NHTSA Complaint #10592111 — 2001 VOLVO V70

THE IGNITION IS SHUT OFF MOMENTARILY AS THE TRANSMISSION ATTEMPTS TO DOWNSHIFT CAUSING IT TO SLIP INTO NEUTRAL THEN ENGAGE THE LOWER GEAR HARD AS THE TRANSMISSIONS COMPUTER REESTABLISHES CONTROL. THIS ACTION IS RECORDED ON A VIDEO CAR CAMERA OPERATED BY THE IGNITIONS ON AND OFF POSITION. THE HARD SHIFTING PROBLEM THOUGHT TO BE FIXED BY SOFTWARE UPDATE MAY BE ADDRESSING THE SYMPTOM NOT THE CAUSE. ACCELERATION IS ALSO AFFECTED AT OTHER TIMES WHERE THE FOOT PEDAL IS INOPERABLE, BUT REESTABLISHED WHEN SHUTTING THE IGNITION OFF AND ON. THE DRIVE TRAIN BECOMES WOBBLY AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS MAKING TRAVEL BETWEEN CITIES UNSAFE. A CLUNKING SOUND FROM THE REAR, AS BROKEN SPRING OR LOOSE BOWLING BALL MAKES, IS HEARD AT TIMES OF MILD ACCELERATION AT LOWER SPEEDS. PERHAPS A GROUNDING STRAP MY ALLEVIATE STATIC BUILDUP IN THE IGNITION SYSTEM. *JS