gear not working on D , L , 1, 2. Reverse is working ok
gears not working on D , L , 1, 2. Reverse is working ok
My car has 300000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
Transmission concerns can be tricky to determine. In your case, you could have a problem with the shifter valve body located within the transmission. It controls the flow of fluid to engage or disengage the different clutches that allow for gear changes. It’s also possible that you are low on transmission fluid. I would check that first. To have the fault diagnosed properly, I recommend having a certified technician, like one from YourMechanic, inspect the shifting problem in person in order to pinpoint the cause.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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An automatic transmission that won`t go in reverse is just one symptom of a low transmission fluid level. You may notice fluctuating shifting or an engine that overheats or stalls. Weird things happen when your car`s systems have to work harder than they are supposed to.
Check to see if the brakes are applied and see if the master cylinder is full of brake fluid. If you need further assistance with your vehicle not moving when putting the transmission in drive or reverse, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
In many cases, delayed shifting of any kind is caused by issues with the transmission`s valve body. Shift solenoid or computer malfunctions can also result in these types of hitches and may require transmission service for correction.
However, a defective speed sensor is viable by an illuminated warning light on the dashboard, signalling that it`s time to repair or replace the speed sensor. These are the major causes that hamper the transmission system, due to which the car won`t go in reverse sometimes.
There isn`t a single fix for reverse not working, unfortunately. It could be a small repair like topping up the transmission fluid, or you could need a complete rebuild. Typically, manual transmissions that won`t engage in reverse have an issue with a damaged gear or the shift lockout ring.
But if the solenoid malfunctions mechanically, no reverse or delayed and slipping reverse may occur.
Transmission Shift Solenoid Location
The Transmission shift solenoids are located inside the valve body of your automatic transmission. They are integrated into the valve body, and on some car models, you can see them without removing the valve body, while on others, you have to remove the valve body to reach them.
Problems Reversing – One common problem that can happen with a clogged filter is difficulty moving in reverse. The lack of fluid flowing through the transmission can cause the reverse gear to lock. This may prevent the car from going in reverse altogether, or it may cause it to hesitate before launching into reverse.
Vehicle Speed Sensor (VSS)
The Vehicle Speed Sensor measures vehicle speed. When it fails the transmission can stop shifting or shift late and harsh. A bad VSS may also inhibit overdrive and the converter clutch.
Depending on your car, your reversing sensors will either be ultrasonic or electromagnetic. Both sensors work in a similar way by emitting either ultrasonic or electromagnetic waves and monitoring whether waves bounce off any objects behind you and warning you with a beep.
A surefire sign of a failing torque converter is when the vehicle won`t shift into a specific gear at all. If you can`t get it to go into reverse or forward drive won`t engage, then it`s probably something wrong with your torque converter.
The switch prevents the engine from starting when not in park or neutral. This eleiminates the risk of starting an automatic car in drive or reverse mode. Located in the linkage or the transmission box, a bad neutral safety switch can cause irreversible damage to your car`s engine and transmission.
If you look at the solenoid application chart in Figure 1, you`ll find that only shift solenoid F (SSF) is on in the reverse position. SSF is on the secondary valve body and controls the position of the 4-5 shift valve.
The reverse flow solenoid has a third port that redirects the fluid to the master cylinder that would be going to the trailer brakes. When the reverse lights on the tow vehicle activate the solenoid, the valve inside the solenoid redirects the brake fluid to return to the master cylinder.
Mechanical noises
This is a common symptom in high-mileage automatic transmissions, and is largely caused by worn bearings and/or other rotating components. Typical noises include whining, rumbling, and/or grinding sounds that may or may not vary with speed when the vehicle is in motion.
But a blown fuse No. 38 becomes a likely candidate causing a loss of power to the transmission solenoids.
The TCM fuse is in the main fuse block and is probably 10 amps. If the fuse is blown, that is confirmation but the faulty fuse means there is a short circuit in the TCM and/or wiring that would have to be traced and repaired.
Press the Clutch Pedal Down More
If you have a manual transmission, try to press the clutch pedal all the way down to the floor before trying to change gears. As the friction disc down, you have to press the pedal further and further down to move it away from the flywheel.
The main reason the car won`t go into gear is that the level of transmission fluid in the vehicle is lower than required. If the level is low despite regular maintenance, there may be a leak. Transmission fluid, therefore, is important to ensure that the car`s moving parts are properly lubricated for functioning.
It can be as easy as replacing fluids or it can be a more than $5000 reconstruction. Minor transmission repairs involve replacing defective solenoids, re-sealing for leaks, replacing parts, and throttle cable adjustment. Major transmission repair requires disassembling, inspection, cleaning, and rebuilding.
Automatic Transmission Repair
The answer is . . . it depends. Automatic transmission repairs are generally more complicated than manual transmission repairs; it all depends on what and where the problem is. There is one important factor to this, though.
You experience delayed gear shifting and a sense of pulling or slipping when trying to shift between gears. The vehicle will not downshift as you slow down. An inability for the solenoid valve to operate may prevent your car from downshifting, and the engine will continue to rev as you attempt to brake.
The transmission position sensor is usually screwed onto the side of your car`s transmission. As you move the automatic gear selector from park/neutral to drive or reverse, it detects the changes. It then enables and disables the connection to the starter motor circuit, affecting your car`s ability to start.
Shifting Issues
When the transmission fluid isn`t clean or is blocked by a clogged filter, the internal components won`t have the lubrication they require to function properly. This could lead to shifting issues, grinding gears, slipping transmission or other common symptoms of transmission problems.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
gear not working on D , L , 1, 2. Reverse is working ok
ANSWER : Transmission concerns can be tricky to determine. In your case, you could have a problem with the shifter valve body located within the transmission. It controls the flow of fluid to engage or disengage the different clutches that allow for gear changes. It’s also possible that you are low on transmission fluid. I would check that first. To have the fault diagnosed properly, I recommend having a certified technician, like one from YourMechanic, inspect the shifting problem in person in order to pinpoint the cause.
Read Full Q/A … : gear not working on D , L , 1, 2. Reverse is working ok
Car only drives in first and reverse
ANSWER : What you are describing may be a result of a faulty speed sensor, potentially low transmission fluid or a even a faulty transmission control solenoid. As your vehicle travels down the road, the computer analyzes data being sent by vehicle speed sensors and engine speed sensors. Based on this information, the Engine Control Unit (ECU), or the Transmission Control Unit (TCM), executes the appropriate upshifts and downshifts by sending a signal to one of several shift solenoids. These transmission solenoids have spring-loaded plungers inside them, which are wrapped with wire. When this coil of wire receives an electrical charge from the TCM / ECU, it causes these plungers to open, allowing transmission fluid to flow into the valve body and pressurize the desired clutches and bands. When this happens, the transmission changes gears and you continue down the road. The computer controls the transmission solenoid in several ways. If the vehicle is equipped with a dedicated Transmission Control Unit, it can open or close the hydraulic circuit using a direct 12v signal. In some cases, the Engine Control Unit (ECU) can control the solenoid’s plunger by turning the ground circuit on and off. When this is not working properly, this can cause a jerking reaction, a delay in shifting or in some cases may cause the transmission to hesitate in shifting gears. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your transmission.
Read Full Q/A … : gear not working on D , L , 1, 2. Reverse is working ok
Car struggles to go into the reverse gear and makes a clunking noise
ANSWER : Other consumers report the type of issue you have with various years and models of BMW but the reports are model specific. If you do a Google search ("difficulty getting reverse BMW "model, year") for your car, you can try the various strategies that I see published. I would suggest one, but I do not know which model you have. If none of those work out for you, that would point to there being a mechanical fault with the reverse synchronizer and related assembly in the transmission. That latter possibility being strongest of course if this difficulty in shifting is a "new" issue that you are experiencing. If you need help diagnosing the shifting issue, a certified professional from YourMechanic can come to your car’s location to inspect the vehicle and advise on the repair.
Read Full Q/A … : gear not working on D , L , 1, 2. Reverse is working ok
reverse gear
ANSWER : The transmission filter inlet is toward the rear of the vehicle on the transmission. When you are pointing down hill, you may be starving the transmission for fluid and it cannot engage without fluid. You should try parking on a flat surface and check the transmission fluid level when it is warmed up running in park.
The fluid should be filled to the top of the full hot line if it is low. If this does not fix the problem, then try getting the filter and fluid changed to see if you may have a filter leak inside the transmission causing it to suck air on the hill. If this still does not work, then you may be parking on too steep of an incline than what the engine and transmission was designed for. If you want to have this looked at, a certified technician from YourMechanic can inspect your shifting issue and let you know what needs to be done.
Read Full Q/A … : gear not working on D , L , 1, 2. Reverse is working ok
Car drives in 1 and 2 also reverse but car feels like its in neuturl when its on D
ANSWER : The final drive forward clutches are worn out or the apply piston seals are bad. Either way the transmission needs to be overhauled or replaced.
Read Full Q/A … : gear not working on D , L , 1, 2. Reverse is working ok
New Aftermarket clutch works well and gets into gears smoothly but 1st and reverse gears makes my engine shutter like no other.
ANSWER : The shuddering you feel may be a warped or contaminated pressure plate/flywheel. I normally send the flywheel to a machine shop to have it resurfaced when I install a new clutch. This helps prevent the shuddering you described. Contamination from oil or grease can also cause that feeling, but not as severe. You don’t really need to break in a clutch, but sometimes they will grab a bit better after a while.
If you’d like to have this looked at, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can diagnose the shuddering you’re experiencing and fix it from there. Best of luck.
Read Full Q/A … : gear not working on D , L , 1, 2. Reverse is working ok
The car doesn’t shift into first gear while it works fine in reverse
ANSWER : The problem could be that the internal transmission pump is weak, or the transmission clutch seals are leaking. It sounds like the transmission will need an overhaul.
I recommend having a transmission mechanic test the pressures and diagnose the problems to verify whether you need an overhaul with a new torque convertor.
Read Full Q/A … : gear not working on D , L , 1, 2. Reverse is working ok
neon manual 5 speed drives great but will not shift into 4th gear while driving. All other gears work fine 4th works when off
ANSWER : Hi there. Most of the time when a manual transmission is hard to shift into an individual gear, it’s caused by the linkage being ’twisted’ or not aligned correctly. However, it is also possible that internal damage has occurred inside your transmission that is causing this problem. In most cases, a clutch issue would cause shifting issues on all gears. Before you spend money on repairs, it’s probably a better idea to have a professional mechanic complete a car is hard to shift inspection, so they can isolate the source of this problem and provide you with the correct repair advice.
Read Full Q/A … : gear not working on D , L , 1, 2. Reverse is working ok
