Originally Posted By: Kira
Hello, I love this thread but, as mentioned, there are too many variables and nowhere near the sample size to draw conclusions.
My anecdote: I bought my 2002 Volvo V70 with the "characteristic" 2-3 shift flare.
The original owner went the fluid change route but the problem persisted.
I got the car at a reasonable price. It had crystal clear red fluid.
I had the car "reflashed". Shifting improved and stayed consistent.
Later, after reading here, I performed drain & fills adding TransGard red at the recommended dosage.
The improvement was marked. I'm at 187K now. I do not pound on the car.
CONCLUSION: WARNING: This is caustic! I honestly believe Ford (which owned Volvo at the time) messes with rubber things like seals and servo "O" rings to engineer failures in their products. I'm hoping the lubricating powers of the TransGard are helping whichever servo operate.
Feel free to lambaste. I only know she's shifting pretty well now.
In fact, the only clunking she does is during 'weird' deceleration, say, during turns or turning down a steep hill. Kira
Not lambasting, but you're way, way off base here...
Ford didn't engineer the transmission, Aisin did. That same transmission was used in GM cars, where it's know as the AF-33, Volvos, and Nissans.
All three manufacturers had poor in-service experience in 2001 and 2002. The principal problem was valve body bore wear, in particular, the SLT solenoid that controls line pressure. With poor line pressure, the transmission shifts slowly, and that leads to the clunks when shifting as the engine revs too far up or down before the gear is engaged.
Caught early, you can have the valve body rebuilt. Too many slam shifts, and the trans will be worn, necessitating a rebuild.
If you're interested, here is how a valve body rebuild looks on your 2002 Volvo.
http://www.volvoxc.com/0/resources/how-to/pdf/2002-V70-XC-Valve-Body-Replacement-Notes.pdf
I did both my cars about 5 years ago. PM me if you're struggling with your Volvo.
For your Volvo, I recommend a drain and fill (3.5 QTS out of the 8 total) every other oil change, or flush it every 30,000 miles. Use only a JWS-3309 fluid. Toyota T-IV is cheap.