I have a 2001 V70 XC wagon. The car had been erratically upshifting as I accelerated - increasing from 2,000 to 4000/5000 revs before violently 'clunking' into a higher gear. It would also clunk when decelerating (occasionally stalling as I came to a stop, which was very dangerous as it once happened as I was trying to turn across oncoming traffic). The car would drive without a problem most of the time - the problem occurred less when cold and more often when warmed up in 'stop/start' city traffic.

The diagnosis my regular mechanic concluded was to replace the valve body, which I got done by a Volvo dealership (costL AUD$2,300 inc labour and new part). Having got the car back from them, the car is making a strange 'hissing' noise when I accellerate, and has virtually no reverse (I have to get it to 8,000 revs just to move it extremely slowly).

Volvo is telling me that I need a full transmission replacement ($6,800 inc. yet another valve body) or rebuild. My regular mechanic is '150% sure' that the seal above the valve body and the B3 piston must have dropped out when they were putting the new valve body in. My mechanic has consulted a couple of different colleagues who are apparently transmission experts and have had this happen while they were replacing valve bodies.

The car is now back at Volvo who will try to find the problem and will charge me for their time if they find they installed it correctly in the first place.

Has anyone had a similar experience that I (and my mechanics) might be able to learn from?

Many thanks in advance.

 

No, fortunately we have not had this problem. How many miles on your car? Let us know how it goes

 

These transmissions commonly go bad.

 

My regular regular mechanic nailed it.

Volvo removed the valve body again and found that they had damaged the seal when they installed the valve body.

They have replaced the seal (no charge) and the car is now running very smoothly (both in forward and reverse).

My mechanic has therefore saved me the AUD $6,800 that Volvo would have happily stung me for.

As you can imagine, my professional admiration for my regular mechanic has now blown into a deep-seated man love!!! I'll accordingly be dropping off a bottle of very nice single-malt scotch to him tomorrow morning.

 

Glad it is all fixed now!

 

Ditto!