G/box: AW50151AWD: hard shift when stopping

[TF2Freak]

Hello everybody

I bought an 2006 XC90 with 110 000 miles on the odometer with no gear oil change history. Recently the car started to shift hard when stopping. This symptom shows after the car is warmed up but otherwise behaves well. I went to a Volvo indie garage in Herts that told me solenoid issues with my 5 speed transmission and gave the option of flush and drain+fill. I did drain+ fill and the adaptation was reset. It was a small improvment, but still some hard shift. After about 150 miles the improvment is very noticeable but there is still a slight bump I almost cant feel it. The question I have is how bad the situation is because the garage said the original ATF was very black. Should I have done the flush instead of draining+filling? How long will the car left to live?

[XC70Virgin]

Do the flush and refill and get the box full of fresh fluid and reset the counter.

[Bashy]

A slight bump can be caused by and not limited to
Rear top and bottom mounts, aka torque rods
Driveshaft (hub) bolt

I too had a bad knock/jolt/bump into gear, 2 to 3, 3 to 4th and reverse, these only showed up when the oil was hot enough, ie after a good 20 min run, I did numerous Gibbons flushes and still had the issue until I sorted out the above 3 items, now, whilst I do still get a little jolt, its about 90% better than it was before I addressed the above issues.

My box is the 6 speed but the principle is the same

Just food for thought and saying don't be focused entirely on the box itself...

You were right to do that drain and fill 1st, least it will give it chance to remove and loose deposit where as a flush can move those into other parts and could make it worse, so drain and fill 1st then perhaps a gibbons flush may rectify i fully, only 'may' though....

[MROffroad]

Hard shifting is a sign of low fluid. It’s worth getting the oil and filter changed. Not cheap. But it’s cheaper then a new box. Oil and filter should be done every 40k less if towing had.

[TF2Freak]

The general advice I have read is for a high mileage car not flush but use drain and fills if in there is no previous history of ATF change. Am I clear for the flush or is there advice against it? Do I go for another fluid change? I need 6 liters for my first change. Is this 50% ATF needed for full? Is 50% ATF fresh in my gearbox? I'm guessing the first liquid change is 50% new ATF and second means 75% new ATF? I'm not mechanmically minded and this is my first automatic car. I have a lot of questions! The garage I'm using is Horton Cars in Aylesbury.

[paddy74]

Originally Posted by MROffroad

Hard shifting is a sign of low fluid. It’s worth getting the oil and filter changed. Not cheap. But it’s cheaper then a new box. Oil and filter should be done every 40k less if towing had.

This type of transmission doesn't have a filter to change... The only way to change a so called filter is to open up the gear box...

Originally Posted by TF2Freak

The general advice I have read is for a high mileage car not flush but use drain and fills if in there is no previous history of ATF change. Am I clear for the flush or is there advice against it? Do I go for another fluid change? I need 6 liters for my first change. Is this 50% ATF needed for full? Is 50% ATF fresh in my gearbox? I'm guessing the first liquid change is 50% new ATF and second means 75% new ATF? I'm not mechanmically minded and this is my first automatic car. I have a lot of questions! The garage I'm using is Horton Cars in Aylesbury.

If the oil is dark, you should do a drain&fill. That means, you do change the fluid over time, and not in one turn. Normally it is a change around 3.x litres, and the exact same amount is filled up afterwards (in every turn of drain&fill). Than a little driving (a few hundred miles) is done, so the oil can be mixed with the old oil. Next drain&fill, and so on, until the fluid is relatively clear (reddish). That's the point were you can do a flush.

You always change only that amount of oil, that is drained. Not 50% or 75%, it is always the amount, that get's drained when you open the screw and let it drain.

Make sure, the oil level is correct, best to check with VIDA.