2011 XC60 gearbox issues again

Old Wobbler · May 21st, 2021, 00:26

Bought this goodly XC60 from an NON Volvo dealership with 118,000 miles and full Volvo Service history. Within 4 weeks fo buying the car we had a 'transmission service required' come up on the dash. Had the gearbox oil changed, still shows the same fault.
Diagnosed by Volvo dealer to need adaptions at £250. Left the car and a day later plus £250 lighter got the car back. Within 3 miles 'Transmission service ' back up on the dash.
Volvo then suggest that it needs a valve body at £2500!
While chatting the options over the car now goes into gear like you've been hit from behind by a bus or lorry. Very upsetting and concerning. Its worse when cold but still there when hot.
Roll forward a little while and the car goes into Volvo main dealer for Valve body. With 3 hours Volvo are back on the phone.
'We're not happy with the gearbox changing gear and we've done more tests. We think your gearbox seals have gone so are unwilling to change the valve body. We dont want to waste your money.....blah blah blah.....the new valve body mail fail due to the seals being shot ........blah blah blah.......we now suggest that you go for a full gearbox strip at approx £5,000 but saying that we think the best and easiest option is to replace the full box at £7500!'

I mean the car is only worth £5,000. It's perfect inside and out.

I wrote to Volvo who basically just washed their hands of the whole matter. Very disappointed with Volvo as a car and a organisation. Looks like this ones off to the auctions. Car has 121,000 miles on the clock.
Should have said its a XC60 2011 D5 SE Nav with all the toys.

MikeGMT · May 21st, 2021, 03:37

Sorry to hear of your transmission woes OW. As you will appreciate the transmission is a complex piece of engineering, especially nowadays.

I don’t think main dealers are best placed to repair and diagnose the problems that can occur, and have a set routine they follow, change fluid, reset adaptations/relearn, when this doesn’t work they are stabbing in the dark.

The transmission has a TCM (Transmission Control Unit) which controls all the parameters, and is programmed with a set of values and has the ability to learn as the transmission ages and to adapt. Hazarding a guess and the reset/relearn has fooled the transmission into thinking it is a new unit and altered the line pressures and other control parameters. Imagine a 60 year old being reprogrammed to 20 years old, just doesn’t work.

With auto transmissions when they go bad there is a primary cause, a secondary cause and what manifests itself to the user. A good example would be worn clutch packs. The driver would experience higher revs in certain gears without the associated increase in speed. Replace clutch packs and away you go, a month later and the new clutches have worn due to low line pressure being the primary cause which was missed during the rebuild.

Of course this doesn’t really help you OW. In your situation I would be looking for a professional rebuilder who will be able to accurately diagnose and pressure test the transmission and vacuum test the valve body. Overhaul kits are available for all the main wear components such as solenoids, ‘O’ ring seals, clutch packs etc. Once diagnosed you may find it will be only a fraction of the cost you have been quoted, and then decide what is the best course of action for yourself.

Tannaton · May 21st, 2021, 12:09

^^^ What he said really.

Volvo will generally only change whole transmissions (with a few exceptions) that's based on their desire to fix it first time. As an owner that's expensive, if your car was under warranty you would be delighted...

Unless you win the lottery the dealer is little use here, you need to find a gearbox specialist that is familiar with these transmissions. Unlike manual gearboxes, auto's must have the fault diagnosed whilst in the car - they need electronics and hydraulic fluid at pressure to function so cannot be definitively diagnosed "on the bench". There are some specialists offering a fixed price overhaul and repair with long warranties but I expect you would still be looking at £2k+ - but that is the cost you were prepared to pay for the Valve body swap?

There are some seals in the gearbox that are known to be leaky and there is a software fix to overcome this - has your TCM been updated? The symptoms of this are banging from P to D or R and between D and R when hot - but you say yours is worse when cold which is a new one on me.

Old Wobbler · May 21st, 2021, 23:02

Ours does the loud bang and lurch forward when you go into Drive. It does a smaller one when coming out of park and going into into reverse.
The transmission service note on the dash only seems to come on when we take the car up a long drag up a hill, which is most of the time. She seems to rev about 500rpm higher when this comes on.

Tannaton · May 22nd, 2021, 08:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Wobbler

Ours does the loud bang and lurch forward when you go into Drive. It does a smaller one when coming out of park and going into into reverse.
The transmission service note on the dash only seems to come on when we take the car up a long drag up a hill, which is most of the time. She seems to rev about 500rpm higher when this comes on.

You need to get the codes read to make sure but that sounds like torque converter lock failure.

The Thong · May 23rd, 2021, 13:44

It’s a shame you live in Deal, there’s a specialist who are knowledgable in the foibles of your gearbox. My Autobox has the odd hissy which improved after Horton’s changed the oil and reset the adaptions etc. I found the Main Agents very reluctant to do more than twiddle with the adaptions on the box. I got the stock excuse of “sealed for life”

In two years I’ll get the box flushed then keep up a service period on TBF box after that. I found my issues started nice the box had warmed up and in really cold weather the issues never arose which made the diagnosis much easier

Take a look at this, it’s quite informative. Good luck in finding a satisfactory solution

https://hortoncars.co.uk/volvo-news/...and-solutions/

TT

Clan · May 23rd, 2021, 16:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Wobbler

Bought this goodly XC60 from an NON Volvo dealership with 118,000 miles and full Volvo Service history. Within 4 weeks fo buying the car we had a 'transmission service required' come up on the dash. Had the gearbox oil changed, still shows the same fault.
Diagnosed by Volvo dealer to need adaptions at £250. Left the car and a day later plus £250 lighter got the car back. Within 3 miles 'Transmission service ' back up on the dash.
Volvo then suggest that it needs a valve body at £2500!
While chatting the options over the car now goes into gear like you've been hit from behind by a bus or lorry. Very upsetting and concerning. Its worse when cold but still there when hot.
Roll forward a little while and the car goes into Volvo main dealer for Valve body. With 3 hours Volvo are back on the phone.
'We're not happy with the gearbox changing gear and we've done more tests. We think your gearbox seals have gone so are unwilling to change the valve body. We dont want to waste your money.....blah blah blah.....the new valve body mail fail due to the seals being shot ........blah blah blah.......we now suggest that you go for a full gearbox strip at approx £5,000 but saying that we think the best and easiest option is to replace the full box at £7500!'

I mean the car is only worth £5,000. It's perfect inside and out.

I wrote to Volvo who basically just washed their hands of the whole matter. Very disappointed with Volvo as a car and a organisation. Looks like this ones off to the auctions. Car has 121,000 miles on the clock.
Should have said its a XC60 2011 D5 SE Nav with all the toys.

You have inherited someone else's problem , that's why they sold it ...

This particular problem has been well known in the dealers , They have service bulletins from about 2012-3 which explains exactly what it is and how to cure it . This "Calibration" was the first thing they would do , which in most cases fixed it for the mid term ... the full fix was launched in 2014 ish .
The problem is the gearbox operating oil pressure dropping because of the three main shaft seals leaking internally . These are metal, similar to piston rings . Volvo have modified seals now ( well 6 or 7 years ago )
The gearbox has to come out and the front oil pump removed behind the torque converter and the front clutch assembly removed to do the job ...

They know all about it and must have done at least a couple by now ...

As always , Make sure the gearbox has the latest software as it contains test routines for diagnosing this problem which were added around 2014 ...

Good Luck ...

May 21st, 2021, 00:26	#1
Old Wobbler New Member Last Online: Jul 6th, 2021 17:20 Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Deal	2011 XC60 gearbox issues again Bought this goodly XC60 from an NON Volvo dealership with 118,000 miles and full Volvo Service history. Within 4 weeks fo buying the car we had a 'transmission service required' come up on the dash. Had the gearbox oil changed, still shows the same fault. Diagnosed by Volvo dealer to need adaptions at £250. Left the car and a day later plus £250 lighter got the car back. Within 3 miles 'Transmission service ' back up on the dash. Volvo then suggest that it needs a valve body at £2500! While chatting the options over the car now goes into gear like you've been hit from behind by a bus or lorry. Very upsetting and concerning. Its worse when cold but still there when hot. Roll forward a little while and the car goes into Volvo main dealer for Valve body. With 3 hours Volvo are back on the phone. 'We're not happy with the gearbox changing gear and we've done more tests. We think your gearbox seals have gone so are unwilling to change the valve body. We dont want to waste your money.....blah blah blah.....the new valve body mail fail due to the seals being shot ........blah blah blah.......we now suggest that you go for a full gearbox strip at approx £5,000 but saying that we think the best and easiest option is to replace the full box at £7500!' I mean the car is only worth £5,000. It's perfect inside and out. I wrote to Volvo who basically just washed their hands of the whole matter. Very disappointed with Volvo as a car and a organisation. Looks like this ones off to the auctions. Car has 121,000 miles on the clock. Should have said its a XC60 2011 D5 SE Nav with all the toys. Last edited by Old Wobbler; May 21st, 2021 at 00:29.

May 21st, 2021, 03:37	#2
MikeGMT VOC Member Last Online: Yesterday 11:40 Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Kingston upon Hull, E.Yorks.	Sorry to hear of your transmission woes OW. As you will appreciate the transmission is a complex piece of engineering, especially nowadays. I don’t think main dealers are best placed to repair and diagnose the problems that can occur, and have a set routine they follow, change fluid, reset adaptations/relearn, when this doesn’t work they are stabbing in the dark. The transmission has a TCM (Transmission Control Unit) which controls all the parameters, and is programmed with a set of values and has the ability to learn as the transmission ages and to adapt. Hazarding a guess and the reset/relearn has fooled the transmission into thinking it is a new unit and altered the line pressures and other control parameters. Imagine a 60 year old being reprogrammed to 20 years old, just doesn’t work. With auto transmissions when they go bad there is a primary cause, a secondary cause and what manifests itself to the user. A good example would be worn clutch packs. The driver would experience higher revs in certain gears without the associated increase in speed. Replace clutch packs and away you go, a month later and the new clutches have worn due to low line pressure being the primary cause which was missed during the rebuild. Of course this doesn’t really help you OW. In your situation I would be looking for a professional rebuilder who will be able to accurately diagnose and pressure test the transmission and vacuum test the valve body. Overhaul kits are available for all the main wear components such as solenoids, ‘O’ ring seals, clutch packs etc. Once diagnosed you may find it will be only a fraction of the cost you have been quoted, and then decide what is the best course of action for yourself. __________________ Volvo V90 D4 CC Pro : Osmium Grey : P* ____________________ It’s a cold day in Wagga Wagga ____________________ Who Knocks the Knockerupper Up

May 21st, 2021, 12:09	#3
Tannaton Bungling Amateur Last Online: Today 00:22 Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Beverley, East Yorks	^^^ What he said really. Volvo will generally only change whole transmissions (with a few exceptions) that's based on their desire to fix it first time. As an owner that's expensive, if your car was under warranty you would be delighted... Unless you win the lottery the dealer is little use here, you need to find a gearbox specialist that is familiar with these transmissions. Unlike manual gearboxes, auto's must have the fault diagnosed whilst in the car - they need electronics and hydraulic fluid at pressure to function so cannot be definitively diagnosed "on the bench". There are some specialists offering a fixed price overhaul and repair with long warranties but I expect you would still be looking at £2k+ - but that is the cost you were prepared to pay for the Valve body swap? There are some seals in the gearbox that are known to be leaky and there is a software fix to overcome this - has your TCM been updated? The symptoms of this are banging from P to D or R and between D and R when hot - but you say yours is worse when cold which is a new one on me. __________________ 2011 XC90 D5 Executive 2003 C70 T5 GT 2012 Ford Ranger XL SC 1977 Triumph Spitfire 1500 1976 Massey Ferguson 135 Last edited by Tannaton; May 21st, 2021 at 12:12.

May 23rd, 2021, 13:44	#6
The Thong VOC Member Last Online: Today 09:48 Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: The Independent Republic of Leamington Spa	It’s a shame you live in Deal, there’s a specialist who are knowledgable in the foibles of your gearbox. My Autobox has the odd hissy which improved after Horton’s changed the oil and reset the adaptions etc. I found the Main Agents very reluctant to do more than twiddle with the adaptions on the box. I got the stock excuse of “sealed for life” In two years I’ll get the box flushed then keep up a service period on TBF box after that. I found my issues started nice the box had warmed up and in really cold weather the issues never arose which made the diagnosis much easier Take a look at this, it’s quite informative. Good luck in finding a satisfactory solution https://hortoncars.co.uk/volvo-news/...and-solutions/ TT __________________ Never underestimate the power of stupid. It’ can’t be reasoned or negotiated with and you’ll never never beat it…. Cut your losses, smile and walk away Currently Volvoless but Thong will be back

May 21st, 2021, 23:02	#4
Old Wobbler New Member Last Online: Jul 6th, 2021 17:20 Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Deal	Ours does the loud bang and lurch forward when you go into Drive. It does a smaller one when coming out of park and going into into reverse. The transmission service note on the dash only seems to come on when we take the car up a long drag up a hill, which is most of the time. She seems to rev about 500rpm higher when this comes on.

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