SLIPPING TRANSMISSION WHILE DRIVING ON STRAIGHT AWAYS AND UP HILLS ON BOTH OF MY VOLVO'S PURCHASED AS CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE'S. THE FIRST VEHICLE (2002 VOLVO S60 AWD) WAS TRADED IN BUT THE SECOND ONE (2002 VOLVO XC70 AWD) WAS REPAIRED - BOTH AFTER 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP AND WITH WARRANTIES THAT HAD JUST EXPIRED. THE SLIPPING TRANSMISSION OCCURRED CONSTANTLY WHILE DRIVING AND WOULD CAUSE THE CAR TO SLAM INTO GEAR WHEN ACCELERATING AND PROPEL THE CAR FORWARD ONCE THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED. I TOOK THE VOLVO TO THE SERVICE SHOP AND WAS TOLD THERE WASN'T AN ISSUE THEN WHEN I BROUGHT IT BACK AGAIN THEY EXPLAINED THAT I WOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION. WHEN I TOOK THE XC 70 TO A CERTIFIED VOLVO TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST (NOT THE DEALER) WE TESTED THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND THE TEST CAME BACK AS POSITIVELY SHOWING THE EXISTENCE OF RADIATOR FLUID WHICH HAD LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE VOLVO SPECIALIST EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IN RECENT YEARS VOLVO HAD MADE A CHANGE TO HOW THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS COOLED. AS A DIRECT RESULT OF THIS DESIGN CHANGE TO AWD VEHICLES (ALL AWD'S) THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS COOLED BY FLOWING THROUGH A PIPE DIRECTLY ATTACHED TO THE RADIATOR. OVER TIME THE RADIATOR FLUID CAUSED THE COOLING PIPE TO CORRODE AND AS A RESULT RADIATOR FLUID WAS LEAKING INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. BESIDES REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION THE RADIATOR ALSO REQUIRED REPLACEMENT BECAUSE WE HAD TO FIX THE LEAK AT THE SOURCE OR IT WOULD CONTINUE TO HAPPEN. EVEN THOUGH THE REPAIRS WERE MADE THE PROBLEM COULD PRESENT ITSELF AGAIN OVER TIME. IT TOOK ONLY 80,000 FOR MY VOLVO XC70'S TRANSMISSION TO FAIL. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW AND ACCORDING TO THE MULTIPLE TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST I SPOKE WITH THEY ARE SEEING THIS PROBLEM MORE AND MORE WITH ALL AWD VOLVO'S FROM 2000 TO PRESENT DAY MODELS. *TR
2006
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH ON RAINY ROAD CONDITIONS, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS STOPPED WORKING AND IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ENGINE STALLED AND ALL DASH BOARD INFORMATION DISAPPEARED AS WELL. NO WARNING SIGNALS ALERTED THE CONTACT PRIOR THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OVER AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HAD TO BE USED TO STOP IT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO POWER BRAKE ACTION EITHER. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED ONLY THE HORN AND THE EMERGENCY FLASHER LIGHTS STILL WORKED. THE DEALERSHIP TOWED THE VEHICLE, WHO REMOVED THE ELECTRONIC MODULE, HOWEVER NO RESOLUTION HAD BEEN DETERMINED YET. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED BUT HAD NOT COMMUNICATED ANY RESOLUTION EITHER. THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 11/09/06. *JB
