Automatic Transmission Problems of Volvo XC90 - part 2

2003 Volvo Xc90 - transmission is "stuck" in 3rd gear. I just found out the transmission is built by gm. No wonder there is a problem! the dealer said to "fix" the problem would br $6k+. He said the axle had leaked grease into the transmission and is causing the issue. Gm built the transmission and this is not the first time I have heard or read about the same problem. The car is sluggish from a dead stop which is dangerous and will cause an accident. The vehicle is not safe to drive. If Volvo cares about their reputation this must be addressed and of course gm should work out something with the drive train manufacture. Faith in Volvo has been damaged. None of the dealerships seem to understand what the issue is or how to fix the problem without replacing the whole transmission. There will be an accident due to lack of performance if not already. This is a serious issue. Also, one would think the transmission could seize up at freeway speeds. My complaint is this is a pure product quality control issue. Please address and/or advise how to resolve.

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Failure of transmission in a 2004 Volvo xc 90 with 64,000 miles while driving on the highway. Entire transmission and radiator had to be replaced.

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1. The transmission on my 2004 Volvo-xc90 has always given me trouble, it doesn't engage into third gear as quickly as it should. On April 17th 2009, the transmission completely went out leaving me in the middle of the intersection with cars behind me traveling 35 miles and almost caused an accident. 2. The transmission has never operated properly since I purchased the car in June of 2008. 3. I have an extended warranty and so the car is in the shop now for repair. The shop and every other one I called knew exactly what the problem was. They said that the transmission in this model and year was a faulty gm transmission and have seen many in for this type of service. I did some research on the internet and found that many owner have experienced the same problem, the exact problem. My car only has 54,000 miles on it and some of the complaints I found on the internet reported were as low as 20,000 miles. There is a serious problem with this car and I'm writing you for consumer protection.

Add me to the list of Xc90 t6 owners that had to replace a defective transmission. I barely evaded a catastrophic accident when the trans failed at a busy intersection. There are thousands of posts on various forums detailing similar experiences. Volvo has done nothing to address this irrefutable problem. What is the NHTSA doing to potentially save lives? like so many others, I have been quiet hoping that others speak up on my behalf. There are class action suits being initiated around the country. Enough is enough. Either Volvo issue a recall and correct the issue or these vehicles should be replaced. I waited two months for the last transmission that was on back-order. Hmmm, I wonder why it is on back-order? one doesn't need to be a genius to figure that out. I am 3k into the new trans and already experienced a slipped gear shift. I sense that there aren't many surprised by this. It is sad to say, but it will likely take some lost lives that are attributed to the faulty transmission before something is done. I didn't buy a Volvo to worry about my family's welfare everytime they drive this vehicle. Please help!.

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With each service at point west Volvo now park place Volvo since purchasing the car, dallas TX, I reported a problem with my 2004 Xc90 t6 that my engine surges on takeoff. With each service, they could not duplicate the problem and did not list this on the invoice. Well, since they did not find a problem, I did not question why it was not listed. Two days ago the 'transmission service urgent" light came on, so I called the dealer to see if the car is safe to drive in for service. Assured that it may just be a commuter problem, I deliver the car. I am now at 72000 miles and did not purchase extended warranty. The dealer has completed a software download ($600. 00) and thinks this may fix the problem. If not, I will need a new transmission to the tune of $6,000. 00. I have not missed a service, even scheduled service early because of the continued problem with the surges. Why did the dealer not address this problem, when it appears to be a know problem with my make and model? when I went to pick up the car today, my service rep. Went to talk with the service manage. They kept the car overnight but I am concerned that this was just a stall. What can be done? this is a know problem and Ford (Volvo) is doing nothing!.

Received a transmission urgent service warning light. Took the car to dealer and they stated I need a new transmission. Car has 62,000 miles and has always been serviced at Volvo. I did a search online and found over 200 complaints of the same failures I stated. Volvo would not cover the repairs under warranty.

I was driving the vehicle and the transmission simply stopped propelling the car. It was as if it went into neutral while going 50 mph. Fortunately I was able to pull over before becoming a road hazard.

Transmission simply died with no warning. I was driving the car and suddenly it just stopped. No accident occurred, but certainly could have. I believe the transmission in this car is defective and this has happened to numerous others.

Car started making a loud, metal grinding sound while pulling out of a shopping center parking lot. No previous problems or failures. No service code. Brought car to dealer and confirmed my fear it was the transmission. Only 69,000 miles on car. I've been aware of transmission problems on Xc90's. I even have a neighbor who had to replace the transmission on his 2004 Xc90. Have always had Volvos, but this is the last one. Volvo no longer stands behind its vehicles. Very disappointing for the price paid.

I have the ill fated Xc90 t6. . . Like clockwork at 53000 miles the dreaded transmission service urgent light comes on. . . . Now I am supposed to fork over 7000 bucks for a completely defective transmission!.

After 60000 mile service transmission appeared to be slipping when cold. "transmission service urgent" message appeared. Transmission would not shift from third gear. Shop indicated there is no adjustable part. Transmission replacement would likely be needed, when contacted Volvo indicated the warranty was off at 55k miles. Upon researching through the internet there are an extremely large number of transmission replacements for this vehicle and yet no recall has been issued. I contacted Volvo of north America and it appears they are dealing with this on a squeaky wheel case by case basis and some individuals are paying full replacement cost while others are being covered by Volvo. This does not seem equitable to the individuals who are unable to do the research or have time and resources to convince Volvo to replace the defective transmissions gratis.

I was driving on the parkway and notice a warning light on the dash. It stated urgent transmission needs service. I've taken it to the dealer and needed to replace transmission and radiator among other things.

On the way bringing our daughter home from hospital, third gear went out of the transmission. After saving enough money to replace the transmission, not five thousand miles later the reverse goes out of the transmission that we replaced, leaving my six month old daughter and I stranded. The vehicle is now sitting at the transmission shop, and has been for seven months, waiting to get fixed. However, I am now a single mother trying to go to school and live off of financial aid, so what I am saying; there is obviously something wrong with these transmissions. Please investigate further.

My 2003 Volvo Xc90's transmission went out just ten days after the warranty expired. Volvo customer service offered a good faith repair but still cost me several thousand out-of-pocket in repair costs. Six weeks after repair, I have a puddle on my garage floor. This problem, with the t6 transmission, is rather common and well-documented. If the problem is so prevalent, why is there not a full recall or better fix? I am not satisfied with this car.

The transmission in my 2005 Volvo xc 90, failed in traffic on Dec. 18th. After doing some research this is a very common issue. The car only had 63,200 miles on it and had been regularly serviced. The links below, show that this is a common issue which Volvo is aware of but failing to make public. . Read more...

I have a 2004 Volvo Xc90 t6 awd SUV that I purchased from a Volvo dealer. While on a cross country trip the transmission seized and had to be replace. The vehicle was still under warranty (lucky), but the mechanic told me that this model and year had a engineering flaw and he had seen a number of these with this same problem. The flaw, the turbo engine puts too much torque on the 4 speed gm tranny in the car. I asked if Volvo had a recall on this issue and he said no. This first tranny went out at 60,000. At 66, 000 miles the second tranny went out. When I asked why this one went out, he explained that they do not know b/c when it is under warranty, Volvo tells the dealerships to just replace it and then send it to them and they will try and diagnosis the problem. I have been told that since gm does not make the transmission any longer they have to put a rebuilt into it. I have done some research on this issue and there seems to be 100's of xc 90 owners with the same problem. I have contacted Volvo customer service and they have been nice but not very willing to address this issue and I don't have very much confidence in this recent tranny. I was lucky when the first one went out, b/c I was not drive at 70 mph when it seized, I was just getting back on the hwy. The second one went out also at a slow speed. I searched through your site and did not find any mention of this issue so I thought I would post with you and see what happened. If you need further details please let me know. Thanks.

The transmission on the 2007 Volvo xc 90 t6 are failing early at an alarming rate. Mine has failed at 70k miles, leaving me stranded. This is noted to be a common occurrence and is well described in discussion forums, with many transmissions failing before 30k miles.

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My 2004 Volvo Xc90 transmission had to replaced and they had to tow the car twice because the first time they told me the problem was fixed . My little children were in the car that just about made it home.

While driving my 2004 Volvo xc-90, the transmission went out on the highway and the vehicle would not accelerate. There was not warning, and we almost got into a car accident with a truck. My wife is 8 months pregnant, and we were very scared.

The contact owns a 2003 Volvo Xc90. While driving less than 70 mph, the vehicle began surging on its own. The check engine warning indicator illuminated on the instrument panel, as well as an error message stating, "transmission service urgent. " the dealer stated that there was excessive damage to the transmission along with shards of metal in the transmission. The dealer also stated that an alignment was needed, although one had just been performed on the vehicle. The dealer estimated that the repairs would cost over $6,000. The failure and current mileages were less than 93,000.

The contact owns a 2004 Volvo Xc90. The contact noticed transmission and radiator fluid near her vehicle. She experienced hard shifting when changing gears. While driving approximately 55 mph, the transmission light illuminated on the instrument panel. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle would no longer "pull" and was towed to the dealer. She was informed that a new transmission and radiator were needed. She also found out that the radiator coolant contaminated the transmission. The repair would cost approximately $5,900. The contact wrote a letter to the president of the manufacturing company, but did not receive a response. She also spoke with the manufacturer's customer service line and was informed that they could not assist because the vehicle was outside of the warranty. The current mileage was approximately 122,000 and failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

I have had my 2005 t6 Xc90 for 5 months and until today have only dealt with small issues. Today I was on the freeway and lost transmission power at 65 mph and the event could have been catastrophic, however I was lucky enough to regain transmission control and could get to an exit and park my vehicle in a safe place to await a tow. I had no idea that the t6 was known for this type of failure with the transmission or I would never have bought it. I have two little girls and their safety was the key element in my purchasing this vehicle. All things considered, today could have been much worse but according to many accounts this isn't the first t6 to have tranny problems and it won't be the last. Until Volvo is made to acknowledge that their design was faulty other families' lives are at stake. I know my Xc90 will need a new transmission, and the cost is going to be upwards of $6,000. And for a "Volvo for life" this is unacceptable!!.

The contact owns a 2003 Volvo Xc90. When the contact started the vehicle, a warning indicator illuminated stating that the transmission needed to be checked. She took her vehicle to the dealer and they stated that a new transmission was needed. The contact wants to file a class action law suit. The failure mileage was 90,000.

Car does not accelerate and skips as it shifts gears dealer says transmission needs to be replaced.

My Volvo 2004 Xc90 t6 has transmission problems. The first indication of failure was a lack of motion when initially accelerating despite the tachometer reading 3500 rpm. The dealer was unable to replicate the problem and did a firmware update to the transmission controller. The second failure was the same as the first. The third time the engine engaged the gears with a series of shuddering jerks forward and a foul-smelling (smoky) odor was briefly present. The car is back in the repair shop presently. The car has not been used to tow anything and the driving has been mostly in town (average speed 27 mph).

My 2004 Volvo Xc90 t6 has had several ridiculous issues that I have never experienced in any of the german vehicles I have owned over the past 20 years. I have been fearful of this car of late mainly because I read several complaints about the reliability of the transmission on this vehicle. Well my fears became reality on Friday night while my wife and 22 month son were coming home from the market. My wife called me frantic about how the car will not go into reverse and now that I have managed to drive out of my parking spot it is not moving above 20 mph. Needless to say, I was angry and very concerned for my family's safety. She was able to creep home and we called the tow truck company to take this piece of junk to mooer's Volvo in richmond virginia 804 755-666. I wish to file a complaint about the reliability of this vehicle and the danger it places it's owners (mostly people who turn to Volvo due to it's safety record, we sure did!) and their families. I have read hundreds of people experiencing this exact problem with this vehicle. The dealers know there are issues with these cars yet they dumb you down as if you are a unique case. Monday morning I will be in my attorney's office with my facts I gathered over the weekend showing this is such a ridiculously common problem that if Volvo hasn't done right by consumers they better get ready for major lawsuits. To start, they need to buy these cars back from consumers for what ever they owe on these cars and issue a statement apologizing for putting out such a terribly dangerous product for families.

My 2004 Volvo Xc90 t6 has produced a "transmission service urgent" message but the dealer could not find a problem in the vehicle memory. It intermittently would rev over 3k rpm with no acceleration and would violently jerk into gear from a stop after revving for a few seconds without acceleration. Just before the dealer finally agreed to replace the transmission (71k miles) it was jerking repeatedly into gear at only mild acceleration.

My car is not driving well when I drive it hesitates which is very dangerous when I driving especially on the highway I just recently noticed that the transmission light came on, and when I brought it to be service the said it is going to be $2,500 I just had it serviced it has 94,000 miles on it but when I checked online I see that others with less miles have the same complaint with less miles. We pay alot for great quality and safety for our families. So there should be a recall cause I'm not the only one.

Vehicle unable to shift properly, computer reading "transmission urgent service" locks in third gear in "limp mode". Vehicle caused very near fatal accident when stopped on a hill and after initially moving out into traffic, seized to operate. Towed to dealer, dealer first flushed out transmission at $240. 00, then without road testing, suggested we try again. Vehicle failed once again while in the dealership parking lot and was told the transmission needed to be replaced, $6,000 later.

While driving on the interstate highway, the 'transmission service urgent' message appeared on the display of my 2004 Volvo Xc90. I was fortunately able to drive the car home (<1 mile) and get it to a Volvo service center (20 miles) the following morning. The service center indicated that 3rd gear of our automatic transmission was 'gone' and that the transmission needed to be replaced. The transmission was replaced with a re-manufactured transmission. I found this issue surprising since, although this vehicle has significant mileage for its age, >90% of that mileage can be attributed to highway driving (commute >80 miles per day). I also have reviewed many reports online from other Volvo Xc90 vehicle owners describing the same problem at far lower mileage.

Transmission complaint for Volvo Xc90 t6 2004. Dealership saying transmission needs to be replaced. Vehicle is only at 60,000 miles. Many other consumers dealing with the same issue.

At approximately 62,500 miles, the transmission of my 2004 Volvo Xc90 failed. After researching, I found this to be a common problem for this particular model car, as well as the 2003 and part of the 2005 year. I had the transmission rebuilt by an independent transmission repair shop, they were able to provide me atra manuals, which I have copies of, that shows the particular defect with the transmission which demonstrates as the direct cause of what seems to be a common problem. That problem is that the 2nd and 4th clutches are burning and eventually spewing bits of metal shavings throughout the entire transmission, destroying it. The problem was identified in the 2005 atra manual as something to look out for and inspect, in 2006, the cause was identified as improper machining of the accumulator housing, the angle and depth have now been modified to avoid damage like my car and many others owners like me have experienced. The particular model is the gm 4t65e transmission. Not only an inconvenience, but in my opinion, a severe safely hazard, prior tot he repairs, the transmission light came on and effectively made it impossible to maneuver the car forcing me to pull over and assess the situation, fortunately for me, traffic was light at the time, this may not have been the case for someone else, potentially causing an accident and even worse death or dismemberment. I believe Volvo should issue a recall and reimburse owners for the expense of a new or rebuilt transmission.

2004 Xc90t6 has failed transmission at 82,500 miles. I first noticed problem when first starting from stop. The vehicle would not accelerate and then it felt like I had been rear ended. Problem persisted and now problem occurs at first acceleration and at further attempts to increase speed the transmission falls out of gear and catch. The failure of the transmission poses a significant safety risk and appears to be a wide spread problem particularly with the 2004 Xc90 t6. The last time it failed I was stuck in the middle of an intersection and was almost struck broad side by an approaching vehicle. The Volvo dealership advises me that the original transmission is not compatible with the t6 engine. Reported failures have occurred as early as 1,500 miles and Volvo's corrective measures of replacing the transmissions with remanufactured transmissions does not appear to be correcting the problem as there are numerous reports of repeat failures. Volvo has agreed to replace the transmissions with a remanufactured transmission but has refused to pay for labor. The dealer has agreed to pay for half of the labor. I have requested the dealer to retain the transmission and the associated parts. I have also asked Volvo if they have notified NHTSA of the widespread failures and they have refused to provide me with this information. The drain lines from the sunroof had to be replaced. Updated 05/15/08.

While driving my 2005 Volvo Xc90 (54,414 miles) on a busy California freeway (the 405), the engine stopped suddenly with no warning or warning light. Fortunately, I was able to make it over to the side of the road to call for a tow without injury (although I was almost rear ended since the failure was so sudden and without warning) and had it towed to a Volvo dealer in torrance, CA. It is a transmission problem. Since then, we have found hundreds of other consumers who have had the same problem with their Xc90 Volvos too. Volvo has not recalled or provided any notice to consumers of the problem. Volvo has provided replacement trades and cash to some consumers who complained, but no overall notice to consumers. We didn't find out until it happened to us and started to research. Additionally, the week before, the front left tire blew out when my wife was driving and I was out of town. Uneven tire wear, uneven wear even with constant realignment, is another common issue with the 18" tires on Volvo. They know of the issue, but not how to fix it. Volvo did at least send a tow truck to put the spare on and my wife was not injured (fortunately). We didn't know of the safely flaws in the Xc90 which was purchased because of Volvo's marketing campaign of "safety" and "Volvo for life" campaign. Volvo is advertising falsely and the Xc90 has safety issues. Please help protect others!.

Transmission went out at 62k miles and had to be replaced. Checking on edmunds website, this appears to be a very common problem with this vehicle.