Please help me!!!!??

[chunky]

Driving home just now,and the gearbox on my 850 t5 seemed to dissengage and start free wheeling!?.Then to make things worse when i switched it off and removed key the ignition kills stereo etc but the engines purring like a kitten! had to stall it and disconect battery. can anyone help its a 96 p reg auto saloon with 146 k on the clock.the winter arrow was flashing as was the eco gearbox light on the sport switch if this helps?

[nottsgreent5]

sounds to me like a ignition switch problem as for the gear box are you losing water?

[chunky]

not that i know of.why would water affect that?

[nottsgreent5]

only if you have water going into the gearbox cooler due to the rad spliting inside as mine did but i found with mine it would drive fine till it got hot then would lose drive if you have problems turning it off i would try a ignition switch 1st mite cure the flashing arrows aswell lol

[chunky]

i did go through the car wash beforehand but engine was off if that could of thrown water up? im just going to reconnect battery.so will see how she is hopefully no more flashing arrow! lol

[dalhousie2008]

Had a couple of autos major pain in the a4se when they go wrong, could be drive bands in the box

[nottsgreent5]

sorry what i mean is if the rad splits inside it will leak into the gearbox cooler which is part of the rad and will fill the gear box with water from my experience the 850 autos are pritty decent boxes its the rads that fail that will normally cause problems or the pnp switch sticks

[Rhys]

I've had the dreaded flashing lights as well, not good.
Managed to get a replacement box from an 850R with low miles but the auto place I took it to in Hull bodged the fitting and it now leaks oil from a damage seal. Had an expert check it over and that's what he said had happened. When it has oil in it works fine.
I'm going to be flogging it soon when I've swapped some cosmetic bits over to the V70. Currently sorn but mot'd till August. Couldn't be bothered getting it re-fitted properly and taxing it as I got the V70 for a good price.

[chunky]

I have letr the car dry as much as possible and have now discovered that if i take the number 1 fuse out (transmission control unit) the car starts and switches off normally! i havent driven it to see if it changes gear.As soon as i put it back it wont turn off with key and the pump etc stays live,even with battery disconnected it continues to run!?....read somewhere it could be to do with a solenoid.Any ideas or is my car a scrapper?

[Wobbly Dave]

Check your ATF levels - ensure that the ATF does not smell of burnt caramel. Flush change as necessary. A flashing winter arrow is a gearbox fault. If a flush change doesn't solve it then you maybe looking at a replacement auto box.

[chunky]

fluid is at level and looks and smells fine.im really lost with this one.how long a job is a box change.can get one for 160

[Wobbly Dave]

From the symptoms you describe it could be that the clutch packs are either worn out or the hydraulic control controlling their engagement is playing up.

I'd be tempted to do a flush change before dropping the box - which will cost about an hour & 50 quids worth of ATF - only because it is easier/cheaper than dropping the box out.

AW-50-42 box holds about 7 litres - but you'll need about double that to get the whole lot through. Perhaps the filters are partially blocked? It is difficult to say without taking the box to bits.

Are the electrical problems related to the gearbox?

[chunky]

i spoke to volvo mechanic friend who said the solenoid on top of gear box could be damp or knackered.after cleaning i drove it round block to find that over 20mph it loses drive and wont change up!?

[Wobbly Dave]

You could replace the PNP switch to see if it helps.

[nottsgreent5]

think if you know exactley which bit you need to change electrical wise you can accses nearley all of the components if you take the front pan off the gear box all the fluigot to be out the box though and you really do need to lnw what your doing have you had the codes read

[chunky]

had it plugged in but no faults read as it wouldnt communicate with the car

[nottsgreent5]

you need to make a code reader mate look on voc its just 3 bits of wire and a led 850 t5/rs aint obd2 compliant thats why the reader wont link