of being such a pessimist. I highly doubt that Mobil Corporation would risk a law suit due to damages if their product did not meet what they say it does.

Al. Wise

 

I am not being a pessimist. I am point out some facts. I have been to the website, and more.

"Meets" does not mean "approved for", there is a very big differance.

You say they won't risk a lawsuit, then you truely don't understand how they word things, and it is not just Mobil, they all do it. Try and prove a Lubrication failure, very hard to do, they don't have much to worry about.

Do you truely believe that one fluid can meet all those specs?? There is noway one fluid can do it, if it meets one spec, it can easily exceed another spec and more is not always good.

 

See what Mobil says about it in a Toyota.


http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/...smissions.aspx

 

Thank you CRW,

I rest my case.

Al. Wise

 

What do you mean.

It stated, Which is the same fluid as Volvos. Which means you are short changing yourself, by using anything else.

Peace

 

The only possible reason I could see that mattering is to file a warranty claim with Volvo if one were (for some reason) to replace the fluid while the vehicle was still under warranty. In that case you might have to worry that Volvo would deny the warranty claim based on the fluid not being "approved". Otherwise, I don't see why I should care whether Mobil1 (or whoever) has paid Volvo to "approve" the fluid. If it meets the standard, it meets the standard.