Good Morning
New to me 94 960. PO reports car will refuse to start in 1st gear when warm, will start in 2nd gear instead.
Thoughts? Is there a kickdown cable to adjust on these cars?
Rod

If you do decide to change the tranny fluid - I suggest a "slow" change - drop the fluid in the pan then top off the fluid with clean stuff - do this every oil change until the fluid has a good color.

If you check your maintenance manual, I think this is what Volvo recommends for your car, every 30 or 40 k miles - many owners and mechanics do not do this.

If you do not have a manual, I think you can download one from Volvo's site. Or a dealer may have a copy of a 1 page summary. I have a of several summaries of different models that I got from my dealer. I think that the techs use them when servicing older cars.

When you check the fluid level. use the proper procedure. In most cases this involves driving the car for a half hour or so, put the shift lever into every gear position put the car in park then check the fluid with the engine idling.

It is a good idea to do this after a trip as to not waste gas - don't forget to put the car in park!

Sorry for the confusion. I was trying(sloppily) to say that the transmission begins in or engages in 2nd gear. That is to say its like 1st gear is missing. Rather than start in 1st and shift into 2nd and then 3rd. It starts in 2nd and then goes to 3rd.

Starts out in 2nd when warm? What happens when cold?

I would definitely want to check out the kickdown function. When you open the throttle spindle does the kickdown cable then retract smoothly as you close it and without at all going slack? With the spindle held wide open, if you pull the cable and feed it back manually, does it feel like there's resistance? There's a little brass ferrule on the cable. When the throttle is closed, what's the approx gap on the cable between it and the rubber collar on the end of the adjuster? See the FAQ for proper adjustment.

And possibly more important, has the trans fluid been changed in living memory?
--
Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now

Hi Dave

In the last part of your posting I think you zeroed in on what I think he meant to say.
Not to discount any adjustments either.

It’s when its warmed up, like when out driving around, it is failing to shift down into the lowest gear possible.
So, When warm it doesn’t have a low or first gear to take off in.
The wording “Not to start” confuses the minds with the starting up of the engine or “not cranking” for a better term.

I know from instances of past automatics, in many others vehicles, that this happens due to either low fluid or dirty fluid, that you stated.

With Really low fluid you can lose the ability to even go into reverse. That’s usually the first symptom for that!
You cannot trust it to can get out of a parking space backwards, especially in the colder mornings, until the fluid expands to make more volume.
It goes away just enough times and then smacks you in the forehead, for not remembering that a few days ago!

The other symptoms of an aged or dirty fluid, makes the shuttle valves stick and not shift positions when slowing down to under 10 mph.
If he listens very carefully there will be a low sounding whine noise when the planetary gear set spins up during engagement and the car will slow down farther.

The outer drum of the planetary gear system needs to be grabbed tight. This makes the highest torque output or low gear for a take off! Here we are most likely.
The shuttles operates different bands, around the few hubs in there, to make gear changes.
It’s a combination of speed or fluid flow that triggers things.

The transmission would bang on the hood if it could!
Like in the movie “Midnight Cowboy, with Dustin Hoffman when he says “I’m walking here!”
The car goes with “I’m needing some service attention here!”

We both believe it’s not happening for fluid reasons first or an adjustment to a clutch drum actuation lever, in the extreme. On most you Loosen and torque back to spec.
On some older Ford transmissions that was an external one, done during servicing.
For for others it’s above the oil pan.
To go all the way up there is Not so easy, but if a worthy oil change is needed, it’s an oil change!

I’m about to change my fluid @27,000 because I’m starting to notice that it “IS” shifting, occasionally, late at various times.
That’s my Hello!
It says, “Are you feeling me now!”
That one is in Too many movies to count.
(:-)

Phil

Hi Guys,
So I finally got her home and up on blocks. Doing brakes as they were virtually non-functional. But the find of the day is the apparent failure of one or more shifter linkage bushings. Its so bad. The slop in the shifter and inability to place in gears may explain the lack of 1st gear when warm. I will bet at least one bushing is completely missing. I have done numerous 740/940 shifter linkage bushings, same basic? Anyone still have VADIS access? Part numbers and or diagram? Experience on a AW30?
Rod

Replace bushings. Check kickdown condition.

Then as others have suggested move on to fluid if shifting issues are not resolved. Have you checked the fluid level with the transmission warm? If low, that can definitely cause shifting issues. Does it ever slip too? That shouts low fluid level…:)

Agree with the other posters. Flush with cheap fluid and refill. Synthetic is best. Switched my 95 850 to synthetic ATF and the tranny still shifted like new when I sold it at 250k.
--
Will I buy another Volvo??? We'll see....

I think these links should work. Will try myself in a sec. So it appears the video of the rear bushing you need to download to view, sorry. but link number 2 and 3 work. Highlight, rt click and "go to".

Bushings aren't just worn...they are gone. I have a collection of such bushings, will repair tomorrowish and report back. Shifter is a bit different than the AW70/71.



https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XEeaoSublfQN1aDsyPCiSjzIBSS5RUZG/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XQt1pb5AsHIwYp-2neNe2GaJwXlUJDDC/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XQ7ifdQGW5TdsefSTkXCOzLElli3A2AS/view?usp=sharing

Irrespective of the nylonish link bushing(s) being gone (I've also got one on my current do list), if you can get it in any forward gear then you should be starting out in 1st before it upshifts to 2nd. I don’t believe the AW30 is any different from the AW7x in that regard. A fluid level check and likely needing a thorough trans flush should still be on your list.

Going back to my kickdown thought, in the FAQ you’ll note about being able to hear the pawl on the end of the cable faintly plunk against the bottom of the kickdown chamber when the adjuster nut is backed off sufficiently and you pluck the cable. If your trans is gunky enough to have such upshifting problems then you may not be able to hear that plunk easily, if at all. a) Be extra careful to count nut faces so you can restore kickdown to the original adjustment if needed, and b) Be extra thorough with your flushing.

BTW The genuine Volvo trans linkage bushings are well known to be of harder material and more difficult to install than aftermarket equivalents and consequently longer lived. After all the ones you've done, I’m sure you’re aware of the need soften and lubricate them as Spook mentioned.
--
Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now

Dear The Rod,

Hope you're well and stay so. I have VADIS. The transmission shift linkage bushing is Part #666143 / 381704. These bushings are available from www.fcpgroton.com .

It helps to put the bushing in hot water for a few minutes, to make the polymer more pliable. A bit of dish-washing liquid also eases installation. I use a small (1/8") flat-blade screwdriver to help seat the bushing into the opening.

After replacing the bushing(s), if normal shift function is still not correct, look at the nut towards the rear of the linkage. Someone may have changed the position versus the factory-original position.

As others have posted, if the car is "new to you", flush the trans fluid. If it is very dirty, replace with Wal-Mart brand fluid, drive 1,000 miles (1,500 Km) and then re-flush with Mobil 1 ATF.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

Dear The Rod,

Hope you're well and stay so. When you use the term "start" do you refer to: (a) the ignition process, that begins with moving the key to the right; or (b) to the car's movement, once it has started to roll?

If (a), the car should not start unless the gear selector lever is in "P" (Park) or "N" (Neutral). As I stated, there's an ignition switch interlock, that prevents cranking (starting) unless the gear shift lever is in "P" or "N".

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook

"PO reports car will refuse to start in 1st gear when warm, will start in 2nd gear instead. "

Do you mean the engine won't start, or the car won't start moving?

Dear The Rod,

Hope you're well and stay so. I'm puzzled: why would anyone try to start a car, with the shifter not in "park" or "neutral"?

The Aisin-Warner trannies used in 940s and 960s, have a ignition interlock cable, that is supposed to prevent the car being started in other than "park" or "neutral". That cable may need adjustment.

That said, because the car starts in second gear, the "neutral safety switch" (#9130295) likely has failed. I believe Volvo no longer supplies this part. But some have opened-up the switch, cleaned the contacts, and restored functionality.

See the FAQs for guidance as how to access the neutral safety switch.

The "kick-down" cable doesn't play a role in start-up.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook