Ways to Fix Automatic Transmission Failure in a Volvo

For a lot of us, having a car is an essential part of our lives. From getting to work, to getting away, there’s no arguing that our car is our companion for so many important events. At the same time, most of us have very little idea of what’s going on inside of our vehicles. For machines that accompany us almost every day, we have very little knowledge of what’s going on under the hood. Maybe it’s time to get to know them a little better. Volvos are very reliable cars, but if you have a Volvo from the early 2000s, it is best to have a little knowledge as to some common problems with your car’s transmission. Even Volvo models as recently as 2016 have drivers reporting issues with the transmission. Let’s take a look at these in the article below.

What’s Under The Hood

The transmission is both an essential and incredibly complex part of your car. While those who know how to drive a manual transmission have a clear understanding of what each gear does and when you need to use it, an automatic transmission does that work for you. It also means you need to know when something is going wrong. If your transmission has completely failed, there’s no choice other than to replace it.

Changes to Volvo

In the early 2000s, Volvo decided to redesign their powertrain, the set of parts that transmits energy from a car’s engines to its axles. The powertrain consists of the engine, the driveshaft, and transmission. These combine to be the components responsible for generating power, then transferring that energy from the car to the road. In other words, it’s what makes your car go.

European cars have a reputation for being built better than rivals that manufacture vehicles in other countries. Over the years, the name Volvo has become synonymous with durability and reliability. Originally, they were built to withstand rough, poorly paved roads, so let’s take a look at what happened with these models.

Transmission Received

The problem started with the powertrain. Volvo went with a new powertrain for their models made in the early 2000s, putting these new powertrain models at the heart of all their vehicles. Drivers started experiencing problems at relatively low mileages.

If you own one of these models, one of the first signs of transmission problems is a hesitation and then a hard shift when your car switches gears. Some cars from this period experience problems as early as 30,000 to 50,000 miles. If you bought your Volvo between 2000 and 2016, it’s worth keeping your eye on things.

Fast Fixes

In general, there are a variety of options for transmission issues. Sometimes a transmission flush is enough to fix it. Your Volvo should get serviced every 30,000 to 50,000 miles. A simple fluid refill might be just what the technician ordered. Other models may require you to find a mechanic who specializes in European cars, where they can do a little reprogramming on the Electronic Control Unit of your car. It will help the shifting. However, this is only a bandaid for the real problem.

The best option is to fix the transmission itself. Due to all of the complaints, Volvo designed a mechanical update for this model of transmission. For some models, this was as simple as changing a piece of the valve body. This is the part of your automatic transmission that guarantees a smooth gear shift. Sometimes, the transmission is too far gone and needs to be rebuilt or replaced entirely.

European Motor Cars Will Help

A Volvo is a precision vehicle with specialized parts. It requires a mechanic who knows how to fix them properly and then maintain all the working parts of your car. Luckily, if you live in the Summerlin, Spring Valley, and Las Vegas areas of Nevada, you have a great facility available to you.

For the last 30 years, European Motor Cars has served the Las Vegas area and surrounding communities with a comprehensive range of services, ranging from diagnostics to total engine rebuilds. We specialize in European cars, meaning you can count on European Motor Cars to make repairs, provide service, and perform maintenance to keep your Volvo in top condition. Call us today for an appointment or come by for a consultation.