Hi,

It sounds like a classis case of a stuck Valve body. The pause you are feeling is a total lack of gears being engaged. That is you are coasting. Then the gear engages late. Also the gears are not being dis-engaged correctly and a stuck Value body can also cause this.

The valve body is a set electronic controlled solenoids that changes the ATF (Automatic Transmission Fluid) flow causing the transmission to shift up or shift down. There are several items that can cause the Valve body not to work correctly.

1) A problem in the wiring harness and or connectors going from the computer to the transmission.
2) A bad and or flaky Computer
3) The Value body itself is bad

If your Dealer is telling you that it is a Software problem or the Transmission has to “Adapt” to your driving habits (which is a pile of Male Cow Chips) then contact the “Volvo After Market Sales Manager” (Volvo’s fancy name for Factory Rep). You do this one of 2 ways. I would recommend you do both.

First you can contact the Factory Rep via the Dealer by wiggling your finger in the Service Manager face. Second you can “Log” a complaint to the 800 number in your owner’s manual. When logging the complaint just state your problem and ask that you want to be contacted by the “After Market Sales Manager” and you do not want to be contacted by the Dealership. They love to blow you off to the Dealer ship. Remember the person on the other end of the phone is just a clerk. Not a Volvo expert so don’t expect a quick response.

And most important “KEEP IT POSITIVE”! No negative attitude is allowed! Be happy and up beat and you can get the “After Market Sales Manager” to work miracles.

Good Luck,

Steven---