I just had my baby in for a 7500 mile service and also had the dealer check VAIDS for a transmission upgrade.<P>Just recently, accelerating from a stop, my transmission would sometimes seem to hunt for a gear and then "clunk" into finding one. I only experienced it 3 times in two days, but the timing was right to bring it up to the dealer. My service tech found a bulletin about a transmission adaptation upgrade very easily (unbelievable, I know).<P>I can't discern a FID number, so I'll describe what's on my paperwork. Also, the tech said all you have to do is bring up the model (2001 XC) and choose option 4 (Transmission) on VAIDS and the bulletin was right there. I didn't get to see the system, so I don't know if its really that easy. <P>Here's what's in the paperwork:<P>"Cust. reports vehicle intermittantly tries to find gear on accelerations - finally clunks into gear.<P>Cause: 16<BR> 04301-6 AW 55-50 Adaptation Bulletin 43-20<BR> 3489 W93<BR> FC: 165M Part#: Count:<BR>"<P>Coastal, I'm thinking about yours too. Keep a feel out for the symptoms.<P>Darell, I'm feeling cool (more) like you now that I've got a Service Pack installed!<P>--Adam<P>P.S. Where's everyone been? (besides on volvospy -- not that there's anything wrong with that...)<p>[This message has been edited by saabstory (edited 06-22-2001).]
XC Transmission Upgrade
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Hey guys, I've been here lurking in the background, but haven't had too much to say as the car's been treating us REALLY well!<P>I had the same Transmission Adaptation done a week ago. I've had a super busy stretch of driving since the work (~2000k), and the problem seems to have been fixed. <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/biggrin.gif"><P>
Hi Guys.<P>It's kind of nice having our little forum over here where everybody tries to be helpful, and nobody yells at us, huh? But you're right - it has been pretty quiet lately, hasn't it Adam?<P>So, who's surprised to see me chime in on a thread about transmission issues? Raise your hand. Ok, now sit down and listen up...<P>I actually have Bulletin 43-20 in my hot little hands (PDF format). If you want it, say the word and I can email it along. Fact of the matter is, after 700 miles of normal driving, the adaptation should be done on it's own. This procedure simply does in 0.7 hours (officially) what your car will eventually do by itself. It should only be needed after a software download or when the car is new. The need for this procedure should not just crop up.<P>There is no FID, because there is no software involved. It is a mechanical procedure that involves heating the transmission fluid to a certain range, and then simply driving the car at specific speeds until the clunk stops. You can probably imagine why I know so much about it - it has been performed countless times on my car with no effect. I certainly hope that you guys find it more helpful than I have.<P>This procedure should be performed after any new trans software, but NOBODY at the dealer had ever heard of it a few months ago, even after they'd given me three software upgrades. I bought the bulletin from Volvo, printed it out and showed it to them. I swear, sometimes I feel like I should be on Volvo's payroll.<P>This procedure is unique to the GearTronic trans, regardless of V70 model.<P>Oh, and Adam...you can't really be as cool as I am until NOTHING really fixes your problems. <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/smile.gif"><P>So, how is everybody?<P>- Darell
Darell et all, while not a XC, my T5 is in the shop this morning for the (hopefully) FID 642 download - a BWM 318i hanging with me through a 0-60 run at a stoplight is too much to take. This time, the service writer seemed to (a) recognise that I might know what I am talking about ("Not many customers know what VADIS is, much less what it does" - thanks to this forum and others for making the average owner an educated one) (b) be aware that the download existed. Oh happy progress. Of those who have made it past 22,500 miles how much have people been paying for a 22,500 mile service - I was quoted ~$250 including synthetic oil. Darrel, can you emial the transmission procedure so I can ask the right questions about the service today? Thanks, Pk
Hi everyone. When talking about VADIS delivered upgrades for 2001 V70's (including XC), I wonder how many are incorporated already in later delivery models. For example, my XC shows none of the transmission problems regularly discussed and there seems no point in asking for upgrades to solve a non existent problem for me. So, to be constructive, can you each post the manufacturing or delivery date for the car you have had transmission (including Geartronic) problems with so that we can arrive at some sort of crude cut-off date - or have I just been lucky. My XC was manufactured in December 2000. BTW, in saying I have no problems, I am excluding the seemingly deliberate gas saving feature of the auto changing into fifth gear at low speed with a light foot on the throttle! If there was a download to lock out this this at say less than 30 - 40 mph it might be worth having but not a severe issue in my book.
Darell, <P>That tech note makes sense. No wonder there were so many more miles on my odometer when I picked it up (I was thinking about Ferris Bueller's Day Off). The car was definitely not "adapting" to my driving style.<P>I remembered your other post (on another board) about pulling the fuse for a while and then driving in manual mode for the afternoon to retrain the TCU. I didn't pull the fuse, but I purposely drove around all day in manual mode (not shifting until 3k RPM). Just got back from a business trip last night and in Auto, the car was driving just like I had in manual. 
Let's just see if it lasts a week...<P>2001 XC, built 09/00, bought 11/00, 8500 miles 06/01, (in no particular order...) two tow eyes, Yakima rack (now with Mako's and Rollers), 3M Solarguard tint all around (ok, not on the windshield), K&N filter, skid plate, Nokia 8860 hands free kit, Valentine-1 radar hardwired, tried Rob's reverse radar but never mounted permanently (didn't like the look on the XC bumper), and now with DCS 43-20 performed!(whew! I've got to put this in a signature...)<P>--Adam<P>P.S. And STILL only one reverse fog light, darn it!<p>[This message has been edited by saabstory (edited 06-26-2001).]
Let's just see if it lasts a week...<P>2001 XC, built 09/00, bought 11/00, 8500 miles 06/01, (in no particular order...) two tow eyes, Yakima rack (now with Mako's and Rollers), 3M Solarguard tint all around (ok, not on the windshield), K&N filter, skid plate, Nokia 8860 hands free kit, Valentine-1 radar hardwired, tried Rob's reverse radar but never mounted permanently (didn't like the look on the XC bumper), and now with DCS 43-20 performed!(whew! I've got to put this in a signature...)<P>--Adam<P>P.S. And STILL only one reverse fog light, darn it!<p>[This message has been edited by saabstory (edited 06-26-2001).]I think what we need here is a button that's labeled "remember how I was just driving, and keep shifting like that always" Or, even easier, a switch that lets you choose between sport and economy. That's what used to be available, and it worked far better than what we have now.<P>Sometimes I drive like a mad man, sometimes I can't or don't want to. As soon as I feel like having fun, my trans "remembers" that I'm a sissy driver, and shifts accordingly. It really does drive me nuts. I'm still trying to figure out if there is ANY advantage to this "adaptive" transmission technology. If it just worked right and consistently, it wouldn't need to adapt to anything.<P>- Darell<p>[This message has been edited by darell (edited 06-26-2001).]
So it sounds like the problem stems from us wanting to drive aggressively one minute, and cruise the next? And the transmission is having troubles adapting to these differences? <P>This would make a lot of sense since I tend to be bipolar in my driving moods... <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/biggrin.gif">
Adam -<P>That is exactly what VCNA wants me to believe. That makes it more MY fault I guess. It's BS to me though....nobody would ever want it to learn shift patterns in slow-and-go traffic. Seems to me like a case of too much technology for technology's sake.<P>So, for those interested, I'm holding pretty much the same conversation in the S60 forum on Vspy. Seems our GearTronic problems have carried right over into the S60. <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/frown.gif"> <P>- Darell
Thanks guys for the dates of manufacture. Since Coastal and myself don't seem to have the up shift clunking problem with manufacture late in 2000 and early 2001 (BTW Coastal, all the 2001 XC's were assembled in Belgium, weren't they, like mine?) while Adam had the problem with an XC built in September 2000, maybe the fix was included later.<P>I went through the VADIS upgrades and service advisories today with my friendly Volvo shop foreman. We could find no relevant download for my vehicle number. I will take Adam's invoice information and try again. There was a mention of a replaceable tranmission module though. Any knowledge of that?<P>Now, in all this, am I correct in saying that there have been three problems: the original poor transmission behavior which was the subject of much gnashing of teeth by Darell and mainly discusssed by T5 owners, the XC upshift clunk complained about by Adam and hopefully recently fixed with the mystery download, and the general outstanding adaptive feature affecting all of us that allows the transmission to change into 5th gear at 20 mph while cruising with little power and for which none of the fixes has any relevance. Or was the latter helped by either of Darell's fix or Adam's fix - I am assuming not. Correct? <P>Incidentally, my foreman remarked that it was uncanny that, unlike all the other models with minor problems, the 2001 XC's have needed hardly any attention in his shop.
I haven't had any upshift problems, but I did have a sporatic downshift problem (say 10-15 incedents in 3 months) until I had the Transmission Adaptation done. <P>Now that I think about it, most incidents happened on the same downhill stretch, only 50 feet away from our driveway (read: on a cold engine).<P>Regarding the build location, when we picked the car up, the salesman remarked on the fact that our car was built in Sweden (they get cars from both plants in Canada). I will double check and post if I'm mistaken.<P>Perhaps all US cars are built in Belgium?
Rest assured that I've had no fix for the "let's put 'em in the highest gear we can find and see if they can accelerate" feature.<P>My T5 has had the same-sounding ugly downshift problem...that comes and goes as it pleases. I really do think that the GT transmissions in our two models is damn near identical. It has to be, really. I think the same problems can cross platforms easily (even into the S60 - anybody been reading that great thread on Vspy? - if not, you're missing an excellent oportunity to hear me ramble some more on my favorite subject) <IMG SRC="http://www.swedespeed.com/ubb/smile.gif"><P>My T5 transmission problem is multi-faceted to say the least. Gear hunting, lurching shifts, poorly-timed shifts, non-existent down-shifts, instant upshifts to fifth, etc.<P>My T5 is Belgium-built, BTW.<P>- Darell
She's back. Mine's as follows:<P>Performed on Jun 14.2001<P>A check for harsh downshift in transmission - when slowing down - intermittently<P>Cause: 10<BR>04301 AW Transmission Adaptoin (sic)<BR>65 WNEW<BR>FC: 105M Part# Count:<P>Not sure if they drove around too much, as odo in/out was 6562/6563, now with 8500.<P>Adam, looks like we had similar fixes, but not identical. Makes me wonder how many different fixes they have for the car, or if it's the same repair, just labelled differently.
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