2001 VOLVO S60 Power Train Problems

OUR VOLVO S60 HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH WHAT'S COMMONLY CALLED TRANSMISSION FLARE. WHEN SHIFTING INTO LOWER GEARS FROM A STOP OR AT LOWER SPEEDS AND IN SLOW TRAFFIC THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION JERKS THE CAR FORWARD SEVERELY. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF POSTS IN ONLINE CAR FORUMS WITH CONSUMERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS SAME PROBLEM. WHILE IT STARTED OUT AS A NUISANCE THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND IS AGGRAVATED BY HOT WEATHER, SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE VOLVO ON A DRIVE FOR SUMMER VACATION. WE TRUSTED VOLVO'S QUALITY AND INTEGRITY WHEN PURCHASING OUR CAR AND ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL ISSUED TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. WHEN WE ASKED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR WHAT WE COULD DO TO FIX THE PROBLEM THEY SUGGESTED WE PURCHASE A NEW CAR FROM THEM. SHAME ON YOU VOLVO. BEFORE THIS PROBLEM WE WERE PROUD VOLVO OWNERS NOW WE FEEL RIPPED OFF AND ABUSED.

Mileage: 250,000

IN 2008, AT ABOUT 93K MILES, THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 2001 VOLVO S60 FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A MAIN THOROUGHFARE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO AVOID BEING IN AN ACCIDENT. I HAD A VOLVO DEALER INSTALL A NEW VOLVO TRANSMISSION. IN 2014, AT ABOUT 123K MILES (OR ABOUT 30K MILES ON THE NEW TRANSMISSION), THE SECOND TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL STREET. AGAIN, I WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. A SEARCH OF THE NHTSA DATABASE AND OTHER ONLINE SOURCES SHOWED THAT THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS EARLY TRANSMISSION FAILURES WITH VOLVOS LIKE MINE. VOLVO OF NORTH AMERICA REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING TO HELP FIX THE FAULTY TRANSMISSION DESPITE INFORMATION THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION THEY HAVE BEEN USING. *TR

Mileage: 123,000

I NOTICED MY CAR JERKING WHEN IT SHIFTS, SO I THOUGHT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION OR SOMETHING, SO I BROUGHT IT IN A VOLVO DEALERSHIP AND THEY FOUND OUT THAT IT WASN'T THE TRANSMISSION BUT " DSEM NEEDS ETM AND BREATHER BOX ENGINE LIGHT) OR WHAT THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THE THROTTLE MODULE AND I WAS SURPRISED THAT THEY DIDN'T TELL ME OR ASKED ME IF I KNOW ABOUT THE RECALL. THE COSTUMER SERVICE IS VERY POOR AT THIS PLACE. *TR

Mileage: 168,733

VOLVO S60 OF THE FIRST GENERATION HAS HAD MAJOR TRANSMISSION ISSUES. MANY HAVE FAILED, SLIPPED, AND HAVE DESTROYED THE VEHICLE. ACCORDING TO OTHER DRIVERS IT SEEMS THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN FIXED AFTER 2005. IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR TRANSMISSIONS TO BE GOING OUT BEFORE 100K MILES. I'M SURE MANY DRIVERS HAVE COMPLAINED OF THIS ISSUE. MANY TIMES I HAVE ALMOST BEEN IN WRECKS BECAUSE IT WILL NOT GO INTO GEAR AND WILL CLUNK INTO GEAR LURCHING ME FORWARD. THE SOFTWARE WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT WOULD PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AFTER YOU TOUCHED THE BRAKE TO SAVE GAS MILLAGE. THIS SOFTWARE WAS REMOVED FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. MOST LIKELY BEING BECAUSE IT WAS DAMAGING TRANSMISSIONS. TRANSMISSION DO NOT SHIFT INSTANTLY. SO YOU WOULD BE IN NEUTRAL THEN IT WOULD SWITCH INTO GEAR. AFTER MANY UPDATES AND SMALL CHANGES TO THE TRANSMISSION REPORTS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURES HAVE GONE DOWN MAJORLY AFTER 2005. IT IS NOT RIGHT THAT IT TOOK 4 YEARS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *JS

Mileage: 155,000

I HAD STOPPED AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT. AS I STARTED AGAIN ON GREEN LIGHT, THE CAR JERKILY JUMPED FORWARD. I HAD TO PUSH HARD ON THE BRAKES. AS THE CAR STOPPED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TOGETHER WITH SERVICE TRANSMISSION LIGHT. *TR

Mileage: 128,700

TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 94K MILES. CAR LOST POWER BARELY MAKING IT THROUGH AN INTERSECTION. INTERNET RESEARCH INDICATES THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE AMONG VOLVO S60. *TR

Mileage: 94,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO S60. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT GO IN TO GEAR, LOCK UP AND SURGE FORWARD,AND NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AT ANY TIME.. SHE NOTICED THE ISSUE HAPPENED APPROX AFTER DRIVING 10 MILES AFTER THE VEHICLE HEATED UP. SHE HAD BEEN HAVING TRANSMISSION FAILURES SINCE FEBRUARY 2008. SHE NOTICED THE FAILURE EVERY TIME SHE DROVE THE VEHICLE IF SHE DROVE MORE THAN 10 MILES. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND A SOFTWARE UPGRADE WAS PERFORMED AT HER EXPENSE. HOWEVER, THE ISSUE REOCCURRED SHORTLY AFTER. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT SHE DID INDEED HAVE A FAULTY TRANSMISSION BUT WOULD NOT OFFER ANYTHING OTHER THAN A 10% COST REDUCTION ON THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE REPAIR. THERE HAD BEEN NO FURTHER REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 137,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.

Mileage: 100,000

2001 VOLVO S60 T5 AFTER ABOUT 30 MILES OF HIGHWAY DRIVING, I CAME TO A STOP DUE TO TRAFFIC. WHEN TRAFFIC STARTED MOVING, I NOTICED JERKING AND HARD SHIFTING. THE TRANSMISSION SERVICE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WENT INTO LIMP MODE. I EVENTUALLY HAD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION FOR 4000.00. THE 2001 S60 TRANSMISSION ISSUE IS VERY COMMON AND SHOULD BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE BY VOLVO. *TR

Mileage: 127,000

IN VOLVO 2001 S60 T5. THE CAR SOMETIMES STOP ACCELERATING FOR SECONDS, AND THEN SUDDENLY IT CLICKS WITH A JOLT AFTER ABOUT A SECOND AND THE CAR LURCHES FORWARD. THE PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE DUE TO A PROBLEM WITH THE VALVE BODY AS THE DEALER AND ANOTHER MECHANIC SUGGESTED (TRANSMISSION PART). THIS REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OF TRANS. VALVE BODY, SEALING KIT AND TCM UPGRADE. THEN TRANS OIL FLUSH. A TOTAL COST OF $2488 QUOTED FROM GALPIN VOLVO VAN NUYS CALIFORNIA. BELOW IS A PAGE SHOWING DIFFERENT CUSTOMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. HTTP://WWW.MATTHEWSVOLVOSITE.COM/FORUMS/VIEWTOPIC.PHP?P=20617. *TR

Mileage: 78,387

I DRIVE A 2001 VOLVO S60. I PURCHASED IT NEW IN 2002. IT HAS A TOTAL OF 35,000 MILES. I DRIVE THE CAR SHORT DISTANCES AND IN TOWN ONLY. IT STARTED GIVING ME PROBLEMS A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WITH JERKING FORWARD. THE "TRANSMISSION REQUIRED" "CHECK ENGINE" MESSAGES CAME ON TODAY. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT IT TO A VOLVO DEALER WHO COULD NOT EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE PROBLEM IS UNTIL AFTER THEY PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AT A COST $122.00. I FELT THAT I HAD NO OTHER RECOURSE BUT TO LEAVE IT WITH THEM. I DON'T FEEL THAT MY CAR SHOULD EXPERIENCE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS SINCE THE CAR IS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD AND IS NOT DRIVEN FOR LONG DISTANCES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *TR

I HAD SLIGHT JERKING AND SLIPPING DURING RECENT TWO YEARS. BUT SINCE THIS MONTH (AUG. 2008), MY 2001 S60 T5 BECOMES WORSE WITH FREQUENT JERKING AND SLIPPING DURING TRAFFIC AND ACCELERATING FROM A STOP. DRIVING WITH THOSE SYMPTOMS IS VERY DANGEROUS. VISITED DEALER SHOP FOR SEVERAL TIMES, THE SUGGESTIONS WERE ALWAYS NEW TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT WHICH COST OVER $4,000. I WAS ALSO TOLD MANY S60 2001 AND LATER HAVE THE SIMILAR PROBLEMS. I THINK THE VOLVO BUILDER MUST BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SAFETY RELATED BAD PART MANUFACTURER ISSUE. *TR

Mileage: 60,045

FAULTY VOLVO S60 TRANSMISSION THE CAR HAS NO GAS/POWER THEN SUDDENLY JERKS INTO 1ST AND 2ND GEAR. THERE WAS TROUBLE EARLY ON WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE DEALERSHIP DOWNPLAYED THE PROBLEM AND DIDN'T TELL ME IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE TRANSMISSION. *TR

Mileage: 95,000

2001 VOLVO S60 2.4T BOUGHT AS VOLVO CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED FROM DEALER WITH 47,000 MILES. NOW HAS 69,170 AND NEED NEW TRANSMISSION, RIGHT AXLE, RIGHT CV JOINT, REAR SEAL, MOTOR MOUNTS. HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT POOR ACCELERATION, ROUGH SHIFTING, ROLLING IN PARK BEFORE EXTENDED WARRANTY RAN OUT AND DEALER DID NOT FIX, NOW OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEMS EXISTS AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY TO FIX. *TR

Mileage: 69,170

2001VOLVO S60 TURBO - TRANSMISSION SLIPPING; HAVING PROBLEMS CHANGING GEARS; EITHER IT IS STRAINING TO CHANGE GEARS OR I HEAR AND FEEL A LOUD (CLUNCK). PROBLEM HAPPENS A LOT IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. DEALER SAYS I NEED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AT A COST OF $4000. READ OTHER FORUMS AND OTHER VOLVO OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS. *JB

INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. 2001 VOLVO S60 T5. VEHICLE WILL FAIL TO SHIFT GEARS WHEN ACCELERATING. USUALLY OCCURS WHEN PROCEEDING FROM A STOP, USUALLY WHEN TURNING. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, PRINCETON VOLVO, AND ALTHOUGH THEIR MECHANIC EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM, THEY INDICATED THAT THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT COULD CAUSE THE PROBLEM. NOW I LEARN THAT VOLVO HAS HAD NUMEROUS REPORTED SIMILAR PROBLEMS, USUALLY INVOLVING THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL MODULATOR. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE AFORESAID DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM BY MAKING A SOFTWARE CHANGE, BUT THIS ONLY MADE THE PROBLEM WORSE. *JB

Mileage: 50,000

TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN 2001 VOLVO S-60 AWD. *NM

Mileage: 66,000

AT 53,000 MILES (FEBRUARY 2006) MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, SERVICE TRANSMISSION LIGHT AND URGENT SERVICE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME. HOWEVER, I WAS I NOT EXPERIENCING ANY NOTICEABLE DRIVABILITY ISSUES. (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SOME SLIGHTLY ROUGH GEAR SHIFTING - BUT I DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT). THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE FAULT CODE WAS RELATED TO MY TRANSMISSION AND THAT I NEED A SOFTWARE UPGRADE TO MY TCM (TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE). IF THE FAULT CODE RETURNED AFTER THE UPGRADE, MY TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. AND THAT MOST LIKELY (99.9%) THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE WOULD CORRECT THE PROBLEM. IN ADDITION, I HAD TO PAY $340 FOR THE SOFTWARE UPGRADE BECAUSE I WAS 6 MONTHS / 3,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY AND SOFTWARE ISSUES WHERE NOT COVERED BY THE EXTENDED WARRANTY (3RD PARTY - EASYCARE -[VIA FORD]). A FEW WEEKS LATER (3/5/06), THE CHECK ENGINE COMES ON AGAIN AND THE DRIVABILITY DETERIORATES RAPIDLY ON MY TRIP HOME FROM WORK. HIGH RPM'S - LITTLE POWER - ABRUPT SHIFTING. FORTUNATELY, I WAS CLOSE TO HOME (WITHIN 1 MILE). IT FELT LIKE THE TRANSMISSION FELL APART. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER (3/8/06), AFTER TWO DAYS OF 'TESTING', I'M TOLD THE ETM WAS REPLACED AT NO CHARGE AND TO COME PICK UP THE CAR. I PICKED IT UP AND COULD NOT LEAVE THE DEALER DRIVEWAY. THEY APOLOGIZED PROFUSELY AND SAID THE ETM WAS REPLACED BUT NOTICED THAT THERE IS STILL A PROBLEM. AFTER A FEW DAYS OF TROUBLESHOOTING BY THE DEALER, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAR NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION (AND I HAD TO PAY AN ADDITIONAL $200 FOR EXTENDED WARRANTY CO-PAY). *NM

Mileage: 53,000

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT NO PARTICULAR SPEED, THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER DETERMINED METAL SHAVINGS WERE PRESENT IN THE OIL PAN RESULTING IN THE ENGINE NEEDING REPLACED AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. ADDITIONALLY, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT INTERMITTENTLY SHIFT OUT OF PARK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR.

Mileage: 91,000

STOPPED TO DROP OFF PASSENGER, WHEN ATTEMPTED TO PULL AWAY, TRANSMISSION FAILED TO ENGAGE. TURNED VEHICLE OFF TO CHECK IT. ON RESTART ENGAGED FINE. APPROX 1/2 MILE DOWN THE ROAD, TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED VEHICLE OFF FOR A FEW MINUTES, ON RESTART TRANSMISSION ONCE AGAIN ENGAGED FOR ME TO GO A FEW HUNDRED FEET TO SAFETY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHICH DIAGNOSED THE TRANSMISSION WITH 'INTERNAL FAULTS' WHICH WOULD REQUIRE A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE IN QUESTION HAS NEVER HAD ANY WARNINGS THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAILING, NOR HAD IT EVER HESITATED TO ENGAGE PRIOR TO IT'S COMPLETE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE IS 4 1/2 YEARS OLD WITH ONLY 32K MILES. *NM

Mileage: 32,000

TRANSMISSION FAILURE WHILE DRIVING 0 THIS HAS HAPPENED AT BOTH LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS. THIS IS THE FORTH TIME IN TWO YEARS THAT MY VOLVO S60 2.4 HAS HAD THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. THREE TIMES BEFORE IT HAS SUPPOSEDLY BEEN REPAIRED - BUT YET AGAIN IT THE TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. THREE TIMES IN HEAVY TRAFFIC SITUATIONS - THREE TIMES PUTTING MYSELF IN JEOPARDY. VOLVO SEEMS INCAPABLE OF FIXING THIS VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM.AK

Mileage: 23,000

FOR BOTH OUR 2001 VOLVO S60 2.4T AND OUR 2003 VOLVO XC90 2.5T AWD, THERE HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR A TRANSMISSION DEFECT (ESSENTIALLY SAME TRANSMISSION IN BOTH VEHICLES PER VOLVO TECH SUPPORT). BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD THERE IS. *AK INTERMITTENT/UNPREDICTABLE FAILURE TO ENGAGE 3RD IN TIMELY FASHION WITH RESULTANT LOSS OF ACCELERATION AS VEHICLE IS FUNCTIONALLY IN NEUTRAL FOR 0.5 TO 2.5 SECONDS. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY WHEN PULLING ON TO A HIGHWAY. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED 2 NEAR COLLISIONS (ALMOST BEING STRUCK FROM BEHIND). VOLVO TECH SUPPORT ACKNOWLEDGES A FLAW IN DESIGN CAUSING SERVO FLUID AIR LOCK IN THE 2001 MODEL. A NEW TRANSMISSION IS SCHEDULED TO BE REPLACED FOR OUR S60, BUT IF THE PROBLEM IS STILL OCCURING IN OUR 2003, WILL THIS CORRECT THE PROBLEM? THE XC90 THEY SAY CAN BE REPAIRED WITH "UPGRADED SOFTWARE" INSTALLATION (WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR THAT VEHICLE) BUT THIS REMEDY FAILED WHEN PERFORMED ON THE 2001. WE HAVE LET THE DEALER KNOW WE FEEL BOTH VEHICLES ARE UNSAFE WITH THIS PROBLEM AND WE ARE NOW STUCK WITH THEM TRYING TO REMEDY BOTH GLARING SAFETY DEFECTS.

Mileage: 30,000

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 20 MPH. CONSUMER WAS ALMOST RAN OVER CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS. THERE WAS NO WARNING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS...*AK