New to Volvo. Few questions.

Raider09 · Post by **Raider09** » 07 Sep 2013, 07:02

Basically I'm trying to weed through information to see what's what. I acquired a very nice 2000 S80. I've already had to replace the siren module, ETM, boost controller, various suspension and brake components, etc. Despite this, I enjoy the car. Here's what I don't get.....

Ford bought them out in 99, so where did this GM transmission thing come from? I know GM bought Saab. What's the real history here?

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 07 Sep 2013, 15:45

I think the transmission nightmare was already baked into the cake when Ford bought them. Car companies aren't the most nimble at model changes to begin with and the basic design of the car was completed before they even inked the deal with Ford.

...Lee

Raider09 · Post by **Raider09** » 07 Sep 2013, 15:48

I'm not as concerned with whether the issues arose before, because of, or after the transition. What interests me is people keep saying it's a GM transmission, but Volvo was purchased by FORD. So how does GM come into play here?

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 07 Sep 2013, 16:47

I guess GM was the low bidder. The 5 speed automatic is indeed a GM transmission.

...Lee

Raider09 · Post by **Raider09** » 07 Sep 2013, 16:50

So Volvo must have been unable/unwilling to provide transmissions for these cars at the time. Not sure how that all worked out, guess we'll never know.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 07 Sep 2013, 17:49

Volvo treats the transmissions much as they do an alternator or a starter. They don't build them in house, they just farm it out. I don't know that Volvo ever did build an in house automatic transmission, if they did it would have been decades ago. All of the 850s had Aisin Warner automatic transmissions as did many of the 70 series except for the 5 speed automatics.

...Lee

Raider09 · Post by **Raider09** » 07 Sep 2013, 17:56

I see. I know little if import vehicles other than they seem to generally be more well designed and technologically advanced than the domestics I work on daily, lol.

Post by **jblackburn** » 08 Sep 2013, 07:25

Raider09 wrote:I'm not as concerned with whether the issues arose before, because of, or after the transition. What interests me is people keep saying it's a GM transmission, but Volvo was purchased by FORD. So how does GM come into play here?

GM/Ford have been known to share transmissions in the past. Neither of em build a very good automatic.

In fact, they're working on an 8-speed automatic right now.

Raider09 · Post by **Raider09** » 08 Sep 2013, 08:02

Maybe they built this VIDA/DICE I got on eBay. I can't get it working on Windows 8 to save my life..

Post by **jblackburn** » 08 Sep 2013, 08:02

Not much works on Windows 8. Do you have an older OS you can fall back on?