Volvo 480 Club Europe

Hi,

I thought I'd post on here while I wait for the RAC to rescue me from Luton airport. Here's the problem, after puting the red auto 480 into daily service (an occasionally hard daily 80 mile round commute) for just over a week she went a bit funny this morning. I stopped to reverse into a space and thought I'd hit something. In fact the box had jumped into park. After a bit of fiddling it took reverse and was okay and went the rest of the way to work (2 miles).

After work I got in and started her up and a terrible whine could be heard from (I assume) the autobox. This whine only occurs in Park or Neutral. Have I broken something by accidentally going into park while reversing or are the two symptoms a result of some other horrible gearbox problem?

Currently I am waiting on the RAC for a tow home (or possibly the all clear) as I haven't got a clue what's wrong and I don't want to kill my autobox.

I have checked the oil after cycling through all the gear positions with the engine running then switching off the engine (is this the correct way?). The oil was black but near maximum and service history says it was changed a few years ago. It was on my list of things to get around to changing.

Other relavent information: the car is low mileage (51,000 mi) so I don't think it has just reached the end of it's life.

Any ideas autobox boys?

Upon further investigation it turns out it won't change out of first when in drive. Reverse works. Also there seems to be oil on the top of the box where the selector cable is.

Currently awaiting a recovery truck.

My poor 480

Okay I've changed the fluid. It will change out of first but at very high revs. After this problem it works perfectly fine (although changes into 4th at about 49mph now not 41mph). Strangely after getting the first change out of first out of the way it goes up and down the gears without hassle.

I'm completely stumped here! Further info, whine in first or park is gone but now makes a brief squeaking noise when selecting between park, drive or reverse.

I've driven about 100 miles but can't ignore this initial changing into second problem. Clearly something is very wrong.

Did you find out what was wrong?

No not yet.

The car isn't as knackered as I thought though. Basically, after a bit of groaning and moaning in park or neutral upon a start from cold it is reluctant to change to second until about 3000rpm. Then it works well (the occasional jurk into 4th if I'm accelerating very slowly) and you wouldn't know there's a problem after the initial hiccup.

So I am driving 80 miles a day in it like this but surely there must be some fix other than new oil (which I've done) which hasn't stayed red but is black (burnt?) again.

Hope you're well Andy mate, thanks for the reply.

ouch your condition sounds painful mate!
I had similar problems years ago with...honda accord areodeck!
my 480 has done over 150,000? miles now (mile counter stopped working)
and according to it's history had a auto box rebuild at 90,000
despite your mileage I would consider the fact your auto box maybe have reached it's end
........but you never know?.......keep us upto date