pnp or transmission problem?

coffeeguzzler · Post by **coffeeguzzler** » 09 Nov 2004, 23:47

My wife has a 1995 Volvo 850 Turbo wagon (we love it!), with an automatic transmission, and she's had the following symptoms:
1) reverse (back-up) lights don't come on
2) when first starting car for the day, it stays in first gear
3) sometimes goes into 3rd, with the up arrow flashing
4) car sometimes doesn't want to start (more of a rare symptom, but it's happened a few times)
5) check engine light came on
When it doesn't want to shift out of first, I shift it into neutral for a moment, and then back into drive, and then it is fine, 95% of the time. If that doesn't work, I do it again, and then it's OK.
Would these symptoms be indicative of a bad PNP switch/gear selector sensor, or a mechanical problem with the transmission? How can you tell the difference? If it is a transmission problem and not a PNP problem, why would the reverse lights suddenly not work?
Thanks!
I found a shop here in Houston that is going to replace the switch for $250, so I'm going to go ahead and do that.
(I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we don't need a new transmission...)

Post by **matthew1** » 10 Nov 2004, 00:27

Sounds like the switch. But for your peace of mind, check the trans fluid for amount, smell and color. It should not smell burnt, and it should be pink.

parksah07 · Post by **parksah07** » 10 Nov 2004, 00:54

not the tranny by the sounds of it, the symptoms of a bad tranny (to my knowledge) are:

-reverse doesnt work (first to go)
-when shifting from park to drive it takes a few seconds then kicks really hard

definetly hope others post about other symptoms, or bash mine if they are wrong

Tsquared · Post by **Tsquared** » 10 Nov 2004, 17:29

Mine would not upshift automatically. You could manually bump through the shifter to get into 3rd but it would not go OD until you reset the flashing arrow code. Once reset it would work fine until stop and go traffic and it would throw the arrow code and it would start over.

coffeeguzzler · Post by **coffeeguzzler** » 12 Nov 2004, 14:04

Well, we got the car back after having had the PNP switch replaced, and............. it works perfectly!!!
Now I need to bring our other 850 in (my T5R) for the same service; it has the same symptoms.
Thanks for the info, everyone! Much cheaper than 3 mechanics had said: you need a new transmission. I'd rather spend $297 to get a switch replaced than spend $2000 or more.

Houandrew · Post by **Houandrew** » 06 Mar 2020, 16:52

Which mechanic in Houston? My reading gave 2 selonoid internal, but doesn’t have any other symptoms besides flashing arrow that comes and goes. First started 3 years ago. I’m convinced it’s something other than tranny. Any thoughts?

Stremme95 · Post by **Stremme95** » 18 Feb 2022, 12:38

I have a 2004 Volvo S 62.5 -T front wheel drive I got it stuck in the snow and was attempting to get it out and Started to get it out and to do so I had to go from reverse to neutral to drive rather quickly before tbefore the RP m's could settle down completely and when I did it I heard a clunk fucking noise and then the car wouldn't move and any gear I got it pulled to the nearest town and left it there for a few days came back and towed it home I can tow it at home got in my driveway and it will Nate will go into gear now and move in a All gears so I took it on a drive and got about 3 miles out of town and hit some snow and it spun the tires and when I hit the black top it like slipped and quit catching in the gears again what could this be I took the axle out it's not the axle put it back in it drives fine moves fine

Post by **misha** » 19 Feb 2022, 09:41

Stremme95 wrote: ↑18 Feb 2022, 12:38 I have a 2004 Volvo S 62.5 -T front wheel drive I got it stuck in the snow and was attempting to get it out and Started to get it out and to do so I had to go from reverse to neutral to drive rather quickly before tbefore the RP m's could settle down completely and when I did it I heard a clunk fucking noise and then the car wouldn't move and any gear I got it pulled to the nearest town and left it there for a few days came back and towed it home I can tow it at home got in my driveway and it will Nate will go into gear now and move in a All gears so I took it on a drive and got about 3 miles out of town and hit some snow and it spun the tires and when I hit the black top it like slipped and quit catching in the gears again what could this be I took the axle out it's not the axle put it back in it drives fine moves fine

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