07 XC90 Gearchange

[Zaphod]

I've had my '07 XC90 for 3 months now.
I bought it because I had got used to 7 seats (having previously run a Shogun) and needed to tow a boat a few times a year.
The engine (diesel) is a great deal noisier than I expected but I can live with that.
But I just can't live with the gearchange.
Most of the time the box seems to be a gear, or sometimes two gears, lower than I expect it to be, leaving the impression that the car is revving much higher than it should. The noisy engine doesn't help with this impression.
The car's under warranty but I'd feel foolish going back and complaining about something which may just be a normal characteristic of this car.
Have I bought a pig? Does everyone else find this car a paragon of refinement?
I am definitely on the point of selling and moving to another brand - your thoughts appreciated.

PS: My local Volvo dealership have given me appalling service on my previous Volvos and I have no intention of consulting them - if anyone can recommend a Volvo specialist near Harrogate I'd be interested to hear.

[ian ferguson]

Hi, I,ve got an 06 XC90. Mine changes gear around 2000 RPM, i'd like that to be lower. sometimes when i'm in traffic and can't go faster so that it changes up i do it manually. Driving in 3rd gear at 1900 RPM is a waste of fuel. Hope this helps

[Carrizos]

Not sure which Shogun you had but I used to have a Mitsi Delica with the 2.8 TD and find my XC90 very quiet in comparison. If anything my XC holds on to higher gears a little too long I occasionally tip it down to 4th on hills when its a bit reluctant to change. Going up through the box it changes exactly when I would want it to whether unloaded, towing a 1400Kg caravan or when messing about off road. Its remarkably capable off road BTW.

With a noisy engine and some uncertainty about gear changing I would get it straight back under warranty for a check up.

When I first got mine there was a little bit of noise from the rear, I took it back and persisted and eventually had the whole rear axle + Diff etc. changed for free - would have cost a fair bit had I had to do it myself, £3800 + labour if I remember correctly.

[rsymes2k]

to be fair, if it didn't rev any higher the EGR would certainly clog up for a past time!

[generaldukes]

Hutton bros independent specialists top side of York is near you, there are excellent and very helpfull, I have used them over the last few years and highly recommend them, not sure if using someone else affects your warranty though.

[Tannaton]

Suggest (depending on mileage) you get the gearbox oil changed (full flush using gibbons method with the correct oil) and have the adaptation reset. Mainly for peace of mind but it can make a difference.

I too have the same feeling as you, that the engine is revving too much - possibly due to too much "give" in the torque converter. But I hadn't had an auto before (except V12 Jag with 3-speed...) and the last auto I had driven was an Audi with the DSG box that has no slip at all.

Was your Shogun an auto? The gearbox in the Volvo is adaptive and when you tow a heavy load you will notice the gearbox changing as you drive - then when you un-hook it it will feel like it's in Sport mode. 18 months on I have got used to it all and it seems normal now. With the Volvo, I think some of it is down to a engine/gearbox set-up being originally designed for a car 500 Kg lighter (S60/V70) and it does seem to rev slower in that platform.