2002 Volvo XC70 Powertrain & Transmission Problems

MY WIFE DROVE OUR CAR A 2002 VOLVO XC70 STATION WAGON FROM OUR SECOND HOME APPROXIMATELY TEN MILES TO SAN LUIS OBISPO CALIF. FOR SHOPPING. SHE PARKED THE CAR IN THE PARKING LOT AND WENT INTO A STORE. SHE CAME BACK OUT, STARTED THE CAR AND BACKED OUT OF THE PARKING SPACE. WHEN SHE PUT THE TRANSMISSION LEVER IN DRIVE THE ENGINE WENT TO FULL RPM AND LURCHED FORWARD, SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES WHICH COULD NOT HOLD THE HIGH ENGINE SPEED PULLING THE CAR FORWARD. SHE QUICKLY SHUT THE ENGINE OFF WITH THE KEY AVOIDING A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS NOT ON AND THERE WERE NO OBJECTS I.E., FLOOR MATS OR OTHER ITEMS, NEAR THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. THANK GOD MY WIFE OR NO ONE ELSE WAS INJURED OR KILLED. I AM A RETIRED FIRE CAPTAIN AND PRIVATE FIRE INVESTIGATOR WITH 30+ EXPERIENCE. THIS SCARED THE HELL OUT OF US AND WE DO NOT TRUST THE CAR. I PREVIOUSLY TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND REPORTED THE TRANSMISSION 'CLUNKING' THEY RECOMMENDED THAT I DRIVE IT TILL IT FAILED BECAUSE OF THE HIGH COSTS INVOLVED. NOW, I AM READING REPORTS OF COIL SPRING FAILURES AND BEARING PROBLEMS. I BOUGHT THIS CAR SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SAFETY FEATURES; NOW I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND EXTREMELY CONCERNED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO XC70 CROSS COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DOWN SHIFT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JERK. A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,950. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED BETWEEN GEARS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE DUE TO ANTI GLARE SEPARATION WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE AND ALSO MADE THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 188,000.

FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION ON THE ROAD. *TR

70K MILES ON 2002 VOLVO XC70 WHEN UNEXPECTED SURGING STARTED. OCCURS WHEN DRIVING UP HILL OR UP A GRADE. THIS SERIOUS AND CONCERNING PROBLEM CONTINUES TO OCCUR, WITH OR WITHOUT SETTING CRUISE CONTROL. THIS VEHICLE HAS EXCELLENT MAINTENANCE HISTORY RECORD. *TR

2002 VOLVO CROSS COUNTRY TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS 143,000 AND TRANSMISSION IS GOING BAD. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND JERKS WHEN GEARING DOWN. I WAS GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AND THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO GET HIT. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT I WILL HAVE TO REPLACE THE VALVE BODY IN THE AMOUNT OF $2300. *TR

RECENTLY BOUGHT A 2002 VOLVO V70 XC70 AND AM HAVING SERIOUS ISSUES WITH GEARS IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING SMOOTHLY AND MAINTAINING CONSTANT GEARS AT CONSTANT SPEEDS. HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE CAR MAY NEED A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. I HAVE SEEN NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON THE WEB FROM OTHER 2002 OWNERS. WHY HAS A RECALL NOT BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS? WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO FLIP THE BILL FOR CRUMMY MANUFACTURING? *TR

OUR 2002 VOLVO XC70 HAS A TENDENCY TO JERK ?VIOLENTLY? FORWARD ?SHIFT FLARE? AND HARSH SHIFTING PROBLEMS AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS WITHOUT WARNING AND HAS DONE SO ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE RIDING WITH OUR FAMILY; FRIGHTENING EVERYONE IN THE VEHICLE AND POTENTIALLY CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE FREQUENCY HAS INCREASED OVER THE PAST YEAR TO THE POINT WE ARE UNABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT SERIOUS RISK OF INJURY OR ACCIDENT. WE WERE DENIED WARRANTY SERVICE BY A SOUTH ATLANTA VOLVO DEALER (THAT HAS SINCE GONE OUT OF BUSINESS) AND BY VOLVO NORTH AMERICA DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD. THERE ARE LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF INTERNET POSTINGS WITH THE SAME COMPLAINTS. NAMELY, THERE ARE SEVERAL PRIMARY ISSUES INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE ECU BRAIN OF THE CAR MALFUNCTIONING, SOFTWARE MALFUNCTIONS AND TCM MALFUNCTIONING. THE JERKING IS VERY FREIGHTING AND COULD SEND ONE TO THE HOSPITAL WITH SEVERE NECK AND NERVE INJURY. WE HAVE CONTACTED VOLVO NORTH AMERICA, VOLVO WORLDWIDE AND PARENT COMPANY FORD MOTORS. THE VEHICLE HAD AN EXTENDED WARRANTY CONTRACT THAT WAS BREACHED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND BY VOLVO NORTH AMERICA. *TR

I OWN A 2002 VOLVO XC70 CROSS COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING, AND ESPECIALLY DURING DOWN SHIFTS, THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE ITS CONNECTION TO THE DRIVE SHAFT, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO REV UP AND THE VEHICLE TO JERK AS IT GRABBED BACK INTO GEAR. THE JERKING HAS CONSEQUENTLY CAUSED ME TO BREAK MY MOTOR MOUNTS. A LOCAL MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. THE DEALER AGREED THAT THIS WAS THE ONLY SOLUTION. ALL SOFTWARE UPDATES HAVE BEEN DONE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED, AS THEY ARE A CHINESE COMPANY. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS AROUND 85,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 125,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. NOT FAIR TO THE OWNER. MANUFACTURER SHOULD CORRECT THIS COMMON, EXPENSIVE PROBLEM. *TR

TRANSMISSION ON MY 2002 VOLVO V70 XC STARTED TO EXHIBIT SHIFT FLARE AND HARSH SHIFTING THAT GAVE CONTROL PROBLEMS AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS. DEALER DOWNLOADED NEW TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE AND INSPECTED AND CLEANED THE TCM (THROTTLE CONTROL MODULE). TCM WAS NOT REPLACED AS DEALER CLAIMED IT WAS NOT PART OF RECALL PROGRAM. HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR FOR THE LAST FEW WEEKS WITH NO NOTICEABLE DIFFERENCE IN SHIFTING PROBLEMS. CONTACTED VOLVO NORTH AMERICA'S CONSUMER SUPPORT TO FILE REPORT THIS MORNING. VISITED SEVERAL ONLINE FORUMS CONCERNING THE ISSUE AND FOUND THOUSANDS OF POSTS REGARDING SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH CARS USING ASIN-WARNER AW55-50 GEARBOX. ESPECIALLY HELPFUL WERE POSTS AT VOLVO- FORUMS.COM AND SWEDESPEED.COM. ONE POST WAS FROM USED VOLVO DEALER COMPLAINING OF THE EFFECT ON HIS BUSINESS IN 2001-2003 VOLVO CARS SAYING THAT THE PROBLEM WAS WORSE THAN THE ETM RECALL ISSUE. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM EFFECTING THE SAFETY OF THOUSANDS OF VOLVO DRIVERS. VOLVO NEEDS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*CN