XC70 2002 engine races and kicks going from 1st to 2nd gear

markneiman · Post by **markneiman** » 01 Dec 2009, 17:55

I am feeling a "slipping" when the car shifts from 1st to second gear.I feel the slipping more when I am going up a slight hill or elevation. What happens is that from a dead stop going up a slight hill when the car shifts out of first gear (around 10-15 MPH it goes into a quick "neutral racing mode" in other words I feel a hesitation with the engine racing in neutral for a few seconds while trying to find second gear which then kicks in with a jolt. If I'm in a driving situation where I am constantly going under 20 MPH this is a constant problem (the kicking and slight racing sensation from 1st to second gear)

If however I am at a dead stop say at a light with a clear big stretch of road ahead (like getting on a highway) there is no problem in the car's natural shift from 1st to 3rd when I "floor" the gas pedal to go say 0 to 40 MPH. I have been told that the problem is a faulty kickdown cable not the transmission. Can anybody help me out on this???

Post by **OEMVolvoParts** » 02 Dec 2009, 16:45

First of all there is no kick-down cable on your Volvo. The transmission has a control module that tells it what to do based on engine load and throttle position etc. The kick-down cable was a common issue on the rear-wheel drive volvo's.

Your car might benefit from both a fluid flush (3309) and a possible software download that might be available from Volvo. These are the two things you can do to try and extend the life of the transmission. If after a flush and an update it still has issues, Im afraid you will need a transmission soon.