G/box: 70 Auto: Flashing arrow on dash

[WHEELIE]

Hello to all, I am a newbee to this sort of thing, please bear with me.
Out in motor the other day, pulled out of car park and the car went very slow did not seem to be any power,then I noticed a orange flashing arrow on dash and the S.E.W. switches had small flahing lights on them I found out by accident that the orange arrow is gearbox related the week before. I got home checked the gearbox oil, its OK, looked at haynes book, wifes cookbook would be more help. started car next day it was OK, used for a week ,now the arrow is back and wont go away. HEEELP. Thanks
car is 1997 V70 Auto

[thefurby]

excuse me if i am wrong but i thought the orange arrow comes on if you have the car in low or a numbered gear, if you have it in D its not on. I thought it was just a warning to let you know you were in a selected gear not just D.
I guess if its on all the time and you are in D then is the gearbox sticking in a gear? Does it change gear?

[alv70d1999]

if its flashing then that indicates a problem... try and go from p to 1 about 20 times to clean the selector switches.. this sometimes clears the problem.
otherwise, get the codes read.

[budd]

Has stated above it's indicating a problem of some sort, but it can be something minor that triggers the warning so get the codes checked, mine did this after I tried a manual spec RICA ECU, it sent the auto box crazy, but when I refitted the std R ECU the arrow remained on and the light on the sports/eco switch flashed, I removed the std ECU and disconnected the battery left it all a while and when it was all re-conected it was back to normal.

[m0bzy]

You have a PNP switch problem,the reason the car pulls away so slowly when the lights flash,is that it is in second gear to enable you to pull out of snow etc.
Don't use it too much in this mode as it will cause the gearbox to overheat.
As already stated "exercising" the selector back and forward a few dozen times "sometimes" fixes it,untill the next time.
New switch is around £90 I think.

[acshortt5]

Originally Posted by m0bzy

You have a PNP switch problem,the reason the car pulls away so slowly when the lights flash,is that it is in second gear to enable you to pull out of snow etc.
Don't use it too much in this mode as it will cause the gearbox to overheat.
As already stated "exercising" the selector back and forward a few dozen times "sometimes" fixes it,untill the next time.
New switch is around £90 I think.

A small amount of knowledge is a dangerous thing.

I advise the OP to get the fault code(s) read to determine the problem. The autoboxes have very clever self diagnostic units and will more than likely be able to show the problem.

TBH it might be a pnp problem but if it was I would expect the problem to be continuous rather than intermittent as the OP indicates.

It could be a solenoid that is on its way out or it could be the first gear clutch pack has failed. No-one will know until you get the codes read.

I would rather the OP spend £30 on getting the codes read and finding out exactly what the fault is than spend £90+ fitting a new pnp then finding the problem hasn't been fixed.

[WHEELIE]

Originally Posted by WHEELIE

Hello to all, I am a newbee to this sort of thing, please bear with me.
Out in motor the other day, pulled out of car park and the car went very slow did not seem to be any power,then I noticed a orange flashing arrow on dash and the S.E.W. switches had small flahing lights on them I found out by accident that the orange arrow is gearbox related the week before. I got home checked the gearbox oil, its OK, looked at haynes book, wifes cookbook would be more help. started car next day it was OK, used for a week ,now the arrow is back and wont go away. HEEELP. Thanks
car is 1997 V70 Auto

Sorry for the delay in getting back to every one , I have been moving house
and getting back on line but had to wait for my boy to sort out computer.
The flashing arrow has gone away, and it seems to be going ok, for now,

Thankyou for every ones help, these new electronic control systems are a bit of a bugger arnt they

[Mike1977]

Hi, I had the same problem on my 850 auto a few days ago. Mine did it after I had played with the winter mode on the gearbox, after talking to my mate whos a mechanic, he says its the switch that gets gunked up as it not used very much, best thing to do it press the switch afew times to free it off, hope this helps

[WHEELIE]

Sorry it been a while getting back , moved house, broke my computer, they dont bounce when you drop them..
the flashing gearbox light has gone away, I moved the gear stick back and forth a lot of times, the light then became intermitant, then it came on again, moved the stick alot again, the flashing gearbox light seems to have gone away.

thank you all for you input and help

I must say looking through some of these forum pages, how very helpfull and friendly all of the members are, it seems more like a close knit extended family

[white tigerman]

hiya ime a newbie too ime also having this problem the orange/yellow arrow on the dash after a gearbox oilchange my codes are as follows .....322,313,223 can any one help me aswell please my gearbox sometimes slips if on a slight incline as if gears are not engaging properly please can anyone help ?