XC90 T6 AWD MY 2004 transmission failure

[exodont]

Hello Everybody

This is the end, perhaps ...

Owning a XC90 T6 MY 2004 AWD geartronic, the first transmission was changed at 174000 kms and now at 380000 kms ,the first gear won’t engaged.
I can start manually on second gear.
On vacation in the mountains in France, I stuck in Drive because the first gear doesn’t engage. I was able to return to my vacation place selecting manually the other gears. Reverse is functioning.
The other gear are shifting and engaged manually.
No Volvo garage could take charge for lack of space or time. So I transported the car by truck back home for safety reasons.


I have no "TRANSMISSION SERVICE URGENT" light on dashboard.
VIDA doesn’t show me DTC.
Would a VIDA Reset adaptation change anything or do you think the transmission is shot ?
Can I drive in Winter mode a while to avoid the first gear ?

Thanks for your advice

[Simmy]

its possible that an adjustment of the cable mechanism might fix it try the cheapest thing first.

[Moose Test]

Originally Posted by exodont

Hello Everybody
This is the end, perhaps ...

It is.

Originally Posted by exodont

Would a VIDA Reset adaptation change anything?

No.

Originally Posted by exodont

do you think the transmission is shot ?

Yes. It is well-known that the T6 transmission is subject to premature failure in this application. They all fail, sooner rather than later. The fact that one transmission was already wrecked at just 100k miles tells you all you need to know. Search this forum for XC90 T6 if you need convincing.

Originally Posted by exodont

Can I drive in Winter mode a while to avoid the first gear ?

Yes but you will be pulling away in 3rd, which is downright dangerous. Better to use Geartronic manual to start in 2nd, if you can. And better still, get rid of it.

[Tannaton]

I don't think there is an adaptation process for the GM transmission, I think that's just on the AW's (*I think*).

But as Mr Moose said above, you've probably done very well to get the mileage you have out of the replacement transmission. It may be a simple repair, but given the labour cost to remove it from the car and open it up, you should budget for a full reconditioning.

But I would be considering yourself the "next of kin".

[exodont]

I love this car and I discovered this forum only at the time of the first dash board message "TRANSMISSION SERVICE URGENT" and his famous limp mode at 150000 kms.
Volvo said the transmission and haldex are dead. You had to buy another car. I gave the car to an transmission specialist: It was to much oil. I don’t know why but I could drive another 25000 km.
But the mountains climbing shot the transmission at 175000 km.
So I exchange the transmission with a refurbished Austria one as I was on holiday.
At 200000 km, Volvo in France said the haldex was shot. Volvo tried to repair and charge for this.
Another summer later and the Austrian volvo mechanic said a wrong haldex temperature sensor that was installed. It was then simply fixed.
It was the time I bought on Ebay Vida and the OBD cable.
Thank for the forum, I managed to replace the ICM, than the internal driver of the RTI/GPS map.
I drain the final drive, the haldex system, change the haldex filter at 300000 km.

The last major interventions of the last year were the timing belt and the DEM.
I bought the DEM on Ebay same MY and it was plug and play as VIDA confirm this exchange.
I tell this story to thank the contributors of the forum to give me the elements and the courage to carry out myself these repairs and extend the pleasure that I had to drive this xc90 despite the final cost of maintenance.

Thank you for reading me !

[TomW]

I've got same T6 on LPG. A great really comfortable car, more comfortable than the diesel, but as and when the dashboard gets heats up in the summer the car goes into limp mode. Been to various places to fix it and even down to Tilbury at Volvo Diagnostics. So I just have her on the road for the winter. Transmission is holding up well for now.