2002 XC70 Transmission Nightmare - EVERYONE PLEASE READ!

[Snowmobileaddict]

If fellow owners read this post they will be armed with at least $3,000 worth of information.

Where else can you get that?

If anybody has a good, clear photo of the transmission fluid drain plug, go ahead and post it onto this thread. That should cover just about everything for the DIY'ers, and folks suspecting a mechanic of wrong doing.

-Where NOT to add ATF

-Where to add ATF

-Where to drain ATF

[Forkster]

The question I put out there is this - how many 01-02 transmissions are damaged by mechanics mistaking this 27mm bolt as a fill hole? I'm sure Volvo dealership don't fill in there, but if you take your car into the shop for a transmission fluid swap, how many tech's mistake this bolt for the fill hole?

Question I also have, is this bolt on the 03-07 trannies?

Thanks Snow for educating us all on this issue. I'm going to put this in our FAQ and leave it stuck for a while so everyone can read your story.

[Snowmobileaddict]

For your viewing pleasure I am including a video link below on where to look on your XC to find out if you have this particular band anchor bolt. Just click the link and press play. You'll notice the anchor bolt is just to the right of that red pointer I included in the shot.

http://www.snowmobilefanatics.com/ga...4/display.aspx

And here are some additional photographs that may give a better perspective as well. The bolt is kind of under the fuse panel and air intake pipe.

[howardc64]

how many 01-02 transmissions are damaged by mechanics mistaking this 27mm bolt as a fill hole?

Check out what google came up with on this. Seems like a frequent enough mistake on a lot of cars

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&c...&aq=f&oq=&aqi=

http://www.google.com/search?client=...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Check out the Sonnax article on this... page 3 left column

http://www.sonnax.com/tech-articles/TASC-TIP-01-08.pdf

Here is a note on Jag, Freelander, and VWs

http://www.raybestospowertrain.com/p...g_Problems.pdf

Amazing!

[Forkster]

Is this bolt on the 03-07 trannies?

[Snowmobileaddict]

That bolt is clearly visible on many volvo transmissions for sale on eBay right now that are represented to be take-out units from 01-07 model year vehicles.

[BillAileo]

Forkster,

Grab a flashlight, pop your hood and look towards the top rear of the transmission on an 03-07 and you'll see that bolt.

[Forkster]

I'm thinking I need a do-not-touch sticker on that bolt. Saw it - same location.


Here's a thought - how many or what percentage of 01-02 Volvo's, or even the 03-07 model years that had to have their transmissions built had them ruined by mechanics mistaking it as a fill hole? 5%? 50%? Interesting food for thought...

Anyways, I'm looking to see if we can get a sticker made to stick on this bolt and be heat/water resistant. My be a few dollars each but I'm looking at costs right now of making 250 to start.

[Snowmobileaddict]

A sticker could help a lot. I'd buy one for sure!!!

That bolt should be an anti-tamper bolt (5-sided) or something similar straight from the factory.

This post here: http://www.justanswer.com/questions/...-aw55-50-sn-no

indicates that some reman'd units that Volvo installs come with an anti-tamper bolt.

I couldn't afford to go with Volvo for the transmission repair. Their estimate was astronomical.

[Kails76]

I wish I'd come online and checked this out before spending a small fortune fixing the tranny problem with my 02 XC70!
We have had massive issues with flaring - so bad the car is lurching all over the place - was an intermittent problem so of course the mechanic couldn't "diagnose" the problem. We had the alternator replaced, the gear box checked, the transmission fluid replaced (which may be where the problems began!?) etc etc......
The car is getting to a point where it is practically undriveable and apparently the only solution is a full tranny rebuild/replacement.
There are some other posts online saying that a software update may be helpful (assuming the bolt wasn't used as a fill point) - suggestions ?
I have always had a volvo (actually we have 2) but the problems with this one have been unbelievable. We have both booster seats in the back now broken as the springs have given out, the petrol flap spring gave out as well a while back and the whole flap got ripped off in the wind. The month after we first got it the solonoids gave out and the car would lock itself down when the ignition was off - the only way to get the car to work was to get the roadside assist to come and restart the battery - not exactly the reliability you would expect from a "luxury" label like Volvo.......