New owner - 850R (96) automatic issues

[iGGy]

Not off to the best of starts with this one I’m afraid.

Besides fixing a number of small faults, PNP switch replacement amongst them and thanks to Wobbly Dave for the ABS ECU repair, I now seem to have hit one that’s stumped me.

I’ve not driven the car much since I got it, whilst sorting the niggles out and everything seemed okay on the transmission side of life. I did a flush and from reading the dip stick, I’d say the car had been running about 1 litre overfilled previously.

On a trip yesterday I came to a stop at a junction with a very bumpy surface. When I accelerated it felt like it was stuck in first. There was no flashing arrow to indicate a fault. I decided to try it again this morning and my outward journey was fine, the box shifted as expected. Coming back it immediately felt wrong, but did change gear. I think it would only go to third as I was doing about 4K RPM@70MHP. Close to home I decided to try L3 and L selection, no arrow came on. Went back into D and the arrow started flashing in all gear stick positions after that. Checked the oil level and it was okay, on the line one down from Max mark.

I let it cool down, as well as myself, over lunch and then started it. The arrow flashed for a bit and then went out. I did a few runs down the drive and it changed gear okay, so I turned it off and decided to get changed and go for a test run. Straight out of the drive it was as if it was stuck in first gear again and no flashing arrow either.

I have found a couple of times whilst moving if I knock it into N and then put it back into D, it will sometimes change gear at the 2500-3000RPM mark. As far as I’m aware the alignment of the PNP switch is okay as all the things seem to happen in the correct sequence when you shift the selector. The reason for replacing the switch in the first place was due to the reversing lights not coming on.

There are no crunching or mechanical noises and it doesn’t appear to be particularly harsh when selecting reverse or drive.

Anyone got any ideas before I decided what my options are regarding getting someone to look at it?

Thanks,

iGGy

[Wobbly Dave]

You will need to get the transmission fault codes read. That will give you the best indication of where to look to. I am good friends with an AT specialist but that is down here, so I doubt that will help much.

The fluid is still reddish and doesnt smell burnt, right?

[iGGy]

The oil looks and smells okay. I checked the PNP switch alignment and that appears to be spot on.

I tried the car again last night on a route that consists of plenty of gear changes between 1st and 2nd, along with a section where it has to do a number of 3rd/4th swapping. It was fine for about twenty minutes and then I noticed the lack of a change at 60MPH. Once again it did exactly as previously described and resulted in the arrow flashing.

On Monday I'll ask a few people in the garage business about any recommendations of a local AT specialist and failing that, I'll try an independent specialist http://www.volvo-service.co.uk/default.htm about 15 miles away. No idea about their reputation though.

I'll report back as soon as I know something.

[iGGy]

So went to see the Volvo specialist this morning. Naturally the car behaved itself on the way and whilst there…didn’t on the way back though.

Here’s what they pulled out of the ECU’s

AT-124 mode selector switch signal
AT-313 gear selector switch signal
AT-411 TCM
AT- unknown DTC

ABS-443 pump motor

On the way back, crusing at 70MPH it decided to change down to 3rd without any input from me. I slowed to 60 and pressed the mode switch to Sport and back to Econ, car appeared to change back up. After joining my local by-pass and accelerating up to the cruise of 70 again, it did exactly the same thing. This time flicking the switch had no effect.

Again at the lights it appeared as if it was stuck in 1st, flick to N and back to D see’s it changing gear once more. Still no flashing arrow to indicate a fault. Park up outside the house, do the run down through 3 and L, no arrow lights up. Go to reverse and then back down to L, the arrow now starts to flash. Selecting through N to R gives the car quite an initial jolt in this condition and then will be as usual if you go to P and back to R etc.

Yesterday it was changing gears with the arrow flashing, so didn’t appear to be in limp mode.

Is there any known working code reader/software for the 96 model?

I’m confused :confused: