Help required Gearbox stuck in first gear?

[mr tickle]

I'm really beginning to regret buying this car. 2009 V70 2.4 D5 6 speed auto

The wife and kids have traveled 250 miles to visit my mum for the holidays.

This evening the car will not change up the gears from 1st. If you manually change it will go to 3rd just. Reverse ok.

I changed the gearbox oil last week as routine maintenance as per the guide on here. I suspect the two are related.

Either I have done something incorrect, the oil was incorrect, or changing the oil has caused a problem that did not exist before.

Help required please. Car due to return on 250 mile journey on Wednesday, and I think I may be calling the AA for their long ride home.

I did the dump oil and re-top up 3 times, then ran the engine until the gearbox was warm and removed the 25mm hex to set the level as in the guide. probably used about 12 litres of oil. After 93k miles it was a little dirty but not too bad.

Are the gearboxes very sensitive to oil levels? Does it need a re-set on the vida? suggestions please?

[mr tickle]

OK I have just re-watched the you tube video of how to do the oil dump and have made a mistake, I hope not costly?

When I set the final level by removing the level screw I did NOT have the engine running.

I'm not sure therefore if I have too much oil or not enough?

If its too much its a 5 minute job to drain down (when 50 - 60 degrees reached)

If not enough a bit longer to remove the filler screw again.

Do you think harm may have done in both cases?

Thanks?

[S60D5-185]

The gearbox fluid needs to be between 50 and 60 deg C to check level accurately.

Changing the oil should not cause the slightest problem but obviously the level needs to be correct.

Ideally the counter should be reset by Vida but that shouldn't cause an issue either.

Get the level correct first.

[pierremcalpine]

Wow, how inconvenient is that. Gotta love it when it happens to your family and you aren't even there to fix the problem!!! I feel for you. I'm guessing no major harm has been done but I would suggest getting your wife to bring it in for drain or fill before coming back. She's gonna love that. My guess is that there is not enough oil but don't hold me to that!!!

[Fatskeleton]

probably the lesson learnt is to get the gearbox flushed, refilled and reset by the garage professionals. I know its not cheap. But by the time you have had to mess about and waste litre upon litre of costly fluid..i think its one job left to the professionals imho.

[oragex]

If it's underfilled, the car would simply not advance from the start. No big problem

If it's very overfilled and driven for 250 miles... the fluid foams and air doesn't lubricate well..

[mr tickle]

To conclude the story;
The wife took the car to Preston auto gearboxes. The 13 mile drive there the box worked just fine.

They had the car for 1 hour, identified the level was low and topped up the box with a litre of oil, did a test drive and reset the gearbox torque converter error which I assume was thrown when the box level was low.

They charged me £50 job done.

Note to self, don't do an engine & gearbox oil change + fuel filter change and TCV clean on the morning when the wife is going on a 500 mile drive!

No harm done apparently, all working nicely now.