2002 S60 T5. Transmission Fluid Check

volvo · Post by **volvo** » 10 Jun 2008, 13:07

My "Check Transmission" light came on today. Tried to check Tranny fluid but no directions in the owners manual. Do you check it with the engine running, in park, in neutral, in drive? Any other reasons the check tranny light might come on. 140K runs great?

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 10 Jun 2008, 14:13

You check it with the car on and warmed up and in park...actually, you have to activate the torque converter so go though all of the gears after it is warmed for 10 seconds or so with your foot on the brake then land on Park. The very short yellow handle has a catch on it that you have to squeeze to turn it loose...it's found under your front hoses between the battery and engine...it was hard for me to find ours at first and was a bear to get the dipstick out to check. Make sure you use a lint free cloth to wipe it with...you don't want any contaminants in your transmission. You ask what could be wrong...fluid low or burnt could be wrong or a number of other things...Any reason for you to suspect a problem?

volvo · Post by **volvo** » 10 Jun 2008, 14:28

Thank yo for the help. It worked perfectly. The tranny has been "clunking" into gear now for about 2 years. It also slipps int 2nd gear on occassion silimlar to everyone else on this site complaining about the tranny. My mechanic, who worked as a volvo mechanic for 20 years, is very reliable and affordable tried reprogramming the tranny about 18 months ago but it would not fix it. I have just been living with it. With 149K miles on it, i have been expecting to get stranded, but not yet. Yesterday the engine light came on and the display stated "service transmission soon." It was about 1/2 litre low. Added fluid and I think that reset it. Now if I can get the A/C to work. It was only 98 here today.

Thanks again
2002 S60 T5
149K and counting about 5K a month