Reverse gear goes MIA temporarily

[v70+xc70]

Team: Riddle me this one.

Wife's 03xc70 with 122k was parked unused last week while we were out of state. After a week on no use, she tells me that it couldn't find Reverse gear until she had gone into drive and back again. Apparently this has happened before.

I don't know how the shifter is connected to the box, but could this be a linkage adjustment issue, or something worse?

Yes fluid was replaced about 40k ago after the flare started to reappear. It was replaced prior to that at around 15k when Volvo replaced the valve body inside the box to stop the flare from happening.

Appreciate your advice. Thanks

[Astro14]

If it worked OK the rest of the day, it sounds more like low fluid than anything...did you check that?

[v70+xc70]

I did last night and it seems fine. If anything possibly a little over. Wish I'd checked it cold this morning before I drove it.

[MacNoob]

No point checking it cold. There is a very specific procedure to check the ATF level - car needs to be COMPLETELY warmed up and trans run through all gears, engine running, level surface, shifter moved through all positions, then check with engine running.

That's just a quick summary off the top of my head.

Do you park the car on a slope? Wonder if fluid isn't where it's supposed to be when the engine is first started.

[v70+xc70]

Level in my garage. Dipstick has hot and cold markings. Or that's what I thought when I saw it yesterday.

[MacNoob]

Dipstick has hot and cold markings. But recommendation is always check it hot. Why? Don't know.

[v70+xc70]

Transmission fluid level isn't an issue, its clean fluid to. No repeats at all. I'm a bit old school and like to let cars idle a moment if you haven't driven them for a while. Let the fluid get around everywhere it needs to go.
Yup, thinking the wife just shifted too quickly for the pump to get fluid pressure/volume up enough in the box.