Fixit question on Volvo

[Richard]

Wife has a 92 960.

Next to the transmission selector are three buttons "W", "S" and "E". Winter, Sport, Economy as I understand it.

I belive they offer some override ability for the transmission such that if you want peppy shifting, put into Sport, if you are on glare ice, put into Winter for an easy departure.

Winter mode starts the gearbox in third gear.

Seems every year when it gets cold these transmission buttons catch pnemonia and the lights on them start blinking.

Well, it's cold again and they're blinking. Seems something in the transmission freezes up during cold weather (not freezing weather, just cold) and the car is now stuck in third gear /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Since the car has started to nickel/dime me on repairs (does $4,000 top end job, $650 driveshaft problems equate to nickle/dimes /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif)

Anyway, I do NOT care to put more into this as we are planning on replacing two cars between now & spring (and the closer to spring, the more Mr. Budget will like it)

Soooooooooooo

Anyone here familar with this car/transmission and know if I can pull a fuse out, cut a wire or do something to just over ride this situation? Since we dont get that much ice here, I'd be JUST FINE, if I killed this "enhancement" all together.

I "think" I can physically over ride by shoving the shifter into 1st gear and essentially, doing it manually. Getting the wife to understand (and deal with) that "fix" might just be /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[bgott]

I don't know squat about that particular Volvo but I am a pretty fair diagnostician. Crawl under that thing with a hair dryer and start heating connections one at a time. If you don't find it under the car you can try the computer and the push buttons. I doubt the problem is in the transmission itself, the internals will warm up in the first mile of driving so the problem would take care of itself. Are there any other obvious problems, like the speedometer not working or the PRNDL ( quadrant) display staying in park or one particular gear? Did the problem start after the top end or driveshaft job?

 

[Richard]

The problem has been around for couple years. Only happens in winter, the other two problems are not related as best as I can deduce.

I don't recall that the problem clears with warming up either. Meaning, well... just what I said lol.

you know, a light bulb just went off inside my head. The wife ALWAYSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS has a drink with her in car (Ice tea).. I wonder if enough has been spilled there over the years to accumulate & allow cooler weather make it stickier (?)

I think I'll be looking for some access screws. The reason this just popped up in my head is that the buttons DO stick. Oh, they will release and then as far as the springiness of them, operate correctly, but... does that mean the underlying switch is letting go??? hmmm....

Holy Sticky Buttons Batman! I've got an idea (dang my brain is good in the morning)

Rather than try to take the entire center consol apart which is most likely for this... would some electrical contact cleaner be worth trying (spray on buttons, hope it too seeps inside)

Won't have as good shot as an exposed shot obviously, but might be worth try.... nothing to lose type thing.

hmm..

 

[GerardC]

<font color="blue"> would some electrical contact cleaner be worth trying (spray on buttons, hope it too seeps inside)

Won't have as good shot as an exposed shot obviously, but might be worth try.... nothing to lose type thing. </font>

Go for it. What do you have to lose by trying it. G

 

[kcarl]

Richard,

I also have a Volvo with similar transmission switches ('98 V70). When I have a problem with our Volvo, which is quite frequent, I get help from the following sources:

http://forums.swedespeed.com/zeromain

http://www.brickboard.com

http://www.volvospeed.com/

Lots of good info there.

Good luck

 

[BubbaJr]

Richard if your wife uses sugar in her iced tea, that spilling on the buttons would cause exactly what you describe. First, give your wife a dope slap on the back of the head for spilling her tea on the buttons (just kidding). The best way to clean out the buttons would be to remove the assembly from the car and thoroughly wash the button assy. under hot water. Then use a blow dryer (on warm setting) to dry all the moisture out of the assy. The next best solution would be to disconnect the battery, and use 91% rubbing alcohol drizzled all over the buttons while you push the buttons on and off. Keep doing this for a while even after you think you have it all cleaned out. Then use the blow dryer to dry it out thoroughly.

When a sugary solution gets cold it stiffens up and will stick all kinds of things together with incredible force.

Then tell your wife to stop being so messy in the car (not kidding). /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[bgott]

If I had known squat about that particular Volvo I would have known the buttons were on the console and I would have sent you there first. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif That's a common problem on cars with electronic and electrical components in the console. The ones that really ate my lunch until I was educated in their idiosyncrasies were Saturns with quad driver faults. The book directs you to the EGR and Purge solenoids on the back of the engine and the ECM. Being that it is an engine control book, it completely leaves out the seat belt sensors in the console that are also controlled by the same quad drivers in the ECM. /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif Those sensors don't like Coke. I upset a couple of customers and drove myself nuts before my little brother, who is a service writer at a Saturn dealership, filled me in.