850 Transmission saga continues/ blinking arrow

[elchopperfreak]

One more, I believe the car is in urgent need of a PCV clean up..it smoke through the dipstick and oil neck atop the head, and the exhaust smells awful..

[Mike850]

I had the same problem with my transmission clunking and also with the blinking "up" arrow. Then my transmission acted like it got stuck in "winter mode". It would take off in 3rd or 4th gear. Originally I was able to manually downshift to "L" to take off, but after awhile that wouldn't work.

I changed my "economy/sport/winter mode" switch but that didn't help. I also changed my PNP switch, but that didn't help either. I changed one of the transmission shift solenoids and that solved it.

I performed this repair back in 2007 I believe. I'm thinking I pulled a fault code that indicated it was the solenoid but don't remember now. Regardless, that was the fix. There are two solenoids concealed inside a small (maybe 6 inch X 6 inch) metal pan/cover that is located on the forward part of the transmission just underneath the PNP switch. The purpose of the solenoids is for electronic shifting. One shifts 1st and 2nd gear and the other 3rd and 4th. I think it costs around $100.

It's very easy to unclip and unplug the solenoid. But it took a long time to remove everything to get to it including jacking up the transmission slightly to clear the subframe so you can access all the cover torx screws and also draining the fluid. I have posted two pictures that show where the solenoid(s) are located. The first picture is with the cover removed and the second with the cover on. I beleive dirty transmission fluid can cause the solenoids to fry, so that's why I'm posting this in case this helps you. Good luck whichever way you go!

The solenoids have the green clips on them. They are only about an 1 1/2 inches long.

transmission cover pan attaches to the front of the transmission just under the PNP switch

[nissan]

Hello all,

A month ago I had exactly the same problem with the radiator, that all the coolent mixed with trans oil.
I noticed it only after driving oproximately 100 miles.
The water in the transmittion runes the clutches and eventually grind down and stuff up the hydrrouly fluid, and shorts electronic sensors.
Unfortunaly eventualy you'll need to renovate your gear completely.
In my case the Volvo dealer at first flushed the gear and coolen passages and installed a new radiator, checked the gear and seemed OK at first but after a few short weeks the trans died.
I renovated the gear and it appeared that the flushing ruined the inner radiater (heating).
At last I changed both radiators and renovated the transmittion.total cost 15000 israeli shekel (eprx 4000$)!!!!

[elchopperfreak]

Mike
Thanks
Will change them from my donor car, luckyly, i have a trans, so worst case scenario I will have to change trans at least ot will be only labor..
Right now its not clunking, but just the arrow lightning up and the code 232 ( which goes back to the VSS)

[Mike850]

Somewhere there is a thread out there that I used back in 2007 which talked about testing the solenoid to see if it was good or not. It was a simple resistance test with an ohmeter. Only one of mine tested bad. So at $100 bucks each I just ordered the one. So you might want to check yours in your donor car first to see if they are good.

You will have to jack up the transmission slightly on the driver's side. The cover that you have to remove is just a fraction of an inch above the crossmember and there is no way to get your torx driver in there unless you raise the tranny. Now here is an imprtant TIP: You MUST disconnect several of your engine mounts first or it will crush or distort them. There is that top engine mount that connects to the top of the engine to the firewall. Well I forgot to disconnect that and it actually crinkled that frame that holds that big bushing in place. Also the engine mount that connects the engine to the subframe located right underneath the pulleys that you access by removing the passenger front wheel and then lifting the plastic fender well out of the way. Mine got crushed when jacking up the tranny and it forced the engine to tilt towards the passenger side. Just be aware to disconnect them and your engine/transmission combination should raise and lower with ease. You only need 2 or 3 inches of height above the corssmember so you can get your tool in.

[elchopperfreak]

Anyones input?
Would like to figure this one out and add "solved" to the title..

[jblackburn]

Before you go about changing the solenoids (been there, done that - it's a PAIN), I might still try swapping out instrument clusters. You should be done with that in under 40 min.

I mentioned earlier that I don't know how the 95's route the transmission speed signal, but it turns out that does go into the instrument cluster first before feeding back to the ECU.

[Mike850]

Yes- changing the transmission solenoids can be a pain, mainly because it takes so long. But that was what finally solved my blinking arrow/stuck in limp mode/and transmisson clunking problems. So I just wanted to throw it out on the table as another possibile solution to the problem. A big benefit to having that donor vehicle, is it allows you to "practice" on and familiarize yourself with the procedure before working on your own driveable vehicle.

[jblackburn]

I've been there too

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums ... 0&p=185380

Been running like a top since, though!

[Mike850]

WOW! I just finished reading your 6 page forum titled "well crap- blinking arrow of doom". So it looks like replacing your S1 and S2 solenoids DID solve the problems, despite recommendations by JRL and others that you were throwing your money away! That was why I was suggesting changing solenoids in this forum to "elchopperfreak" because his car's symtoms matched mine and solenoid replacement solved mine for good. My transmission has been shifting fine since 2007.