2001 VOLVO XC70 Power Train Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000. UPDATED 02/22/12 *BF THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON 02/04/11. SHE MENTIONED THE FAILURE OF THE GEARS NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY AND THE DEALER PERFORMED A SOFTWARE DOWNLOAD, WHICH DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER WENT BACK TO THE DEALER EIGHT MONTHS LATER FOR THE 9,500 MAINTENANCE SERVICE AND THE PROBLEM WAS MENTIONED AGAIN. FINALLY AT 103,000 ON JAN 31, 2012 THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED WITH A RE-MANUFACTURED ONE. UPDATED 03/01/12

Mileage: 85,000

THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING BETWEEN GEARS 2-3 AND 3-4. MECHANICS RECOMMENDS TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT. CAR HAS 94,000 MILES. THIS IS A FAMILY CAR AND NOT DRIVEN HARD. I'VE HAD 3 CARS OVER HUNDRED THOUSAND MILES AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE HAD A TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON THE MOST EXPENSIVE CARE I'VE OWNED. *TR

Mileage: 94,000

NORMAL DRIVING, AT APPROXIMATELY 142,000 MILES TRANSMISSION SERVICE REQUIRED LIGHT CAME ON AFTER TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING AND "CLUNKING". TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON 2001 VOLVO XC70. $4,000+ REPAIR, COMMON TO THE 2001 XC70 MODEL. *TR

Mileage: 142,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DRIVE IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT INTO DRIVE AND ACCELERATE FORWARD. THE DEALER NOR MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 95,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 95,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD EXHIBIT A LOUD, ABNORMAL NOISE WHEN SHIFTING GEARS. THE NOISE WOULD ALSO OCCUR WHILE THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED AND SPORADICALLY, WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 45 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000.

Mileage: 129,000

THE FAILURE JUST BEGAN AT AROUND 100K MILES, NO SPECIFIC EVENT. THE CAR LURCHES WHEN I AM PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AFTER I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO A COMPLETE STOP. CAR JERKS WHILE DOWN SHIFTING INTO RIGHT HAND TURNS. CAR JERKS AT INTERSECTIONS WHILE SLOWING DOWN AND/OR ACCELERATING. I AM AFRAID IT IS GOING TO JERK FORWARD AND HIT SOMETHING THAT I, AS A DRIVER, SHOULD NOT BE AT RISK OF HITTING. THIS JERKING BEGAN INTERMITTENTLY AND THE CAR WOULD RUN MORE SMOOTHLY ON THE STREETS AFTER A HIGHWAY TRIP OF SOME DISTANCE, BUT NOW IT HAPPENS ALMOST CONSTANTLY AND THE JERKING IS MORE SEVERE. TO CORRECT THE FAILURE, I SAW VOLVO AND ASKED THEM TO MAKE SURE THE SOFTWARE PKG WAS UP TO DATE - THEY ASSURED IT WAS. A YEAR LATER I RETURNED AS THE PROBLEM HAD WORSENED, VOLVO WANTED TO FLUSH MY TRANSMISSION - I DECLINED AND WENT TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION SPECIALIST WHO IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A HYDRAULIC AND ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. I HAVE JUST AGREED TO HAVE THE PROBLEM FIXED, AND IF NECESSARY HAVE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. *TR

Mileage: 124,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AND WOULD SHIFT WITH DIFFICULTY BETWEEN GEARS. SHE NOTICED THAT THE RPM'S WOULD INCREASE AND THEN THE VEHICLE WOULD JERK VIOLENTLY. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED DUE TO COST. THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 141,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD SHIFT HARD WITHOUT WARNING WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 22 MPH. THE VEHICLE CORRECTED ITSELF AND DROVE AS NORMAL BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO RECUR SPORADICALLY AND WHEN BRAKING TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE FAILURE WAS ONGOING FOR FIVE MONTHS AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TWO DIFFERENT AUTHORIZED DEALERS WHERE SHE WAS ADVISED BY BOTH MECHANICS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION. SHE STATED THAT BOTH MECHANICS PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST BUT DID NOT GENERATE ANY CODES INDICATING THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

Mileage: 115,000

I HAVE EXPERIENCE 2-3 UPSHIFT FLARE, SLIPPING OF TRANSMISSION, TACHOMETER NEEDLE JUMPING UP AND THE ENGINE RACING DURING A SHIFT. *TR

Mileage: 80,126

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION HAD AN INTERNAL HYDRAULIC FAILURE WHICH CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO SHIFT SLOWLY, DURING ACCELERATION IT WOULD ALSO JERK AND SLIP WHEN THE CONTACT WAS TRYING TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION COULD NOT BE REPAIRED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 105,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 109,000. UPDATED 06/06/11 *BF UPDATED 1/17/2012 THE CONSUMER STATED THE CAR WONT ENGAGE IMMEDIATELY AFTER FULL STOP. *TR

Mileage: 105,000

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 VOLVO XC70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN FIRST DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR OR RELEASING THE ACCELERATOR, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SPORADICALLY HESITATE AND SURGE ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 03/24/11*LJ THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, COILS AND ETM WERE ALL REPLACED TO TRY AND RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 09/16/11

Mileage: 130,000

AUTO HAS FAULTY TRANSMISSION THAT CAUSES UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION FAILURES, ABRUPT ACCELERATIONS, AND JERKING. *TR

Mileage: 78,000

HAD A TRANSMISSION SOFTWARE UPDATE THAT SOLVED A NEUTRAL SHIFT PROBLEM, WHERE THE TRANS WOULD LURCH INTO GEAR FROM A STOP. NOW THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS AS I DRIVE, ESPECIALLY WHEN TURNING A CORNER. IF I ACCELERATE NORMALLY, THE VEHICLE REVS THEN CLUNKS INTO GEAR. THE DEALER ON THE TRANS SHOPS SAY THE TRANS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. NOW, I HAVE 183000 MILES ON THE CAR AND BOUGHT IT, HOPING IT WOULD BE A RELIABLE CAR...I WAS SO WRONG! I PURCHASED THE CAR FOR $16,000 FIVE YEARS AGO WITH 64K ON IT. I NOW HAVE ABOUT $12,000 IN REPAIRS INTO THIS CAR. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM NOWHERE NEAR HAPPY OR SATISFIED. THIS IS, BY FAR THE WORST VEHICLE I'VE EVER OWNED. IT IS LIKE A MONEY PIT. I JUST WISH A COMPANY LIKE VOLVO, THAT ONCE HAD A GREAT REPUTATION, WOULD OWN UP TO THE JUNK THEY ARE PUTTING OUT AND MAKE SOME RECALLS. AT THIS POINT, I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A VOLVO AGAIN AND AM SPREADING THE WORD. COME ON VOLVO, JUST OWN UP TO THE PROBLEMS AND FIX THEM. DO THE RIGHT THING AND YOU WILL BE NOTICED. DO NOTHING AND AGAIN, YOU WILL BE NOTICED BUT NOT FOR A GOOD THING. *TR

Mileage: 175,000

SEVERAL COMPUTER PROBLEMS THAT AROSE SUDDENLY.1) TRANSMISSION LIGHTS FAIL TO LIGHT TO INDICATE PROPER GEAR AND CAR ENTERS LIMP HOME MODE (I.E., SLUGGISH ACCELERATION) WHEN STARTING CAR. NO ACCIDENTS. OCCURS WHEN STARTING COLD ENGINE AND GOES AWAY AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF WARMING THE ENGINE (INCONSISTENT TIMES). DEALER HAS INSTALLED A SOFTWARE UPGRADE, BUT IT HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM BEGAN WITHOUT WARNING OR OTHER INCIDENT AND HAPPENS DURING WARM OR COLD WEATHER. 2) OTHER SAFETY ISSUES THAT AROSE AT THE SAME TIME INCLUDE REAR SEAT PASSENGERS BEING UNABLE TO OPEN REAR DOORS (STUCK IN CHILD LOCK OVERRIDE MODE) AND DRIVER OVERRIDE BUTTON IS NONFUNCTIONAL. FAILURE HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED (DEALER WANTS $900 TO FIX AND I RARELY HAVE REAR SEAT PASSENGERS). *TR

Mileage: 29,850

2001 VOLVO XC70 - TRANSMISSION FAILURE - WHEN STEPPING ON ACCELERATOR ENGINE WILL INCREASE RPM BUT NOT SPEED, THEN A SURGE/BUMP AS ENGINE SEEMS TO ENGAGE. *TR

Mileage: 80,000

TRANSMISSION FAILURE ON VOLVO MODEL YEAR 2001. FAILURE NOT DUE TO ABNORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, MOSTLY HIGHWAY TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 99,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS WELL MAINTAINED WITH ALL DEALER SUGGESTED MAINTENANCE COMPLETED. TRANSMISSION FAILURE, ACCORDING TO TRANSMISSION EXPERTS DUE TO POORLY MANUFACTURED "CHEAP" COMPONENTS. *TR

Mileage: 99,000

THE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY AND FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY ON MY 2001 VOLVO XC70 DEGRADED PREMATURELY DUE TO A DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND NOW REQUIRED REPLACEMENT @ 70K MI. $7,500 IS THE ESTIMATE TO MAKE THE CAR DRIVABLE. VOLVO NA WILL ONLY OFFER A 10% DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS. *TR

Mileage: 55,000

THE TRANSMISSION ASSEMBLY AND FINAL DRIVE ASSEMBLY ON MY 2001 VOLVO XC70 DEGRADED PREMATURELY DUE TO A DEFECTIVE DESIGN AND NOW REQUIRED REPLACEMENT @ 70K MI. $7,500 IS THE ESTIMATE TO MAKE THE CAR DRIVABLE. VOLVO NA WILL ONLY OFFER A 10% DISCOUNT ON REPAIRS. *TR

Mileage: 55,000

I HAD EXPERIENCED SOME INSTANCES OF A DELAY IN RESPONSE BY THE THROTTLE IN MY 2001 XC70 FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. MOST TIMES IT WAS FOLLOWING AN EXIT FROM A FREEWAY AND THE SUBSEQUENT ATTEMPTED ACCELERATION AFTER STOP WAS VERY HESITANT AND FELT AS IF THE CLUTCH WAS SLIPPING. I HAD AN ETM DIAGNOSTIC RUN IN MAY OF 2007 AT BARRIER MOTORS VOLVO IN BELLEVUE WA. AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG BUT SAID THEY COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO REPEAT THE PROBLEM. I HAD ALSO EXPERIENCED SOME INFREQUENT INSTANCES OF EXTRA ACCELERATION WITH MINIMAL GAS PEDAL PRESSURE DURING THE SAME TIME. ON JANUARY 7, 2008 I WAS IN LINE APPROACHING A ROUND-ABOUT AND AFTER THE SECOND SLOW MOVE FORWARD, I HAD NO MORE THAN TOUCHED THE GAS PEDAL THAN MY CAR SURGED FORWARD INTO THE REAR OF THE VAN IN FRONT OF ME. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO GET MY FOOT POISED OVER THE BREAK PEDAL BEFORE IMPACT. THE CAR DIED AND WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART IMMEDIATELY NOTHING WOULD WORK. THE PEOPLE IN THE VAN HAD NECK INJURIES, MY SEATBELT DEPLOYED AND THE RETRACTION UNIT FAILED. ONLY THE WEEK PRIOR TO THIS I HAD STARTED DOING AN ON-LINE SEARCH ABOUT MY TRANSMISSION AND FOUND MANY BLOG COMPLAINTS ABOUT SIMILAR PROBLEMS BUT HAD NOT BEEN TO NHTSA SITE YET. NOW I SEE THERE APPEARS TO BE A CONCERTED EFFORT ON THE PART OF VOLVO NA TO PRACTICE THE SAME KIND OF OBFUSCATOR GAMES THAT FORD MC HAS PLAYED ALL ALONG. IT REMINDS ME VERY MUCH OF THEIR SOP FOR DEALING WITH THE PINTO PROBLEM IN THE '70S. IN LOOKING AT THE NHTSA INVESTIGATIONS AND COMPLAINTS I FIND, BY LOOKING IN ALL THE APPLICATIONS OF TOPIC AND SEVERAL OTHER BROAD CATEGORY SEARCHES THE OVERALL CONCLUSION I HAVE REACHED IS THAT VOLVO NA/FORD MC ARE NOT BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL THE EXPENSES AND GRIEF THEY ARE CAUSING THE CONSUMERS. A FULL CLASS ACTION INVESTIGATION IS PROBABLY WARRANTED AND PROBABLY AN INVOLVEMENT OF A CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. *TR

Mileage: 75,000

I HAVE A 2001 VOLVO XC70. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN CLUNKING INTO AND OUT OF GEAR IN THE 20 - 40 MPH ZONE SINCE I HIT 95000 MILES. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER WHO SIMPLY REPROGRAMMED THE CAR BUT THE ISSUE IS NOT RESOLVED. THE CAR HESITATES WHEN I STEP ON THE GAS. SOMETIMES IT GOES AND OTHER TIMES IT DOES NOT. THIS MAKES THE CAR EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. *NM

Mileage: 96,000

2001 VOLVO XC70 TRANSMISSION FAIL AT 97K MILES. TRANSMISSION HAS NEVER BEHAVED APPROPRIATELY, UP/DOWN SHIFT ERRATIC, ETC. VEHICLE HAS BEEN THE RECIPIENT OF NUMEROUS SOFTWARE UPGRADES, TRANSMISSION FLUSH/FILTER, AND A NEW VALVE BODY. TRANSMISSION STILL FAILED AND VOLVO SAYS I'M OUT OF LUCK. BOUGHT NEW IN 2001 FOR $42,000. VEHICLE ALSO FAILED TO OPERATE MARCH OF 2006 WHERE A "PERFORMANCE REDUCED" MESSAGE WAS EXHIBITED. AFTER TURNING CAR OFF FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS, THE CAR RAN FINE. I SUSPECTED A POSSIBLE ISSUE WITH THE ETM. PORTLAND VOLVO INSTALLED AN ETM SOFTWARE UPGRADE ON APRIL 6, 2006. CAR HAS NOT HAD A REPEAT OCCURRENCE OF THIS NATURE BUT WAS SHIFTING ODDLY AS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED. *JB

Mileage: 97,000

WHILE BACKING UP AND STOPPING, I HEARD A "THUNK" FROM UNDER THE CAR. PROCEEDING, THERE WAS A NEW NOISE, WHICH I CHECKED OUT. THE RIGHT ANGLE DRIVE NO LONGER POWERED THE REAR WHEELS, AND I WAS ADVISED TO REPLACE IT, AT A COST OF ABOUT $1,300. WHEN THE GARAGE TOOK THE OLD DRIVE OFF, THEY FOUND THAT THE SPLINED SHAFT BETWEEN THE RIGHT ANGLE DRIVE AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS STRIPPED OF ITS SPLINES, AND THE MATING PART ON THE TRANSMISSION WAS LIKEWISE STRIPPED. VERDICT: NEEDS NEW TRANSMISSION, TOO. I GOT A VOLVO REBUILT TRANSMISSION AND RIGHT ANGLE DRIVE, TOTAL COST $6,100. THE VOLVO DEALER INDICATED THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM. BECAUSE THE CAR HAD 90,000 MILES, IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. VOLVO AND THE DEALER REFUSED TO HELP AT ALL-TOUGH LUCK! IT IS DEFINITELY A DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. VOLVO ACTED AS IF ANY PROBLEM OUT OF WARRANTY WAS MINE. I FEEL THAT A RECURRING PROBLEM LIKE THIS, WITH SUCH A HUGE COST, SHOULD BE COVERED, OUT OF CONCERN FOR VOLVO'S AND FORD'S REPUTATION, AND THE RESALE MARKET FOR PEOPLE CONSIDERING BUYING NEW VOLVOS. *JB