"As though it went into neutral!"
It will start and run fine but, will not move... ie: wont move when I put into D, R, 3 or 2. Does ANYONE out there know what my problem might be? Thanks in advance. K--

Hello, take the battery cable off the battery for 5 minutes. reclamp and start the car to see if you have the same problem. If you do? then you have a stuck s-2 solonoid or a broken overrun drum. The solonoid is about 170.00 dollars at volvo, but is 76 dollars at the toyota dealer. If its the part that broke in the tranny you will need a used one. These trannies are pretty bullet proof, so I would not hesitate one bit with a used one.

I am not a transmission expert, but some of these early AW30-40's had problems with solenoid's (SL, SL1, SL2). I do not know if you are dealing with a sticking or bad solenoid. I know many shops misdiagnose the problem and recommend replacing the trans. When is the last time your trans fluid was changed? Are you using synthetic?

DEWFPO
--
1998 S90 077,400 and 1995 964 154,100

I am embarrassed and ashamed to say... I bought this car when it came off of a Lease @ 79k mls. It now has 159k on it AND I have never changed, flushed or, added TF!!!
The fluid (when I checked it today) was full and red in color!?!

Plz. God, dont tell me I need a new Transmission!!!

I would still try to get any codes read in the ECM, and make sure you take the car to someone who understands 1) Volvos, 2) 960/90 series vehicles and 3) the AW30-40 transmission.(this can be difficult) becasue not many mechanics really understand the 906/90 series and even fewer really understand the AW30-40. It is VERY stout and too many have been replaced because the person diagnosing the problem didn't really understand how they worked.

DEWFPO
--
1998 S90 077,400 and 1995 964 154,100

Dear stinafina,

Good p.m. and may this find you well. If the trans fluid was a deep, clear, rosy red, that suggests it is not the cause of the shift problems.

If the fluid is cloudy or milky, that is a sign of water having got into the transmission fluid. Water dissolves the glue, that adheres the clutch pack facings. When the glue dissolves, it allows micro-fibers of clutch material to get into the fluid. Those micro-fibers clog the transmission fluid-ways. Do not get an AW tranny re-built: a huge waste of money. Rather, go to a salvage yard, and find a sound unit. The fluid must be a deep, clear, rosy red.

Even if your tranny's fluid is a deep, clear, rosy red, it should be flushed and replaced with Mobil 1 synthetic ATF.

The Aisin-Warner transmissions are very well-made. They usually outlast the cars, in which they are installed.

You original post suggested to me, that you went to start the car, and could not get it in gear. That is, no matter how you moved the shift lever, the car did not move. If so, then the problem could be in the shifter linkage.

If the car stopped moving while it was out on the road - the engine runs, but the car does not move - that's a quite different problem. I believe the AW30 transmissions have an electronic control module. That module - or the wiring to it - could be the source of the problem.

Yours faithfully,

spook

"If the trans fluid was a deep, clear, rosy red,..."

IT IS.

I did not (only 1 Q of Dexron 111 went in) put Mobil 1 synthetic ATF in but, certainly will in the future!

"If the car stopped moving while it was out on the road - the engine runs, but the car does not move -..."

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED; IS HAPPENING.
Sorry about my unclarity in the beginning. I was so upset.
When I start the car... NOW, this is what happens>>>

"... went to start the car, and could not get it in gear. That is, no matter how you moved the shift lever, the car did not move..."

What do you suggest I try at this point?

I recently spent 2k plus on a (complete) new set of fuel injectors and, had the timing belt changed.
I am so broke (but resourceful and capable of learning and doing!), so I want to try ALL I can myself before I (may) have to pay a mechanic.

Thanks for your time.

K--

Ps. I bought the car coming off of a Lease @ 79k mls and, have NEVER changed, flushed or, added T fluid!
I know now that this is terrible!

Hello, if the fluid is nice and clean I would check the gear selector switch or the pnp. Yaw the lever back and forth 25 times or more, try again. Also pry the WSE out and dissconnect the yello conn. try again. If that all fails, see if you can push the car in nuetral backwards. If you can't the overunn clutch has exploded. If you can then it is a stuck solonoid. Before replacing anything I would have it towed to a shop and have the solonoids removed and checked for opperation, the valve body cleand and then a transmission flush and have a shop install a filter on the top line with the flow torward the tranny. Good luck. Pauli

Dear stinafina,

Good p.m. and may this find you well. Jack-up the car, on the driver's side. Put a jack-stand under a frame member Never go under any car, held up only with a jack: jacks sometimes fail silently. The car just comes down. If you're underneath it, that hurts. A lot!

Check the transmission linkage, which is on the side of the transmission, closest to the driver's door. Have someone move the shifter. If you don't see and/or hear the linkage moving, then almost certainly the e-clip has fallen off and the pin has fallen out. The shifter handle is not connected to anything. That needs to be fixed.

That could explain, why the transmission went into neutral while driving, and why you can't get it into gear - any gear - where it is.

If a missing e-clip and pin are the problems, it is a low-cost repair. You'll also need a rubber bushing. All these parts should cost less than $15.

Given the acceptable color of the trans fluid, I'd guess that is not the problem.

Yours faithfully,

spook

Are you getting any warning lights?

DEWFPO
--
1998 S90 077,400 and 1995 964 154,100

No. Non warning lights at all.
K--

You were just driving and it sorta just went into neutral and stopped moveing forward never to get in gear again? Only two possible things. One is a stuck valve body servos or pistons if you will are stuck and not selecting a gear. Two is a toasted trans. Either way tow truck and trans shop are you new best friends.

There was a "pop" sound right before this happened. I was turning from one street on to another.

I checked the fluid and it is red color and full.
When I start the car, take it out of neutral (with foot on brake... of course!) and drop down through the gears, the car 'sounds like it is shifting gears!'

With this additional information, do you feel more convicted in any way or have another thought?

Thanks!
K--

Hello again, If it sounds like its shifting gears it probably is, but the output shaft broke, or if you have a constant velocity rear driveshaft joint, that could have broken and won't turn the differential. It won't make much noise either. Pauli

Dear stinafina,

Good p.m. and may this find you well. Did this happens suddenly? Does the shift lever feel sloppy loose? That is, when you move it, does it take some effort to move it from one position to another, or does it just "float" easily?

If it "floats" between positions, I suspect the linkage has separated from the shifter handle. A pin, secured with an "E" clip, connects the bottom of the shifter lever with a transfer bar, that moves a lever, that changes the gear selected inside the transmission.

If the "E" clip fell off and the pin dropped out, the shifter is no longer connected to the transmission. You cannot move the car, using its own power.

This is not a hard fix. You will need:
(a) to jack up the car (put a jack stand under a frame member) and inspect the shift linkage, which is on the driver's side of the transmission (USA/Canada models)
(b) if the shifter handle is separated from the linkage, you'll need to visit a Volvo dealer, to get a replacement pin,"E" clip, and the bushing, that goes in the hole at the bottom of the shifter
(c) to install these parts.

The bushing can be lubricated with dish-washing liquid, to ease it into the hole. There's not a lot of room to get the pin into place. You have to position the pin, so its head is closest to the transmission case wall. The "E" clip is best held with a needle-nose pliers.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

spook