2000 V70 48k AT downshift clunk slowing to first

objectstrategy · Post by **objectstrategy** » 28 Mar 2006, 10:24

Great Forum - thx.

Yikes, if I saw so many AT issues as I have read today maybe I would not have bought the "white rabbit" from "Agent Smith" 18 months. (a story for another day)

What I did read was that people liked their Volvos but did so knowing that they had to invest in some $$ maintenance here and there...and...that the cars are noisy/creaky.

I like the car. It is creaky and the shifting has always been less-than smooth since I got it. Agent Smith said it was always that way.

at 47k (in the last few weeks) I have noticed a sudden thump/clunk which can be heard, felt (in the momentum of the car) and in the brake peddle...when...you slow down from 20+ to first gear. This happens when slowing for a slow turn or off throttle and then lite brake in stop and go traffic or rolling from speed off throttle up an incline into first

only on slower downshift; heavy breaking is much smoother and no clunk

happens cold or warm

never had transmission service/flush yet (Volvo says its not recommended service...unless)

just got back from Dealer who confirmed the "bang" (that's encouraging) as I had described

dealer suggest $266 due to $140 for synthetic fluid for a flush - good grief

although they are not recommending the flush - they just say it can't hurt

they say they have no idea what the problem (yeah sure)

I have read about all these adaptive tuning and software configs which can be done regarding neutral transitions and have read service bulletins collected on previous posts which specifically describe my downshift clunk problem

whats my move?

Post by **matthew1** » 28 Mar 2006, 14:10

Did you or they check the trans fluid level? (Engine hot, on, in neutral, level ground).

Check for color and smell too.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 28 Mar 2006, 18:46

Do the tranny flush yourself...easy! Is yours a 5 speed? If so, then do with Mobil-3309 ATF. Otherwise the Mobil-1 ATF Synthetic. Also, I've heard that Volvo has a new software upgrade for thei '99 and up S70's (stops the clunk at slowing....part of the ETM software change)....would be worth checking out with your dealer. Be aware though, if you've had your ECU flash upgraded by IPD, it will over-write their code, so check into that with IPD (make sure you can get a free upgrade again after the software load by the dealer) before you go for this.

Post by **JRL** » 02 Apr 2006, 16:31

MadeInJapan wrote:Do the tranny flush yourself...easy! Is yours a 5 speed? If so, then do with Mobil-3309 ATF. Otherwise the Mobil-1 ATF Synthetic. Also, I've heard that Volvo has a new software upgrade for thei '99 and up S70's (stops the clunk at slowing....part of the ETM software change)....would be worth checking out with your dealer. Be aware though, if you've had your ECU flash upgraded by IPD, it will over-write their code, so check into that with IPD (make sure you can get a free upgrade again after the software load by the dealer) before you go for this.

I had a 2000 with the same problem, clean fluid. Did the software upgrade, new wagon.
If your fluid has never been changed, I would HIGHLY recommend you do this at the same time
MIJ, the tranny software has nothing to do with the new ETM upgrade

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 02 Apr 2006, 17:44

Okay, Jim....just been reading about it so often now. My wife's '04 goes "clunk" sometimes too when downshifting. Is there a software upgrade for her tranny too....same one as the one you're talking about here?

objectstrategy · Post by **objectstrategy** » 03 Apr 2006, 13:40

I spent the $250 at the dealer for the trans flush and they also "re-adapted". They said they did more "checking" but found nothing wrong (although they stipulate the "bang" on the idle downshift). They did not confirm whether anything was "fixed" after the flush...a little fuzzy about what the "results" were. Upon driving around fore a while I feel no change in the feel of the shifting (just as non-smooth as it always has been since I bought it 18 months ago). Zero sum gain in that department. However, I did not experience the "bang" on downshifting as much as I thought I did before the flush - I think. The most prevalent form of the clunk had been while slowing down for a turn and feeling the clunk as I came off brake rolling into the turn (where the downshift took place). I think, that I still feel that clunk still - but maybe there was always a small clunk - and it only recently got bad.

I will monitor the "results" and post a followup in a couple of weeks. I really hope that this trans doesn't go bad on me.

Post by **JRL** » 03 Apr 2006, 21:19

objectstrategy wrote:I spent the $250 at the dealer for the trans flush and they also "re-adapted". They said they did more "checking" but found nothing wrong (although they stipulate the "bang" on the idle downshift). They did not confirm whether anything was "fixed" after the flush...a little fuzzy about what the "results" were. Upon driving around fore a while I feel no change in the feel of the shifting (just as non-smooth as it always has been since I bought it 18 months ago). Zero sum gain in that department. However, I did not experience the "bang" on downshifting as much as I thought I did before the flush - I think. The most prevalent form of the clunk had been while slowing down for a turn and feeling the clunk as I came off brake rolling into the turn (where the downshift took place). I think, that I still feel that clunk still - but maybe there was always a small clunk - and it only recently got bad.

I will monitor the "results" and post a followup in a couple of weeks. I really hope that this trans doesn't go bad on me.

DID YOU GET THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE LIKE I TOLD YOU TO GET?

Post by **JRL** » 03 Apr 2006, 21:21

MadeInJapan wrote:Okay, Jim....just been reading about it so often now. My wife's '04 goes "clunk" sometimes too when downshifting. Is there a software upgrade for her tranny too....same one as the one you're talking about here?

Haven't you been around long enough?
These transmissions SUCK.
There probably is some software upgrades for 04's there seem to be for every year.
SAME tranny as a 00, more or less, a 5 speed Aisen Warner is a 5 speed Aisen Warner

objectstrategy · Post by **objectstrategy** » 03 Apr 2006, 21:32

I tried to encourage the service folks at the dealership to carefully check with Volvo about a software patch. I pointed out to them that I read about such patches online (even viewed scanned services notices which specifically state being patches which address downship clunks). All I got was "you have the latest patches". I work in software for a living and know well enough how to give a customer a run-around about patches. I guess that unless someone can suggest a specific patch by some identifier (one which I can call Volvo myself with) I will not get any farther with the dealership who insisted they did everything they could.