When an automatic car will not move in drive, check the simple things first: the fluid level, the parking brake and whether the shifter is actually moving the transmission. If the engine revs but nothing happens, the cause is usually very low fluid, a broken shift cable, a failed torque converter or input shaft, or a broken axle or driveshaft. If it moves in reverse but not in drive, the forward clutch or sprag inside the transmission has usually failed.
Diagnose by symptom
| Symptom | Likely causes |
|---|---|
| No drive or reverse, engine revs freely | Very low fluid, failed pump, torque converter or input shaft, broken shift cable |
| Reverse works, drive does not | Forward clutch pack or sprag failure |
| Drive works, reverse does not | Reverse clutch or band; see transmission won’t go into reverse |
| Grinding or clunking, wheels do not turn | Broken CV axle, driveshaft or differential |
| Long pause, then it moves | Low fluid, worn seals; see delayed engagement |
| Feels held back, engine strains | Parking brake applied or a seized brake caliper |
Checks you can do
- Make sure the parking brake is fully released.
- Check the fluid level and condition by the manufacturer’s procedure; see how to check transmission fluid. Very low fluid often comes from a leak; see transmission fluid leak.
- Watch the shift lever at the transmission while someone moves the shifter: if the lever does not move, the cable or bushing has failed.
- Scan for codes; a fault may have put the transmission in limp mode or a transmission range sensor may not be reading the selected gear.
- Look under the car for a broken axle or a driveshaft that is not turning.
Won’t move in drive or reverse
When neither gear works and the fluid is full, the problem is usually at the front of the transmission: the pump, the torque converter or the input shaft. These require removing the transmission; see bad torque converter symptoms.
Won’t go in drive but will reverse
Drive and reverse use different clutches. If reverse works, the pump and torque converter are probably fine, and the forward clutch or the one-way sprag that holds first gear is the usual failure. That is internal and means a rebuild or replacement; see transmission rebuild.
When it is the shift cable
A broken or disconnected cable lets the shifter move freely without changing gears, and the gear indicator may not match the shifter. Cable and bushing replacements are among the easiest fixes here.
Repair or replace
If the transmission has failed internally, compare costs in transmission replacement cost and see our transmissions, listed by transmission code; what transmission do I have? helps you match it.
More guides: bad CV axle symptoms.
Trouble codes: P0700 Transmission Control System · P0705 Transmission Range Sensor Circuit · P0706 Transmission Range Sensor Range · all OBD2 codes.
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