Hi,
In my opinion I think they are trying to blind you with science and convince you that you need them to do the oil change for you.
I performed an oil change on my 2005 XC90 D5 with the five speed geartronic gearbox. First thing is to work out which oil to use. I used Amsoil which you can only get by mail order. It’s quite expensive but think it’s definitely worth getting the right oil and see it as an investment. But whatever you use it’s got to meet specification JWS 3309. Other oil to use is Toyota’s oil which is cheaper and meets the specification you need. Or you can plum for the Volvo stuff. But I wouldn’t recommend getting the cheap stuff; it could cost you a gearbox (£3500 - £4000). I then made sure I had a sump plug washer to replace the old one when I had drained the gearbox.
Basically I used the “Gibbons” method. In very brief terms it requires draining the gearbox ATF oil from the gearbox (about 3.5 litres). Once it has drained, put back the sump plug having cleaned the magnet attached to it and remember to use a new aluminium sump plug washer…..one word of warning, make sure you take out the sump plug and not a bolt in the gearbox casing which secures second gear. There are some pictures somewhere on the net to make sure you unscrew the right one. You then need some plastic pipe (1/2 inch diameter), and take out the pipe which connects the gearbox oil cooler to the gearbox. You then place the new plastic pipe you’ve bought into the gearbox oil cooler, start the car and you will see gearbox oil pumping down the clear plastic pipe into a measuring jug you may find in your kitchen (don’t tell the wife). Pump about 1 litre out, and then replace exactly the same amount into the gearbox. You will need a funnel for this because you have to replace it through the hole where the gearbox dipstick fits. Just keep doing this until the fluid being pumped out is the same colour as the fluid going in.
I bought 8 litres, but if I did it again I would buy 2 x 5 litre bottles (10 litres total), because I ran out and although the fluid being pumped out was nearly the same colour as the fluid going in, it wasn’t quite. I think 10 litres would have been just enough with enough left over for topping up.
Put the original pipe connecting the gearbox cooler and gearbox, back where it should be and check the levels, and that’s it. There is nothing to reset. If you really want to, there is an oil change counter within the transmission ECU, but this can be reset using a fairly basic diagnostic computer. I’m sure any auto electrician would do this do you for about £15, but from what I’ve researched, there is no real need to do this, unless somebody knows different. Here is a useful link with photo’s which will help you.
http://www.volvoxc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=89649
Most important bits, use good oil, use new sump plug washer, make sure you replace the same volume of oil you take out with fresh oil, make sure you check your levels and make sure Volvo do not intimidate you into thinking you cant do this.
Good luck mate