Suddenly can't go forward in drive '99 V40

happywoman · Post by **happywoman** » 07 Jun 2012, 05:08

I apologize in advance as I'm not a very literate car person. But here is what happened with my '99 V40 this evening: I drove to work this morning - no problems at all. This evening, backed out of a parking place, shifted into drive and drove home. Stopped at the bottom of the driveway to check mail so put the car in park and set the emergency brake. Got back in, put the car in drive and released the handbrake and the car won't go forward! No problem indicator lights are on. Turned it off, went in the house for awhile, went back out and started the car again, tried getting it to go forward and it's the same - won't budge. The car is on a slight incline and can't risk going any farther back as I live right at the entrance to a hospital and can't be in the way of ambulances heading into the hospital! I drove it about 55km to and from a larger town earlier this week, in and out of different parking lots and not a single problem and now - suddenly - this has happened. Obviously will have to take it do a local auto repair shop to get it fixed but hoping I might get some ideas on here as to what might be causing the problem. (Oh, and the closest Volvo dealer is a good three hour drive away, so not feasible to get it there.)

If anyone has had a problem like this, would you mind letting me know what caused it?

Many thanks in advance.

Post by **zulu-v40** » 07 Jun 2012, 11:23

Hmm. Are you sure you released the hand brake all the way? How many miles are on the car? Any recent repair history? Hate to say it, but it sounds like the transmission might be shot.

elchopperfreak · Post by **elchopperfreak** » 07 Jun 2012, 11:44

Can you check the transmission fluid?
I would do that first, If the transmission did not give previous signs of malfunction, like slipping the gears, problem with reverse, etc, I would be looking at simpler, less expensive things first.

Does the car "jerks" when you put it in gear?
Have you tried the lower gears?
I would also do a search all over the internet about it

happywoman · Post by **happywoman** » 07 Jun 2012, 15:57

Absolutely no problems with any slipping, hesitation, jerking or signs of a problem with the transmission in any gear prior to this! Totally out of the blue. I did try the lower gears and still would not budge. The handbrake was completely released. As I said, I did shut it down, let it sit for a bit, and went back out and tried moving it again (as had worked 11 hours and was so tired I was thinking maybe it was ME and not the car, malfunctioning!) with no luck. Have only 156,000Kms on the car and it has had regular maintanence. I've had the car for two years and have only had to replace headlights, brakeshoes, tires,etc. - the usual kinds of things. No major repairs. Got my last warrant of fitness in February here and nothing untoward was detected then.(Its a pretty thorough check of the vehicle here in New Zealand, every six months, to make sure it's safe to be on the road.)
Since it happened suddenly, is it more likely to perhaps be something electrical or a sensor of some sort that has gone bad?

Post by **MoVolvos** » 07 Jun 2012, 17:12

-
Hello,

You did not mention whether Reverse is working or not as you did not want to go backwards in order to keep the Hospital driveway clear? Please verify.

1) Check your fluid level just in case it leaked for some reason while driving home as it was in the evening. Your car is currently on an incline so low transmission fluid can cause it not go into any gear. Need to check it on level ground with warm engine running
2) Check the color and smell of the Trans Fluid and let us know also

Blessings,
BKM

elchopperfreak · Post by **elchopperfreak** » 07 Jun 2012, 18:23

Ummm??.
Does your car has DSA?
If you put the car on neutral and rev it, how are the revs?
Do you feel normal power, even though the car does not move..
How about reverse, is it working?