NHTSA Complaint #10056232 — 2003 VOLVO V70

AT APPROXIMATELY 7,000 MILES, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO SLIP IN SHIFTS BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD GEAR. DEALER "READAPTED" TRANSMISSION USING MANUFACTURER'S PROCEDURE IN AN ATTEMPT TO CORRECT SLIPPAGE. MANUFACTURER'S TERM FOR THIS PROBLEM IS "SHIFT FLAIR" IN WHICH ENGINE RPM INCREASES DURING A SHIFT MAKING THE CAR FEEL LIKE IT HAS TEMPORARILY LOST DRIVE OR THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING. IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE PROBLEM, THE ENGINE RPM WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE FOR A FEW SECONDS AND DURING THAT PERIOD THE CAR WOULD LOSE POWER. ONLY THE INERTIA OF THE ROLLING WHEELS COULD KEEP THE CAR MOVING. IF I LET OFF ON THE ACCELERATOR AND THEN IMMEDIATELY DEPRESSED IT, THE CAR WOULD BEHAVE LIKE NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. AS MORE MILEAGE WAS PLACED ON THE TRANSMISSION, THE SHIFT FLARES OR SLIPPAGE BECAME MORE FREQUENT. ACTIONS TAKEN BY THE DEALER INCLUDE: READAPTATION OF THE TRANSMISSION, SIGNIFICANT ROAD TESTING, INSTALLATION OF A TEMPORARY DATA RECORDER, APPLICATION OF NEW SOFTWARE, READAPTING THE TRANSMISSION, DETERMINE VALVE BODY ON ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION INCORRECTLY TORQUED AND RETORQUE OF VALVE BODY TO FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS AND CULMINATING WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ORIGINAL TRANSMISSION. DESPITE THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TRANSMISSION IN EARLY OCTOBER, 2003 AT 12,636 MILES, THE CAR AGAIN EXPERIENCED A TRANSMISSION SHIFT FLAIR ON DECEMBER 27, 2003 AT APPROXIMATELY 18,400 MILES. *JB