1999 s80 t6 se auto transmission problems help please

les & reilly · Post by **les & reilly** » 01 Jul 2008, 19:36

i have just recently purchased a volvo s80 t6 1999 se and i am experiencing transmission problems. i am hopeing someone can help me because i am completely lost with a cure. i cannot drive the car because it keeps going into limp home mode. after re-seting the codes with my auto xray code reader, the gears will not change up or down it disengages into a neurtal after pulling away in first gear then the warning light illuminates and goes into limp mode. i am miles away from the dealer and do not have the income to spend big money. my car is presently stripped quite some way to find the problem which i believed to be a shift solenoid in my gearbox as this is what my code reader told me. it also said a break in the wire between a gearbox and ecu. however the gearbox described is not the same as the one in my car. i was told over the phone by the main dealer that i will need a gearbox housing which has built in sensors internally. i am new to these models and could really do with some help. it would be very much appreciated. thanks in advance.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 01 Jul 2008, 19:56

Welcome to MVS.
When was the last time your transmission fluid was looked at? Changed?

les & reilly · Post by **les & reilly** » 01 Jul 2008, 20:11

thanks for your reply.
i just got the car on friday had to have it brought to me on a recovery truck. i dont think the oil will of been changed, its only got 85k miles on it. is this a common fault? ive just noticed someone else has the same problem with the same fault codes.
ps are you in the uk?

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 01 Jul 2008, 20:52

Sorry, I am not in the U.K., but the other moderator, "billofdurham" is. I can tell you that at 85K miles, your transmission fluid is way over-due for a flush. If you ask the dealer they will tell you that your system is a "closed" system and never needs flushing but those of us who have been familiar with Vovo's for years know better. If never flushed, by around 100K miles (at the most) and even at around the miles you have on your car now, the transmission will begin having issues. After the warranty expires is typically when the dealer will then tell the owner that their car is in need of a new transmission (at an ungodly, expensive price- sometimes more than the value of the car). After flushing begins, it's best to keep up a schedule of 30-35K mile intervals. With these flushes we have seen even the newer FWD/AWD Volvo's reach miles that rival their RWD predecessors without any transmission issues.

Btw, on your S80, you should check to see:
1. if the ATF is brown or black
2. if it smells burnt
3. if it is the correct level (checked when hot and with the engine running after driving at highway speeds for 20 or more minutes).

Either way, I highly recommend that you flush it immediately. This in itself could restore driveability and get rid of the fault code you are currently experiencing (if you caught it in time). Of course it could also be your shift solenoid, but the first step is to do the cheap stuff first (there is a great write-up in our repair database on how to do this yourself) And, yes, to answer your question, especially on the first few model years of the S80, transmission problems (and electrical problems) were and still are very common.

les & reilly · Post by **les & reilly** » 01 Jul 2008, 21:03

hello,
i have all the engine components out ready to move the gearbox out, so i wouldnt be able to do a flush just yet. its taken me 24 hours so far stripping down, it would help me if i knew where abouts these shift solenoids are and how to take them out, if you please?
regards

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 01 Jul 2008, 21:18

I'll try to look it up on VADIS for you.
I need to know which transmission you have:
4T65EV or the 4T65EV-GT (Geartronic, I believe).

les & reilly · Post by **les & reilly** » 01 Jul 2008, 21:22

hiya dave,
thanks 1,000,000 its a gt geartronic box.
very much appreciated.

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 01 Jul 2008, 21:29

I found several things for your transmission that has to do with the solenoids but it is too lengthy. I can convert a VADIS write-up to PDF format and send to you...this way you can blow it up to see the details too. Please send me an email and I'll see what I can send you to help: badger36-at-knology.net (replace the -at- with @ ). Btw, it's 11:30 PM here in the U.S. on July 1.

les & reilly · Post by **les & reilly** » 01 Jul 2008, 21:49

did you get my email alright?

[email protected]

regards,
les

Post by **MadeInJapan** » 01 Jul 2008, 21:51

Not yet....but just looked at the PDF file I created and it's 3.5MB. I hope it's not to big. I'll try to send it to your email address you just posted. If it doesn't go through we'll have to think of another way.
Regards,
David